The Formation of the "Coffin Sending Network" of Siming-gongsuo(四明公所) in Late-Qing Shanghai : A Study of Native-Place Ties in Modern China

DOI Web Site

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 清末上海四明公所の「運棺ネットワーク」の形成 : 近代中国社会における同郷結合について
  • シンマツ シャンハイ シメイコウショ ノ ウン カン ネットワーク ノ ケイセイ

Search this article

Description

In this article, I will analyze the unique philantropic activities of guilds formed by people with the same regional origins, and examine the mechanism of native-place ties in modern China. In late imperial times, urban migration patterns produced organizations of urban dwellers founded on the basis of common geographical origins. These guilds kept the remains of people from the same place and managed the process of "sending coffins back to their native places"(運棺). In late Qing Shanghai, many factors of modernization led to the dilution of native-place feelings, while new sophisticated regional associations were founded. The economic and political functions of such guilds were gradually assumed by modrn organizations such as chambers of commerce. But Ningpo guilds, owing to the progress of steamships and to their strong conhesiveness. instead developed specific philantropic activities, mainily coffin sending. For Ningpo merchants, native-place ties served as a basis for the recruitment of labor. Siming-gongsuo was the main channel through which Ningpo people entered Shanghai, and through wich their remains were sent badk after their death. The native-place network gave them the assurance of daily life before and after their death. This helped to sustain native-place consciousness, developed the links between Ningpo merchants and their places of origin, and even enabled Ningpo merchants to control Shanghai's finacial affairs. It can be said that this network was chracteristic of Chinese merchants culture.

Journal

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top