Framed by the Archive: Maoist Revolution and the Case of Merchant Zha, 1949‒1952
The formal establishment of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on October 10, 1949 heralded the arrival of what the Chinese Communist Party proudly called ‘New China.’ But what did the establishment of New China look like at the grassroots level? This talk moves the focus of inquiry to Poyang, an overwhelmingly rural county far from Beijing. Using rare archival sources from the Poyang Public Security Bureau, Prof. DeMare brings to life the story of Merchant Zha, a hapless businessman who struggled to navigate the transition from Nationalist to Communist rule. The tale of Merchant Zha, at first glance a historical nobody, sheds new light on critical moments during the first years of the People’s Republic. Through Merchant Zha’s many failures, readers are introduced to the incompetence of the Nationalists, regime change with the arrival of the Communists, bandit uprisings, and land reform. Merchant Zha’s experiences also highlight the Communists’ unique legal system, which put his very life in jeopardy. Prof. DeMare will also highlight how our understanding of these years of revolutionary upheaval are deeply complicated by the limitations of archival materials.
Prof. Brian DeMare teaches at Tulane University in the historic city of New Orleans.
Date:
1 June 2023, 16:00 (Thursday, 6th week, Trinity 2023)
Venue:
Dickson Poon Building, Canterbury Road OX2 6LU
Venue Details:
Kin-ku Cheng Lecture Theatre (lower ground floor)
Speaker:
Professor Brian DeMare (Tulane University)
Organising department:
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Organisers:
Professor Denise van der Kamp (University of Oxford),
Dr Yi Lu (University of Oxford),
Dr Coraline Jortay (University of Oxford),
Professor Henrietta Harrison (University of Oxford),
Dr Chigusa Yamaura (University of Oxford),
Dr Giulia Falato (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
information@chinese.ox.ac.uk
Part of:
China Studies Seminar series
Booking required?:
Not required
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Clare Orchard
