The Earth's Chime: Sound Conditions and Sensory Culture in 19th-Century French Countryside

Author: (French) Corban, translated by Wang Bin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: This book is not just a work of history; it also touches on related fields such as cultural studies, sociology, and anthropology. Focusing on the microcosmic object of the "bell," the author provides a vivid picture of the power structure and social order in 19th-century French rural areas. The author listens to the past, explores their passions, and feels the pride and sorrow, joy and sadness, holiness and eternity in the sound of the bell. He sets aside subjective assumptions, attempting to present a world that has just passed away—the spiritual journey of 19th-century French people surrounding the "bell." This book is the result of Alain Corban's analysis and research on approximately 10,000 events related to bells in the 19th century. The author discovers that behind these unusual events lies a system of social order and power. The "bell" is a node in this system, governing the rhythm of rural life, defining its spatial boundaries, determining the identity of the collective and individuals, and expressing people's attachment to the land. The bell's sound forms a language, establishing a communication system, and the connections between individuals, the living and the dead, rely on the "bell" to convey and rebuild. The bell also reflects collective joy, the threat of fire and blood, and the terror brought by epidemics. All collective passions turn to the sound of the bell. At the same time, whether the right to control the use of the bell becomes the focal point of power struggles in rural society. This book carries the legacy of the French Annales School, emphasizing the authenticity of details, particularly focusing on the study of social consciousness and popular psychology. The material is rich, showing the big in the small, and the arguments are precise. Its meticulous research methods will provide great inspiration for the academic community.