Seminar II: Laurent CHIRCOP-REYES
12 OCTOBER 22
IHP-EFEO Talk
Speaker:
Dr. Laurent CHIRCOP-REYES
French Center for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC)
Title:
Escort-masters
in Northern China: Studying a social category mixing protection against
and complicity with brigandage (18th-20th centuries)
Date:
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Venue:
Room 703, Research Building, IHP, Academia Sinica
Abstract:
In the 18th century, merchants in Shanxi Province, who were victims of the
brigandage that was rampant in the steppes of Northern China, sought
protection from local martial arts masters. From the interaction between
these two worlds a new profession emerged, the “escort-master”(biaoshi
鏢師). Initially in charge of the protection of caravans' goods during
their journeys, mainly money, salt and tea, the companies of
escort-masters (biaoju 鏢局) gradually specialised in the late 19th
century in the convoying of banks' funds and the guarding of merchants’
residences (kanjia huyuan 看家護院). Today, the phenomenon is best known for
its connection with the development of martial arts, which are still
transmitted locally. By highlighting a cryptolect called the “dark
language” (heihua 黑話), this presentation will put into question the role
of martial arts in this phenomenon. Intended in particular to avoid the
use of violence, the “dark language” reveals the forms of social
regulation at work in areas inadequately controlled by the state and the
continuum existing between the world of ancient merchants and the
borders of “rivers and lakes” (jianghu 江湖).
The talk will be chaired by Dr. CHEN Hsi-yuan, Research Fellow, Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
The talk will be given in English. Registration is not required.
With the support of the French Office in Taipei (BFT).
lecture
Speaker:
Dr. Laurent CHIRCOP-REYES
French Center for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC)
Title:
Escort-masters
in Northern China: Studying a social category mixing protection against
and complicity with brigandage (18th-20th centuries)
Date:
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Venue:
Room 703, Research Building, IHP, Academia Sinica
Abstract:
In the 18th century, merchants in Shanxi Province, who were victims of the
brigandage that was rampant in the steppes of Northern China, sought
protection from local martial arts masters. From the interaction between
these two worlds a new profession emerged, the “escort-master”(biaoshi
鏢師). Initially in charge of the protection of caravans' goods during
their journeys, mainly money, salt and tea, the companies of
escort-masters (biaoju 鏢局) gradually specialised in the late 19th
century in the convoying of banks' funds and the guarding of merchants’
residences (kanjia huyuan 看家護院). Today, the phenomenon is best known for
its connection with the development of martial arts, which are still
transmitted locally. By highlighting a cryptolect called the “dark
language” (heihua 黑話), this presentation will put into question the role
of martial arts in this phenomenon. Intended in particular to avoid the
use of violence, the “dark language” reveals the forms of social
regulation at work in areas inadequately controlled by the state and the
continuum existing between the world of ancient merchants and the
borders of “rivers and lakes” (jianghu 江湖).
The talk will be chaired by Dr. CHEN Hsi-yuan, Research Fellow, Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
The talk will be given in English. Registration is not required.
With the support of the French Office in Taipei (BFT).
lecture