On November 26, participants explored the idea of regional material cultures and discussed its strengths and limitations, especially with regard to changes in a region’s material culture over time. Using infrastructure cases, participants also analyzed institutions and social actors (e.g., artisans and merchants) that transported raw materials and transferred knowledge and skills for working with specific materials across regions.
The topic and reading materials were suggested by Dr. Sunkyu Lee and Dr. Yuan-Heng Mao. The meeting was moderated by Dr. Yuan-Heng Mao.
Required Reading:
Susan Naquin, “The Material Manifestations of Regional Culture,” Journal of Chinese History 3, no. 2 (2019): 363–79. https://doi.org/10.1017/jch.2018.35
Optional Reading:
Ian M. Miller, Fir and Empire: The Transformation of Forests in Early Modern China (Seattle, WA.: University of Washington Press, 2020), Ch.7. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv143mdn1.14