Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Tables ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Abbreviations xvii
I. Introduction: Imperialism, Colonialism, and China 1
Part I: Opium Wars and Treaties of Peace, Friendship, and Commerce 29
2. The Arrow War, 1856-1860 31
3. Violence and the Rule of Law in China, 1856-1858 49
4. Beijing 1860: Loot, Prize, and a Solemn Act of Retribution 74
Part II: Reterritorializing China, 1861-1900 119
5. Constructing a New Order 123
6. The Qing Empire in the Era of European Global Hegemony 156
Part III: Making China Perfectly Equal 185
7. A Reign of Terror: Punishment and Retribution in Beijing and Its Environs 195
8. Desacralizing Qing Sovereignty, 1900-1901 241
9. Mnemonic Devices: Memorializing the West as Victim and Hero 282
10. The Return of the Repressed, Recirculations, and Chinese Patriotism 315
Postscript 346
Bibliography 351
Index 375

Promotional Information

A re-evaluation of British Imperialism in nineteenth-century China from the perspective of postcolonial theory.

About the Author

James L. Hevia is Chair of the Curriculum in International and Area Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His book Cherishing Men from Afar: Qing Guest Ritual and the Macartney Embassy of 1793 (published by Duke University Press) won the Joseph Levenson Prize from the Association for Asian Studies.

Reviews

" ... extremely interesting ... no one will be able to think about Britain in China or China today, in quite the same way as before... Hevia makes an entirely original contribution to the history of British global imperialism and of what Britain was really doing in China in the century before 1949."--THE CHINA QUATERLY "A product of 15 years' meticulous and extensive research, this impressive book challenges current Western and Chinese scholarship... Highly recommended."--G. Zheng, CHOICE "Prodigiously researched, English Lessons combines readable theoretical analysis with terrific detail... [N]o one will be able to think about Britain in China or China today, in quite the same way as before... Hevia makes an entirely original contribution to the history of British global imperialism and of what Britain was really doing in China in the century before 1949."--Joanna Waley-Cohen, The China Quarterly "[A] vital work not only for China scholars but also for scholars of British imperialism and the general history of colonialism. Hevia's ability to coax original insights from a vast array of sources ... marks him as one of the most imaginative and sophisticated historians of China writings today. Seldom is a gauntlet thrown with so much skill, and with so much reward to the reader."--Ruth Rogaski, American Historical Review "[I]nspiring... [T]his is a highly successful book that has effectively bridged the gap between late Qing studies and postcolonial scholarship. Moreover, in light of the ongoing American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, this work inevitably gives us another opportunity to reflect upon the nature of American overseas "nation-building" projects as well as U.S. claims of having the moral high ground of spreading freedom and democracy to the rest of the world."--Tong Lam, Journal of World History "[A]n engagingly written analysis..."--Paul Bailey, History Hevia's study... deserves high accolades. His fresh interpretative framework, deft use of historical sources, and lucid stylistic representation are examples of excellent scholarship."--Q. Edward Wang, Journal of British Studies