Overview

The city of Qufu, in north China's Shandong Province, is famous as the hometown of Kong Qiu (551-479 BCE)-known as Confucius in English and as Kongzi or Kong Fuzi in Chinese. In The Kongs of Qufu, Christopher Agnew chronicles the history of the sage's direct descendants from the inception of the hereditary title Duke for Fulfilling the Sage in 1055 CE through its dissolution in 1935, after the fall of China's dynastic system in 1911. Drawing on archival materials, Agnew reveals how a kinship group used genealogical privilege to shape Chinese social and economic history. The Kongs' power under a hereditary dukedom enabled them to oversee agricultural labor, dominate rural markets, and profit from commercial enterprises. The Kongs of Qufu demonstrates that the ducal institution and Confucian ritual were both a means to reproduce existing social hierarchies and a potential site of conflict and subversion.

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9780295745923

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Reviews

Agnew's book is impressive in its chronological and thematic scope, and he makes persuasive arguments about economic, political, and social factors thatshaped the history of the Kong ducal establishment. * Journal of Chinese Studies * As Agnew recounts the compelling stories of how the Kong family negotiated with the state and regional powers to maintain social hierarchies, he presents the ducal institution (1055-1935) as a remarkable case for the study of institutional history at both regional and state levels. This is perfect supplemental reading to Michael Szonyi's Practicing Kinship for readers interested in Chinese lineages. . . . Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *

As Agnew recounts the compelling stories of how the Kong family negotiated with the state and regional powers to maintain social hierarchies, he presents the ducal institution (1055-1935) as a remarkable case for the study of institutional history at both regional and state levels. This is perfect supplemental reading to Michael Szonyi's Practicing Kinship for readers interested in Chinese lineages. . . . Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice * Agnew's book is impressive in its chronological and thematic scope, and he makes persuasive arguments about economic, political, and social factors thatshaped the history of the Kong ducal establishment. * Journal of Chinese Studies * Agnew's reliable and well-written book provides a fresh glance at the role of Confucian traditions in situations of social turmoil in Late Imperial China. His matter-of-fact approach reveals the contradictions that in the past have characterized Confucianism and continue to do so. * Religious Studies Review * In providing us with The Kongs of Qufu, Agnew has afforded us with most thoroughgoing insight available to date on what is probably China's most conspicuous saga in genealogical identity construction, offering us an extraordinarily detailed near-insider's perspective on the self-perceived necessity of single lineage-over the course of generations-for distinguishing between us and them. * China Review International *

As Agnew recounts the compelling stories of how the Kong family negotiated with the state and regional powers to maintain social hierarchies, he presents the ducal institution (1055-1935) as a remarkable case for the study of institutional history at both regional and state levels. This is perfect supplemental reading to Michael Szonyi's Practicing Kinship for readers interested in Chinese lineages. . . . Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *

"""As Agnew recounts the compelling stories of how the Kong family negotiated with the state and regional powers to maintain social hierarchies, he presents the ducal institution (1055–1935) as a remarkable case for the study of institutional history at both regional and state levels. This is perfect supplemental reading to Michael Szonyi’s Practicing Kinship for readers interested in Chinese lineages.... Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty."" * Choice * ""Agnew’s book is impressive in its chronological and thematic scope, and he makes persuasive arguments about economic, political, and social factors thatshaped the history of the Kong ducal establishment."" * Journal of Chinese Studies * ""Agnew’s reliable and well-written book provides a fresh glance at the role of Confucian traditions in situations of social turmoil in Late Imperial China. His matter-of-fact approach reveals the contradictions that in the past have characterized Confucianism and continue to do so."" * Religious Studies Review * ""In providing us with The Kongs of Qufu, Agnew has afforded us with most thoroughgoing insight available to date on what is probably China’s most conspicuous saga in genealogical identity construction, offering us an extraordinarily detailed near-insider’s perspective on the self-perceived necessity of single lineage—over the course of generations—for distinguishing between ""us"" and ""them."""" * China Review International *"

"""As Agnew recounts the compelling stories of how the Kong family negotiated with the state and regional powers to maintain social hierarchies, he presents the ducal institution (1055–1935) as a remarkable case for the study of institutional history at both regional and state levels. This is perfect supplemental reading to Michael Szonyi’s Practicing Kinship for readers interested in Chinese lineages.... Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty."" ""Agnew’s book is impressive in its chronological and thematic scope, and he makes persuasive arguments about economic, political, and social factors thatshaped the history of the Kong ducal establishment."" ""Agnew’s reliable and well-written book provides a fresh glance at the role of Confucian traditions in situations of social turmoil in Late Imperial China. His matter-of-fact approach reveals the contradictions that in the past have characterized Confucianism and continue to do so."" ""In providing us with The Kongs of Qufu, Agnew has afforded us with most thoroughgoing insight available to date on what is probably China’s most conspicuous saga in genealogical identity construction, offering us an extraordinarily detailed near-insider’s perspective on the self-perceived necessity of single lineage—over the course of generations—for distinguishing between ""us"" and ""them."""""

Author Information

Christopher S. Agnew is associate professor of history at the University of Dayton.

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