Taming China's Wilderness

Immigration, Settlement and the Shaping of the Heilongjiang Frontier, 1900-1931

Nonfiction, History, Asian, Asia, Modern, 19th Century
Cover of the book Taming China's Wilderness by Patrick Fuliang Shan, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Patrick Fuliang Shan ISBN: 9781317046837
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Patrick Fuliang Shan
ISBN: 9781317046837
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the Chinese province of Heilongjiang, historically known as Northern Manchuria, remained a sparsely populated territory on the northeastern frontier. For about two centuries, the rulers of the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) - whose historical homeland was in Manchuria - enforced a policy that prohibited Chinese immigration and settlement and maintained the region’s reputation as the Great Northern Wilderness. Yet, as this new study demonstrates, by the early 20th century the Chinese government reversed its previous policy and began to encourage immigration into Heilongjiang, turning a backwater into a thriving frontier region. Covering the period between the reversal of the anti-immigration policy around 1900 and the Japanese occupation of Heilongjiang in 1931, this book investigates this distinctive frontier and the impact upon it of the settlement of four million Chinese settlers during a thirty-one year period. Following an introduction providing a background to the period covered, the study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter looks at patterns of immigrations, settlement and the features of the newly developing frontier society. Chapter two then deals with land possession, tenure and relations amongst the newly arrived settlers. The third chapter discusses the transformation of the ethnic make-up of the region, and the move from a largely nomadic culture to one of settled farmers. Chapter four probes the social problems these changes caused, particularly banditry. The final chapter revises commonly held notions about Russian dominance of the region, arguing that Russia’s influence was limited to the railway zone. Taken together, these chapters not only provide an overview of a territory undergoing rapid and sustained change, but also provide insights into wider Chinese history, as well as adding to the on-going scholarly interest in border and frontier studies.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the Chinese province of Heilongjiang, historically known as Northern Manchuria, remained a sparsely populated territory on the northeastern frontier. For about two centuries, the rulers of the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) - whose historical homeland was in Manchuria - enforced a policy that prohibited Chinese immigration and settlement and maintained the region’s reputation as the Great Northern Wilderness. Yet, as this new study demonstrates, by the early 20th century the Chinese government reversed its previous policy and began to encourage immigration into Heilongjiang, turning a backwater into a thriving frontier region. Covering the period between the reversal of the anti-immigration policy around 1900 and the Japanese occupation of Heilongjiang in 1931, this book investigates this distinctive frontier and the impact upon it of the settlement of four million Chinese settlers during a thirty-one year period. Following an introduction providing a background to the period covered, the study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter looks at patterns of immigrations, settlement and the features of the newly developing frontier society. Chapter two then deals with land possession, tenure and relations amongst the newly arrived settlers. The third chapter discusses the transformation of the ethnic make-up of the region, and the move from a largely nomadic culture to one of settled farmers. Chapter four probes the social problems these changes caused, particularly banditry. The final chapter revises commonly held notions about Russian dominance of the region, arguing that Russia’s influence was limited to the railway zone. Taken together, these chapters not only provide an overview of a territory undergoing rapid and sustained change, but also provide insights into wider Chinese history, as well as adding to the on-going scholarly interest in border and frontier studies.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book A History of Portuguese Economic Thought by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book The Khoesan Languages by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Time, Culture and Identity by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Muscular Christianity and the Colonial and Post-Colonial World by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Classical Liberalism and the Jewish Tradition by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Perceptions and Policy in Transatlantic Relations by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book The Rum Seljuqs by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Happiness and Wellbeing by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Mild Cognitive Impairment by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book The Ethics of Sex and Alzheimer's by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Literary Darwinism by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Twentieth Century Industrial Archaeology by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Processes of Animal Memory (PLE: Memory) by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Essential Chinese Vocabulary by Patrick Fuliang Shan
Cover of the book Connecting Policy and Practice by Patrick Fuliang Shan
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy