W o r k s h o p "C h i n e s e H a n d i c r a f t
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R e g u l a t i o n s : T h e o r y a n d A p p l i c a t i o n"
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• go to: download articles(access only for participants of the workshop)In recent years, the source type of zeli "regulations and precedents", has again attracted the interest of historians in China and abroad. Zeli are products of the administrative process of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) that contain legally binding prescriptions for the authorities of the central government. A special group among the regulations and precedents are the handicraft regulations (jiangzuo zeli). This source type is most important for the study of the history of Chinese technology, but can also be applied for administrative, economic and social history. Considering the growing number of reprinted editions that are available since the last five years, it is now time to examine this genre in its entirety and to assess its usefulness for historical studies.
For this purpose, we propose a workshop in the framework of the 3rd International Symposium on Ancient Chinese Books and Records of Science and Technology.
Introduction: On precedents and regulations (zeli) and handicraft regulations (jiangzuo zeli)
In Western Sinology, Thomas Metzger has made important generalizations about regulations and precedents: "Regulations [...] were norms authorizing action in a direct, obvious way." Through precedents, "action was authorized through the process of pointing to identical or similar acts in the past as justification." Precedents were applied "where there was doubt as to the relation between legal norms and practice." The term "handicraft regulations and precedents" was coined by the cultural historian Wang Shixiang (b. 1914) and first defined as "established rules for artisans in all sectors of the building trade." In later definitions, not only the building trades, such as carpentry, stonemasonry, bricklaying, roofing, and scaffolding, but also other areas of civil engineering, such as river conservancy, canal construction, and ship-building as well as metal working, the textile and the printing trades were included. Therefore, handicraft precedents and regulations can be more widely defined as "rules and data concerning techniques, materials, and funds for construction and the production of utility goods." As Song Jianze has pointed out, distribution and the form of publication, either as official printings or as manuscripts, were uneven in the course of the Qing. Starting in late Kangxi (1662-1722) and Yongzheng (1723-35), the peak of compilation was reached during the reigns of Qianlong (1736-95) and Jiaqing (1796-1820). Thereafter, the numbers of zeli decreased. However, as more manuscript editions come to the light and as a result of re-definitions and extensions of the genre, the picture might still change.
In China, the process of classifying and collecting zeli in general and jiangzuo zeli in particular was started in the Republican era. Qing historian Wang Zhonghan (b. 1913) gives a list of over 500 zeli of all types he bought in the 1930s. Scholars from the Chinese Architectural Society (Zhongguo yingzao xueshe, 1929-1943) devoted their efforts to collecting zeli and other materials that concerned the building crafts. Wang Shixiang (b. 1914) joined this group in its later years, and did terminological and bibliographical research in the early 1960s. He is the author of the first list of jiangzuo zeli, which has been expanded several times. The latest bibliography of jiangzuo zeli contains 123 titles. Until very recently, research on this source type outside China has been impeded by problems of accessibility. Original zeli of any type in collections outside China and Japan are rare. Only few works have been reprinted in Taiwan in the 1960s. By the 1990s, however, editorial groups in the People's Republic of China have started to reproduce more Qing regulations and precedents, and during the first (1996) and second (1998) conference of the International Symposium on Ancient Chinese Books and Records of Science and Technology, Hua Jueming and Su Rongyu have pointed out the importance of this source type.Topics of the workshop
1. Theoretical foundations and the structural framework
a. Crafts and commerce in China
The interaction of state, the crafts and commerce in the late Ming and the Qing dynasties will be discussed in this section. For the Qing, the validity of the general model of stronger state control of the economy in the eighteenth and more liberal attitudes in the nineteenth century will be scrutinized. Moreover, the scope and variety of the crafts and the conditions of production and employment will be explored.
b. An international comparison: Historical materials on the crafts in Germany
Colleagues from the field of Western economic history will join us here for information on comparable Western, predominantly German, sources on the handicrafts, especially on prices and wages. The objective is to gain insight into the role of the crafts and artisans in both historical and cultural entities and to compare the state of the field and the predominant paradigms of studies on the crafts in both China and the West.
2. Theoretical and practical considerations on the source types of zeli and jiangzuo zeli
In this part, the question which texts have been and should be subsumed under the term zeli and jiangzuo zeli will be addressed. For the handicraft regulations, this means a critical assessment of the definition by Wang Shixiang and of the items included in his list of jiangzuo zeli: How far can or should the concept of zeli be extended to texts that are not designated as zeli in their titles? Next, an outline of the development of the genre is desirable. Its origins should be discussed, since in the light of recent research, the view that it pertains exclusively to the Qing may have to be revised. During the Qing, the peaks of compilation activities should also be reconsidered and interpreted in the perspective to the changing relationship of artisans and state bureaucracy. Eventually, the question should be solved why the genre was discontinued and which text types took its place after the fall of the monarchy. This point is closely related to the question of the function of zeli for administration, above all their binding force. In this context, another urgent task is to find out how far Metzger's generalizations about zeli are also valid for handicraft regulations. Is there a ze and li dichotomy in analogy to the legal context with lü as 'eternal laws' and li as the more ad hoc precedents? A comparison with the precedents for the provinces, shengli, will offer important insights for the quality of zeli in general and jiangzuo zeli in particular. Finally, the state of the field of research on handicraft regulations in China and abroad as well as the situation of reprint projects will be outlined.
3. Case Studies
a. Handicraft regulations and their function for the crafts
Handicraft regulations were on one hand compiled at a comprehensive level for the general use of the concerned authorities, that is mainly for the Ministry of Public Works and the Imperial Household Department. However, specialized regulations exist as well. Among these, we find such that concern specific tasks of the Ministry, like the construction of official buildings, temples of the state cult, and city walls, acquisition and maintenance of military equipment, river conservation, and of the Imperial Household Department, such as building and maintenance of the Imperial palace Yuanmingyuan, the management of the Imperial Printery of the Hall of Military Fame (Wuyingdian).
In this section, scope, outline and terminology of these regulations will be introduced, and their possible practical use will be assessed in comparison with other technical writings concerning the respective subjects.b. Regulations on Prices and Wages
Economic aspects are represented in another group of specialized handicraft regulations, those on materials and working hours, prices and wages. The items in this group are not very numerous. Nevertheless, they contain valuable data material that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Regulations related to prices and wages are the basic material of the database part of the DFG project. Contributions in this section will focus on the prices of building materials and price regulation in public construction in the Qianlong era (1736-95).
c. The Usefulness of Regulations and Precedents for the Study of Monetary Policies and Minting
Here the focus will be on the usefulness and limitations of handicraft regulations concerning administration of the Metropolitan Mints Baoyuanju and Baoquanju. We will concentrate on the dichotomy of norm and factuality as reflected in different textual source types, such as stele inscriptions from guild houses and archival texts from authorities of the central government, and the material remains, i.e. the coins. The economic background will be introduced in a study on the monetary thought of the eminent High Qing administrator Chen Hongmou (1696-1771).
d. Regulations and Regulatory Practices on River and Coastal Shipping
In this section, regulations and archival documents concerning fluvial and maritime transport will be presented. One case study will feature the creation of regulations and guidelines for the sea transport experiment in 1826. These centered on organizing the interface between the government grain transport agencies and the private shachuan shippers in Shanghai and also describe the organization of the Zhili end of the experiment with important information about wages for shipping and trans-shipping labor. Moreover, theory and practice of river shipping and boatmen on the Min river in Fujian and the more general background of creation and evolution of regulations on coastal shipping and trade in the late imperial period will be explored.
Scientific objective of the workshop
Our objective is to introduce and evaluate an important source type to interested specialists in the fields of the history of Chinese science and technology and to further explore its relevance to Chinese economic, social, political, and cultural history. This can best be achieved by setting this workshop in the framework of the International Symposium on Ancient Chinese Books and Records on Science and Technology. At the same time, the findings of the DFG research group of the sinological seminar at Tübingen, which has been executed in collaboration with the Institute for the History of Science and Technology and Ancient Documents of Tsinghua University, and the Institute for the History of Natural Science of the Chinese Academy of Science, will be presented for critical discussion to leading international experts. A further aim of the workshop is to add comparative perspectives, in order to highlight civilisational and cultural differences and similarities and to promote the collaboration between economic historians in Germany and China.
Announcements
All papers will be circulated to all participants in advance for discussion at the workshop. There will be discussants for every section. Participants are asked to present outlines of their contributions (20 minutes) rather than read the full papers at the workshop. A publication of the proceedings of the workshop is planned.
The workshop languages will be English and Chinese.References
• DFG Project "State and Handicrafts in Peking, 1700-1900", www.uni-tuebingen.de/ sinologie/sino/personal/moll/moll_pr.html
• Dray-Novey, Alison, "Spatial Order and Police in Imperial Beijing", in JAS 52:4 (1993), pp. 885-922
• Metzger, Thomas, The Internal Organization of Ch'ing Bureaucracy. Legal, Normative, and Communication Aspects. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Pr. 1973
• Moll-Murata, Christine, "New Editions of Qing Dynasty Handicraft Regulations and Precedents (jiangzuo zeli)", in Revue bibliographique de Sinologie 20, 2001, pp. 255-271
• Song Jianze, "Guanyu Qingdai jiangzuo zeli" in Gujian yuanlin jishu 2001, 3, pp. 40-45
• Su Rongyu, Hua Jueming, "Qingdai jiangzuo zeli de xueshu jiazhi he yanjiu xianzhuang" ("Academic Value and Status of Jiang Zuo Ze Li in Qing Dynasty"), in Zhongguo keji dianji yanjiu ("Study on Ancient Chinese Books and Records of Science and Technology"), ed. by Hua Jueming et al. Zhengzhou: Daxiang chubanshe 1998, pp. 218-227
• Tanii, Yôko, "Shindai sokurei shôrei kô", in Tôhô gakuhô 67, 1995, pp. 137-239
• Wang Shixiang 1963: "Tan Qingdai de jiangzuo zeli", in Wenwu 1963 No.7, pp. 19-25
• Wang Shixiang 1995: "chuyi", in Yanjing xuebao, N.S. 1, 1995, pp. 227-234
• Union list of Handicraft Regulations (jiangzuo zeli) in Chinese and International Collections. Draft Version, by Christine Moll-Murata and Song Jianze, www.uni-tuebingen.de/sinologie/project/shp
P r e l i m i n a r y p r o g r am
Sunday, March 30
15:00-18:00 Arrival of the guests and registration at Sinologisches Seminar,
Wilhelmstrasse 133
Monday, March 31
09:15-10:00 Reception and Welcome addresses for 3rd ISACBRST and Workshop at Tübingen Castle, Fürstenzimmer
Workshop "Chinese Handicraft Regulations: Theory and Application"
Location Tübingen Castle, Turmzimmer
Section 1 Theoretical Foundations and Structural Framework: Crafts and Commerce in China, and International Comparison on Historical Materials on the Crafts in Europe
Chair: William T. Rowe
Discussant: Jörg Baten
10:00-10:30 Hans Ulrich Vogel and Christine Moll-Murata, Introduction of the Workshop and of the DFG Project on "State and Handicrafts in Peking, 1700-1900"
10:30-11:00 Dagmar Schäfer, Technical and Political Aspects of the Encyclopedia Tiangong kaiwu
11:00-11:30 Josef Ehmer, Artisans, Guilds and Craft Regulations in European History
Discussion
[Lunch]
Section 2 Theoretical and Practical Considerations on the Source Types of zeli and jiangzuo zeli
Chair: Jane Kate Leonard (inquired)
Discussant: Christine Moll-Murata
15:00-15:30 Song Jianze, An Exploration of the Origins, Characteristics, and Research Situation of Handicraft Regulations
15:30-16:00 Su Rongyu, Development, Decline and Substitution of Handicraft Regulations
[Coffee break]
16:00-16:30 Tanii Yôko, The Basic Characteristics of the Provincial Regulations and their Application to the Crafts
Discussion
Tuesday, April 1
Section 3 Case studies
a. Handicraft Regulations and their Function for the Crafts
Chair: Grant Alger
Discussant: Su Rongyu
09:00-09:30 Guo Daiheng, Comments on Yuan Ming Yuan Nei Gong Ze Li
09:30-10:00 Klaas Ruitenbeek, Information on Chinese Architecture in Handicraft Regulations. A Critical Assessment
10:00-10:30 Dai Wusan, Liang Sicheng and Research on "Architectural Methods of the Qing Dynasty" (Qingshi yingzao zeli)
Discussion
[Coffee Break]
11:00-11:30 Welf H. Schnell, Generic Assessment of Handicraft Regulations on the Yuanmingyuan
11:30-12:00 Caroline Bodolec, The Technology of the Vault Structure in Chinese Architecture: Links between the Gongcheng zuofa (1734), juan 44 and the Contemporary Building Methods of yaodong houses in Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces
Discussion
[Lunch]
Chair: Welf Schnell
Discussant: Klaas Ruitenbeek
14:30-15:00 Caroline Gyss-Vermande, On the Construction of Buddhist and Taoist Statues in the Mirror of Handicraft Regulations
15:00-15:30 Christine Moll-Murata, Routine and Grand Scale Renovations of the Metropolitan City God Temple, and Maintenance of the Peking City Walls
15:30-16:00 Liu Qiang, Organization and Techniques of the Imperial Printery in the Hall of Military Fame Wuyingdian - Based on Regulations and Precedents Zeli
Discussion
[Coffee Break]
16:45-17:15 Iwo Amelung, Some Preliminary Observations on Regulations and Precedents Related to River Hydraulics During the Qing Dynasty
17:15-17:45 You Zhanhong, On Acquisition and Maintenance of Military Equipment as Reflected in Handicraft Regulations
DiscussionPlenary Lecture
Location Neue Aula, Wilhelmstrasse 7, Hörsaal 1
19:15-20:15 Sivin, Nathan, A New Approach to Comparative and Other Research on Pre-modern Science in China and Europe
Wednesday, April 2
Section 3 Case studiesb. Regulations on Prices and Wages
Chair: Iwo Amelung
Discussant: Jan Lucassen (inquired)
09:00-09:30 Chen Chaoyong, Prices of Building Materials and Wages in Public Construction in the Qianlong Era according to Wuliao jiazhi zeli
09:30-10:00 Juliane Kiefner, The Zhili Province Edition of "Regulations and Precedents on Prices of Materials"
Discussion
[Coffee Break]c. The Usefulness of Regulations and Precedents for the Study of Monetary Policies and Minting
Discussant: Jane Kate Leonard (inquired)
10:00-10:30 William T. Rowe, Provincial Monetary Practice in Eighteenth-Century China: Chen Hongmou in Jiangxi and Shaanxi
10:30-11:00 Werner Burger, Minting during the Qianlong Period. Comparing the Actual Coins with the Mint Reports
11:00-11:30 Hans Ulrich Vogel, Management of the Metropolitan Mints
Discussion
[Lunch]d. Regulations and Regulatory Practices on River and Coastal Shipping
Chair: Dieter Kuhn (inquired)
Discussant: Hans Ulrich Vogel
15:00-15:30 Jane Kate Leonard, Timeliness and Innovation: The 1845 Revision of the Complete Book on Grain Transport (Caoyun quanshu)
15:30-16:00 Grant Alger, Managing Mobility: Popular Technology, Social Visibility and the Regulation of Riverine Transportation in Eighteenth Century China
16:00-16:30 Huang Guosheng, Creation and Evolution of Regulations on Coastal Shipping and Trade during the Early Qing Period
16:30-17:00 Schottenhammer, Angela, Fujian yanhai hangwu dang'an (Jiaqing 12): A Qing Dynasty Manuscript on Construction and Sale of Ships in Fujian
Discussion
[Coffee Break]
17:00 Roundtable: Results and Research Perspectives
19:00 Dinner, Restaurant Museum
Thursday, April 3
12:30-13:00 Official Conclusion of 3rd ISACBRST at the Fürstenzimmer
[Lunch]
15:00-18:00 Excursion: Monastery and Castle of BebenhausenEnglish/chinese version () of the workshop's preliminary program
for the workshop (PDF)
A r t i c l e s
• Alger, Grant, "Managing Mobility: Popular Technology, Social Visibility and the Regulation of Riverine Transportation in Eighteenth Century China" (PDF 239 KB)
• Amelung, Iwo, "Preliminary Observations on “Regulations and Precedents Related to River Hydraulics” (Hegong Zeli) During the Qing Dynasty" (PDF 712KB)
• Bodolec, Caroline, "The technology of the vault structure in Chinese architecture: links between the Gongcheng zuofa, 1734, juan 44 and the contemporary building methods of yaodong houses in Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces"
• part 1 (article PDF 1,88 MB)
• part 2 (illustrations PDF 2,67 MB)
• Burger, Werner, "Minting During the Ch’ien-lung Period: Comparing the Actual Coins with the Mint Reports" (PDF 720 KB)
• Chen Chaoyong, "Prices of Building Materials and Wages in Public Construction in the Qianlong Era according to Wuliao jiazhi zeli" (PDF 296 KB)
• Ehmer, Josef, "Artisans, Guilds and Craft Regulations in European History and Historiography" (PDF 149 KB)
• Guo Daiheng, "Comments on the Book Yuan Ming Yuan Nei Gong Ze Li"
• part 1 (article PDF 267 KB)
• part 2 (illustrations PDF 980 KB)
• Leonard, Jane Kate, "Timeliness and Innovation: The 1845 Revision of the Complete Book on Grain Transport (Caoyun quanshu)" (PDF 309KB)
• Liu Qiang, "Organization and Techniques of the Imperial Printery in the Hall of Military Fame Wuyingdian" (PDF 309KB)
• Moll-Murata, Christine, "Maintenance and Renovation of the Metropolitan City God Temple and the Peking City Wall During the Qing Dynasty"
• part 1 (article PDF 433 KB)
• part 2 (illustrations PDF 540 KB)
• Rowe, William T., "Provincial Monetary Practice in Eighteenth-Century China: Chen Hongmou in Jiangxi and Shaanxi" (PDF 211KB)
• Ruitenbeek, Klaas, "Building Zeli and their context" (PDF 102KB)
• Schäfer, Dagmar, "The Congruence of Knowledge and Action: The Tiangong kaiwu and its Author Song Yingxing (1589-166?)"
• Song Jianze, "An Exploration of the Origins, Characteristics, and Research Situation of Handicraft Regulations" (PDF 296KB)
• Su Rongyu, "A Brief Introduction of Zeli, History, Compilation, Function and Disappearance" (PDF 787KB)
• Tanii Yoko, "The Basic Characteristics of the Provincial Regulations and their Application to the Crafts" (PDF 286KB)
• Vogel, Hans Ulrich, "The Peking Mints during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Administrative, Economic, and Social Problems"
• part 1 (article PDF 584KB)
• part 2 (appendix PDF 24KB)
• You Zhanhong, "On Acquisition and Maintenance of Military Equipment as reflected in Handicraft Regulations" (PDF 272KB)
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