Roxann Prazniak - Of Camel Kings and Other Things: Rural Rebels Against Modernity in Late Imperial China

This text had its origins in my studies at the University of California. It has traveled a great distance since those years. At UC Berkeley I was introduced to modern China in courses taught by Franz Schurmann and Frederic Wakeman. Martha Kendall, whose own interests at the time were in the village origins of the Taiping Rebellion, was a most engaging teacher. At UC Davis, Liu Kuang-ching, Don C. Price, and Gary Hamilton were helpful and encouraging during my years of graduate work. In 198384, I received a grant from the National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Scholarly Communication with the Peoples Republic of China. This allowed me to continue my research at a number of archives and libraries and to visit some of the counties in which I was interested. I am most grateful to the staff at each of the following institutions for their assistance and patience: Beijing University Library, Qinghua University Library, the No. 1 Qing Archives in Beijing, the No. 2 Republican Archives in Nanjing, Nanjing University Library, Shandong University Library, and the Shanghai Municipal Library. During the same year, in addition to Chuansha County, I traveled to Laiyang and Haiyang counties where I met with county historians who shared their perspectives and locally collected materials. Mao Jiaqi and Cai Shaoqing of the History Department at Nanjing University kindly offered their assistance with references and introductions throughout this year.

During a sabbatical supported by Hampden-Sydney College, I returned in 1993 to do additional work in Nanjing and Zunhua County. For assistance with the Zunhua trip, which unexpectedly became so crucial, I am thankful to Yu Keping and Xu Xiuli. Also, at Zunhua, I was fortunate to have access to materials in the Zunhua County Historical Archives and to make the acquaintance of Lu Zhanshan and Wang Jiahai, both county historians and longtime observers of the north China political scene.

Several readers have had a hand in improving this manuscript. Philip Huang and Joseph Esherick offered helpful advice in the doctoral stage. Ernest Young read the final draft and made invaluable suggestions. Wan Shuping, Li Qishu, and Thelma Chow helped with translation problems. Richard Kunst did the computer graphics for the glossary and the county maps. Philip Schwartzberg reproduced the all-China map. Scott Horst and Shelli Newhart assisted with a wealth of editorial details. Of course, any errors of fact or judgment are entirely mine.

Last but not least, Arif Dirlik encouraged and supported my efforts and was the source of some of the many minor miracles that made this study possible. Arifs own work has been an inspiration to me throughout this process, and it is to him and my much appreciated stepsons that I dedicate this volume.