Fenye in Local Gazetteers

Projects cont.

• Mario Cams

  The Cosmological Bearing of Late Ming Macro-Geography: Fenye as a Concept on Large Commercial Maps

  On the late Ming book and print markets, comprehensive treatises on geography and large maps were widely available for purchase. The latter were deeply linked to the former, with the format of the large multi-sheet map serving the clear purpose of providing convenient and comprehensive access to the often-voluminous works of geography. Many of large maps deploy the term fenye in their titles as they lay out macro-geographical relations that connect the Ming administration to the non-Ming world beyond. However, astrological affiliations do not appear on the maps themselves, but can sometimes be found in the accompanying annotations in the margins. The deployment of fenye on these maps, both as a concept and as information, further situated the Ming administration and presumably imbued it with a cosmological bearing. This raises the question of how the concept of fenye was used by publishers during the late Ming, and how it was understood by the reading public.

• Haohao Zhu

  Authority and Local Knowledge: Fenye in Local Gazetteers during Ming and Qing China

  Local gazetteers (LG) constitute a special form of knowledge in ancient China. Their development may be traced to Song China when the system of hereditary aristocracy dynasty collapsed and civil literacy rose. LG aimed to instill order and promote moral values among the literate population. Fenye (field allocation) is a special part of LG contents, usually appearing on the front pages. In the heaven-earth-human knowledge structure of LG, it is concerned with knowing the heavens. For compilers, it also served as a rationale to explain the distinctive attributes of local places.

  Fenye knowledge was compiled by a very diverse group of people, including both important scholars and amateurs in the field of astronomy, as well as literate individuals who possessed a limited understanding of fenye from the official histories. These compilers grappled with various demands and expectations from different parties. For example, they had to make sure fenye knowledge did not contradict tradition or official authorities. The compilers had to respect the hierarchies of LG, as each administrative division had its own LG. While seeking to express their own opinion, the compilers also strove to safeguard the intended purpose of fenye knowledge. In sum, fenye as presented in LG, is the result of many complex factors. My research explores fenye in several LG of the Ming and Qing dynasties, addressing, in particular, the following questions: What is the function/role of fenye? How did the compilers balance diverging appeals or demands to their work? How do tradition and official, authoritative knowledge on astronomy influence the presentation of fenye in LG? Is it possible to identify discussions that reflect the compilers’ personal views, and, if so, how do they reflect the education of the compilers or specific schools of thought?