The Administrative Litigation seen from the the Shuntian Prefectural Archives in the Qing Dynasty-Comparison with the Baxian Archives

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03153
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Asia and Africa
• Research Institution: Osaka University of Economics and Law
• Principal Investigator: Wu Yue 大阪経済法科大学, 国際学部, 教授 (60351681)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 順天府档案 / 行政訴訟 / 伝統中国 / 青苗会 / 冒籍 / 科挙 / 公文書 / 民告官

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using primary materials from the Shuntian Prefectural Archives and focusing on local administration in North China in a comparative light, this research project explores the autocratic rule of early modern China. It considers rulers’ expectations of the people, and the people’s expectations of their rulers. The project’s overarching objective is a reconsideration of state governance in early modern and modern China.
Using the perspective of “administrative litigation,” I have shed light on the actual operation of local administration and the role of organizations such as the Harvest Association. Further, through an analysis of popular demands and authorities’ responses as seen in the administrative litigation related to the operation of the Harvest Association, the project has some much to clarify the penetration of state power into the lower levels of society and, at the same time, common people’s active efforts to exploit state power.

Free Research Field

東洋史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義は、『順天府档案』を基礎史料として利用し、華北の地方行政に焦点を当て、他地域とも比較をして、とくに「行政訴訟」というこれまでになかった視点から、前近代中国における専制支配のあり方、または支配者に対する民衆の期待、および民衆に対する支配者の期待を究明し、それをもって前近代中国ないし現代中国の国家統治のあり方を再認識する、ということにある。