From precious jade articles to monumental stone arches; Huizhou salt merchants in Jiangnan lived surrounded by objects in eighteenth-century China. How and why did these businessmen devote themselves to these items? What can we learn about eighteenth-century China by examining the relationship between merchants and objects?Luxurious Networks examines Huizhou salt merchants in the material world of High Qing China to reveal a dynamic interaction between people and objects. The Qianlong emperor purposely used objects to expand his influence in economic and cultural fields. Thanks to their broad networks; outstanding managerial skills; and abundant financial resources; these salt merchants were ideal agents for selecting and producing objects for imperial use. In contrast to the typical caricature of merchants as mimics of the literati; these wealthy businessmen became respected individuals who played a crucial role in the political; economic; social; and cultural world of eighteenth-century China. Their life experiences illustrate the dynamic relationship between the Manchu and Han; central and local; and humans and objects in Chinese history.
#3674812 in eBooks 2016-10-26 2016-10-26File Name: B01MPXHPZO
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