Li Li 李立 & Shi Qing 史青, Qingdai Yunnan ‘Yiren tushuo’ yanjiu 清代雲南「夷人圖說」研究 (Research on Qing Dynasty Ethnographic Albums from Yunnan Province), Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 2021. ISBN 9787101153354, 164 pages, 68 RMB.
Reviewed by Li Yutong 李雨桐 (Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg)
This book provides a comprehensive examination of ethnographic albums in Yunnan during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The authors Li Li (Yunnan Normal University) and his co-author Shi Qing (Yunnan Forestry Technical College) focus on two central aims. The first is to concentrate on the content depicted and documented in the ethnographic albums. In order to achieve the goal, the authors illustrate the intricate details of the characteristics and customs of diverse ethnic groups in Yunnan during the Qing dynasty. The second aim revolves around the motivations of the illustrators. The book endeavors to uncover the underlying rationales that drove the creation of these ethnographic albums. Whether their motivations stemmed from a scholarly desire to document the diversity of ethnicities or whether they were swayed by political, social, and cultural conditions in frontier regions, the illustrator’s intentions added layers of complexity to the local history of Yunnan.
Yiren tushuo 夷人圖說 (ethnographic album) is a specific genre of publication.[1] Typically consisting of an illustration and a corresponding explanation, it serves as visual and textual information about non-Han ethnic groups. This genre was primarily created by scholars, nobles, and the gentry from both the Manchu and Han communities during the Qing dynasty. Most albums were anonymously produced, and those with exceptional artistic value were often reproduced in substantial quantities (pp. 300–304), indicating their significance in raising awareness and understanding of the diverse ethnic groups featured within them to a broader audience.
For this research, the authors have extensively relied on twenty-four ethnographic albums as primary sources. These albums have undergone meticulous classification into six distinct types, considering their similarities in origins and contents. Except for one, all of these types are named after one typical album: (1) Huangqing zhigongtu 皇清職貢圖 (Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributary Peoples), (2) Dianyi tushuo 滇夷圖說 (Illustrated Explanations of Yunnan ethnic groups), (3) Bolin tushuo 柏麟圖說 (Illustrated Explanations of Bolin), (4) Diansheng yixi yinan yiren tushuo 滇省迤西迤南夷人圖說 (Illustrated Explanations relating to the ethnic groups in West and South of Yunnan), (5) Yunnan yingzhi miaoman tuce 雲南營制苗蠻圖冊 (Illustrated Explanations of Miao for military use in Yunnan), as well as (6) various local gazetteers from Yunnan.
The authors first provide a comprehensive overview of previous research on ethnographic albums in Yunnan. Many of these albums were initially studied by Western academics. While earlier studies focused on collecting miaotu 苗圖 (Miao albums), more recent Western scholarship approaches the topic from various perspectives. For instance, Laura Hostetler characterizes ethnographic albums as instruments wielded by the Qing court for comprehending, defining, and regulating its population and domains.[2]
Chinese scholars started researching ethnographic albums in the 1930s. The anthropologist Liu Xian 劉鹹 was among the first to focus on collecting ethnographic albums and the studies done by Western sinologists and missionaries.[3] Recent research by Zhu Jing argues that representations of ethnic others in Miao albums are gendered, and this intersection of gender and ethnicity informs the portrayal of ethnic minorities in the Republican era photographs.[4] The authors point out that the current research on ethnographic albums centers on comparative and image studies. However, despite the existing literature, the lack of comprehensive studies necessitates further examination and discussion (pp. 11–22).
The book consists of seven chapters, which can be divided into two parts based on the book’s two core research aims. The first part covers the change of traditional ethnic classification of Yunnan ethnic groups in ethnographic albums (Chapter 1) and every ethnic group featured in these albums (Chapter 2). Following this, the authors scrutinize the choices made in illustrations and texts (Chapter 3). They emphasize that the documentation of ethnic groups is rooted in past records and the personal experiences of illustrators (Chapter 4). They contend that historical narratives and illustrations of ethnic groups lead to their marginalization and stigmatization (Chapter 5).
The chapters in the second part focus on the illustrators of ethnographic albums (Chapter 6) and delve into their graphic traditions (Chapter 7). The authors attempt to provide valuable insights into the genesis and evolution of ethnographic albums and the intricate process of categorizing different ethnic groups within them. The importance of intertextual and contextual interpretation in understanding these sources is studied through specific case studies of ethnographic albums.
The authors draw the following noteworthy conclusions. Firstly, they point to the increase in the number of ethnic groups along with the expansion of the geographical administration scale from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty. Secondly, the ethnographic albums illustrate the compilers’ attitudes and aesthetics of ethnic groups when they encountered different cultures as they navigated between the geographical interior and frontier, Han and non-Han ethnic groups, as well as the elites and the general population (p. 25). In addition to the attitude of illustrators, these albums also reflect society’s market demand and political ideology. Finally, ethnographic albums mirror the dynamic relationships between the center and frontiers of a dynasty.
The authors use innovative methodological approaches from iconology to examine the illustrations. Drawing on Ernst Gombrich’s concepts of “making” and “matching,” they confirm that the illustrators of ethnographic albums, even though they claim to have first-hand knowledge of non-Han ethnic groups, still follow and copy previous ethnographic illustrations (p. 304).
In addition, the research thoughtfully explores the intertwining of historical backgrounds and specific ethnic groups, such as in the case of the ethnic group known as diyanggui 地羊鬼 (literary “land-sheep devils”), who are said to have played a significant role in the conflicts between the Ming dynasty and Burma, and other local chieftains from the middle of the sixteenth century to the beginning of the seventeenth century. In ethnographic albums, the diyanggui are usually depicted as people with short hair and yellow eyes holding a stone in their hands and described as crafty and profit-oriented. Upon encountering an enemy, they would cast a spell to turn their entrails into wood and stone. The stone held in the hand is the characteristic symbol for the diyanggui used by all illustrators. The authors point out that as the military conflict between the Qing dynasty and Burma unfolded (1762–1769), the role of diyanggui became increasingly ominous. Consequently, the authors enable readers to gain a deeper understanding of the historical backdrop shaping the evolving role of diyanggui from the late Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty.
In Chapter 2, the authors provide helpful tables illustrating the characteristics of ethnic groups employed in different albums. The tables give detailed statistics and examples of the names of ethnic groups found in various ethnographic albums, and the graphic features of the illustrations are noted. For instance, in the Pu’er fu tushuo 普洱府圖說 (Illustrated Explanations of Pu’er Prefecture), the authors count and list a total of twelve ethnic groups depicted in it. They also observe that its distinct characteristics include colored paintings and a proficient integration of pictures and explanations (p. 61). This information facilitates more systematic comparisons of these albums.
The book, however, still has shortcomings. A few inferences and speculations in the book are not supported by sufficient argument. For example, the authors opine that the images of diyanggui are not included in some ethnographic albums because they were considered too strange and frightening (p. 197). In fact, these albums do not indicate why they omitted these in the first place. On the other hand, comparing different examples of diyanggui illustrations, the authors suggest that the illustrators did not draw the iconic stone typical for the diyanggui because they probably did not understand its significance (p. 202).
Secondly, some of the information needs to be presented with proper analysis. For instance, in Chapter 2, the authors use tables to show data from various ethnographic albums, aiming to narrate and compare different ethnic classifications across diverse albums. However, the information presented needs to be analyzed more thoroughly rather than a broad overview of the data with insufficient interpretation.
Thirdly, the book lacks a specific introduction to the history of the Yunnan frontier in the Qing dynasty. The authors repeatedly stress the importance of reading ethnographic albums in their historical context. However, they need to elaborate on why the Qing dynasty was chosen as the timeframe for the research. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty were of non-Han origin, unlike their Ming dynasty predecessors, which may have influenced the historical narrative of ethnographic albums. The book would also have benefitted from an outline of the peculiar characteristics of Qing-period ethnographic albums from Yunnan compared to their predecessors in the Ming period.
Finally, the authors fall short in analyzing the illustrators’ identities, a multifaceted aspect encompassing two levels of relationships. The first level is the intricate connection between the illustrators and non-Han ethnic groups. The second level shows that these identities intertwine with the relationship between the Manchu regime and the illustrators. The position and perspective from which the authors stand determine the illustrator’s choice of those characteristics. Looking at these two levels of relationship, the interaction between the Qing government and non-Han ethnic groups in Yunnan, the southwestern periphery of the Qing dynasty, would become more evident. It would aid in unraveling the complex dynamics and shed light on the diverse perspectives encapsulated in these ethnographic albums.
To conclude, this book extends and enriches prior research on the topic. It is a valuable addition to the field and a stepping stone for further investigations on Yunnan ethnographic albums.
[1] Yiren 夷人 is a term that refers to non-Han ethnic groups in general rather than to a specific group of indigenous people. Other generic terms used for non-Han ethnic groups include manyi 蠻夷, miaoman 苗蠻, and zhuyi 諸夷.
[2] Laura Hostetler. Qing Colonial Enterprise: Ethnography and Cartography in Early Modern China (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001).
[3] Liu Xian 劉鹹. “Miaotu kaolüe 苗圖考略” [A Brief Study of Miao Albums], Shandong daxue kexue congkan 山東大學科學叢刊2 (1933), pp. 351–365.
[4] Jing Zhu. Visualising Ethnicity in the Southwest Borderlands: Gender and Representation in Late Imperial and Republican China (Leiden: Brill, 2020).
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Li Yutong 李雨桐 (1 juillet 2024). [Review] 李立 、史青:《清代雲南「夷人圖說」研究》(Li Li & Shi Qing: Research on Qing Dynasty Ethnographic Albums from Yunnan Province). L'Ecole française d'Extrême-Orient en Chine - The French School of Asian Studies in China - 法國遠東學院在中國. Consulté le 11 mars 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/11wro