Ming-Ch'ing Studies in Japan: 1984

Until recently studies in Ming and Ch'ing history have been concerned with trying to elucidate social and economic processes of development in land relations. This has led to a thinning in the ranks of scholars in fields other than social and economic history, and to an ossification of other research topics. In the field of Ch'ing history, the Ch'ing dynasty has generally been seen both as an alien conquest dynasty and as the last native "Chinese-style" autocratic dynasty in an agricultural society. The Ch'ing did have this dual quality, but few have examined the issue comprehensively. It would be no exaggeration to say that the two sides have been severed and researched separately. The tendency to treat the period before the Manchus entered China separately from the period after, and the fact that few scholars have examined the eight gusa (banners) system of banner lands and imperial villas in social and economic historical research, provide but one reflection of this problem. In reviewing the over 120 books and articles concerning last year's research, I see no radical change in this situation. Yet, in looking for new points of view and issues, we should pay particular attention to the publication of several symposia. I begin with these.