Local Gazetteers in Ming Dynasty Borderlands

Joseph Dennis, Assistant Professor of History, Davidson College, North Carolina

This lecture will explore the compilation, publication, and circulation of local gazetteers in Ming dynasty borderlands. The focus will be on gazetteers compiled by native officials in native domains (tusi??), and the role of local gazetteers in building literary culture along the southwestern border. Professor Dennis' research is on Chinese social, legal, and cultural history. He is currently writing a book, "Writing, Publishing and Reading Local Histories in China, 1100-1644." His courses include surveys of East Asian History, upper division courses on imperial and modern China, and seminars on Chinese legal history and the history of the book.