Strangers at the Gate: Social Disorder in South China, 1839-1861

by Frederic E. Wakeman Jr.

Now available again, this pioneering work examines one of the most controversial periods in Chinese history: the relationship between the Chinese civil and military authorities and the British trading community in Guangdong province on the eve of the Taiping Rebellion, one the most calamitous events in Chinese history. Wakeman shows how prevailing rural discontent, urban riots, secret society activity, and the imbalance of class and clan affected the mechanisms of regional power and gentry control, demonstrating the progression of rebellion and the historical inevitability of revolution.

Genres: China, History

292 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1997

About the author

Frederic Evans Wakeman, Jr. (Chinese: 魏斐德; pinyin: Wèi Fěidé) was a prominent American scholar of East Asian history and Professor of History at University of California, Berkeley.

His father was the novelist Frederic E. Wakeman, Sr. (publishing as "Frederic Wakeman")
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederi...

Reviews

[MIL · Rating 4 out of 5]

又是本承先但不見啟後的書~
清末中央漸漸失去對地方的控制
在兩次鴉片戰爭和太平天國中
傳統中國文極而質的史觀因為西方的介入
在清末變得不適用了~
但另一方面來說，清廷為了撲滅地方叛亂
重用團練，最後讓地方士紳壓倒中央流官
又是中國傳統的套路
雖然本書每一章篇幅都不長很好讀
在還沒迷失於各種沒有背景細節的事件時就看完了
對沒啥基礎知識又很懶的人來說很方便(?
但要讀懂其實是很費力的

編輯做得很差，錯字和簡轉繁的錯誤一大堆
翻譯到中後段變得有點難懂
最神奇的是附錄裡把sweet potato翻成甜馬鈴薯
看到這段差點沒笑死XD
查資料時發現後來有出增訂本但沒繁體
不知道增訂了什麼?
同作者的大作洪業也在我的書單中，但啥時才會讀到呢~

[Virginia Vayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written and well informed book. I was unaware of the combat at San-Yuan-Li, as well as the many other pertinent political or social mechanisms that contributed to rebellion in China during the 19th century. This book did a wonderful job of explaining the social and political process that led to such rebellion.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good history coloured by attitudes of the time.