Guangdong culture and identity in the late Qing and the early Republic

Thesis

This thesis examines the construction of Guangdong identity in the late Qing and the early Republic. It does that by examining five aspects that relate to provincial identities. They are, first, the drawing of ethnic boundaries within Guangdong as reflected in the local literature; second, the literati perception of Guangdong vernacular writings as represented by the Cantonese dialect;third, the people and institutions which substantiated the high culture of Guangdong; fourth, the Republican intellectual trends which possibly broadened the definition of Guangdong culture, and fifth, regional identity from a county's perspective in the 1940s. It argues that the formation of provincial identities in China was tied to the evolution of the Chinese state. It also argues that although local customs and popular customs were drawn into questions of provincial identity, the literati in the Qing dynasty and the educated elite in the Republic played a crucial role in deciding what counted as elements of the provincial identity. As a result, provincial identity is subsumed under the realm of a unified Chinese culture, and “regional particularities” become the exception rather than the rule in the context of the province.

Authors: Ching, M

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: identity; ethnicity; Guangdong Sheng; republic; China; civilization
• Subjects: Ethnicity -- China -- Guangdong Sheng; Guangdong Sheng (China) -- Civilization