China in A Time of Turbulence: through the Lens of Popular Culture (29 October 2022, Gunaghua Bookshop, London))

Posted: October 26th, 2022 | No Comments »

China in A Time of Turbulence: through the Lens of Popular Culture, 29 October 2022 at 13:00.

The Chinese society underwent a series of turbulent events in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. There were continuous internal rebellions and external conflicts, and the country witnessed the collapse of its last imperial dynasty and established a new republic which brought profound social changes. Little has been studied how this part of history was reflected in popular culture.

At this event we are introducing two books, observing China at the time from two unique perspectives.

Cartooning China: Punch, Power & Politics in the Victorian Era by Amy Matthewson –

This book explores the series of cartoons of China and the Chinese that were published in the popular British satirical magazine Punch over a 60-year period from 1841 to 1901.

Filled with political metaphors and racial stereotypes, these illustrations served as a powerful tool in both reflecting and shaping notions and attitudes towards China at a tumultuous time in Sino-British history. A close reading of both the visual and textual satires in Punch reveals how a section of British society visualised and negotiated with China as well as Britain’s position in the global community. By contextualising Punch’s cartoons within the broader frameworks of British socio-cultural and political discourse, the author engages in a critical enquiry of popular culture and its engagements with race, geopolitical propaganda, and public consciousness.

The Adventures of Ma Suzhen: ‘An Heroic Woman Takes Revenge in Shanghai’ by Paul Bevan – This comic novel was written during a highpoint in the popularity of xia “knight-errant” fiction. It is an action-packed tale of a young woman who takes revenge for her brother, Ma Yongzhen, a gangster and performing strongman, who has been murdered by a rival gang in China’s most cosmopolitan city, Shanghai. After publication of the book in 1923, the character of Ma Suzhen appeared on stage, and subsequently in a film made by the Mingxing Film Company. The book version translated here, displays a delightful combination of the xia and popular“Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies” genres, with additional elements of Gong’an “court case” fiction. The translation is followed by an essay that explores the background to the legend of Ma Suzhen – a fictional figure, whose exhilarating escapades reflect some of the new possibilities and freedoms available to women following the founding of the Chinese Republic.

Registration for the event is here

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