The Political World In The Academic Community

Abstract:This paper researches on the culture, collective identity and political participation of the Chinese local elites at the Xuehaitang Academy in nineteenth century Guangdong. It argues that the Chinese academy can not only be considered as examination institutions, but also can be seen as a social space.The core group of Xuehaitang scholars was largely composed of urbanized families from the delta hinterland and sojourners and in-migrants from outside the area who came to reside in urban Guangzhou. Despite the fact that the Xuehaitang was created in part for the purpose of spreading Jiangnan evidential research to the far south, Han-Song syncretism also became a trademark approach at the academy. And scholars utilized the kaozheng methods of textual reconstruction, epigraphy, geography, and on-site investigation to explore local culture and history, and they employed new literary styles and innovative anthological strategies to reconstruct Cantonese elite culture. We would find that Xuehaitang scholars were involved in formal or informal networks. Thus, the Xuehaitang was an important place in the formation of elite identity, and it acted as a vital social space in the construction and political participation of the Canton elites.