Wangjiang China: The Origin of Informal Institutions in China

Author: Yu Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: "Talks on the Jianghu" is the posthumous work of the renowned storytelling master Lian Keru. The famous writer Su Shuyang called it a "rare and unparalleled" book. The author possesses extensive experience in the Jianghu world. The book provides a detailed introduction to the rules and jargon of the Jianghu; exposes the inner workings of swindling, deception, and fraud in old society; narrates the development, styles, and schools of various folk arts; and depicts the hidden social lives of Jianghu artists. The text is clear and fluent, holding valuable historical and collectible significance. The Jianghu culture of China, interpreted through "Jianghu," offers insights into China. Why do Chinese people have a unique "kung fu obsession"? The Jianghu is a transformed form of "Confucianism." Relationships are the "vitamins of survival," with 17 types of connections and 3 essential elements. Fei Xiaotong described relationships as "a stone thrown into the lake." Human feelings are like virtual currency, supporting transactions, and the face game. The three elements of face are: honor, rules, and credibility; "fake people," "acting and pretending," and "making a living in the world." The Jianghu also has its own values. The evolution of Chinese society, the "triangular model": a stage of changing faces, conclusion: there is more. Since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, in terms of the carrying capacity of agricultural productivity, the total population of the country had approached saturation. In some areas like Jin, Huizhou, and Fujian, the signs of overpopulation began to appear, and surplus populations started to drift away from their clans and villages to other places. After 300 years of accumulation, by the end of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the total population finally exceeded the carrying capacity of agricultural productivity. Starving refugees, like a flood, spread across the country. These immigrant groups, who had abandoned the classical settled agricultural lifestyle, gradually formed a Jianghu society that was outside the control of the imperial system, including secret religious sects, secret societies, trade guilds, and merchant guilds. From the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, Jianghu forces like the Heaven and Earth Society, Hongmen, Gelaohui, and Qingbang fully infiltrated the upper echelons of society—military, politics, business, and culture—by participating in the overthrow of the Qing Empire. The black and white worlds gradually merged, and the values, organizational models, and customs of the Jianghu spread from the "road" to the entire society, leading to the "Jianghu-ization" of modern Chinese social structure and culture. Today, although various Jianghu organizations no longer exist, the values and customs derived from the Jianghu have evolved into invisible institutional norms that still influence the thoughts and behaviors of Chinese people. This book interprets China through "Jianghu," reflects on history, and analyzes China's modernization process. It has a broad perspective, rich historical materials, unique insights, and thought-provoking content.