The Social Interaction Of Middle-level Beijing Officials In Late Qing Dynasty

The Beijing officials group hold an important position in the bureaucracy system of the Qing Dynasty,but there is still a lack of research about the group yet,especially the studies of the social interaction inside the group.The paper takes Zhu Xueqin as the typical of middle-level Beijing officials in late Qing Dynasty.Since Zhu Xueqin started his career,he belonged to middle-level official in most of the time.He participated in political affairs,which was different from what lower level officials did.But their influence in these affairs was limited.These situations were common for middle-level Beijing officials.At the mean time,there's no interruption in Zhu Xueqin's career,except three years of mourning for his parents.Above all,the author think Zhu Xueqin has the typical of middle-level Beijing officials in late Qing Dynasty.So the paper takes Zhu Xueqin(???)as an example to research the social interaction of middle-level Beijing officials in late Qing Dynasty,and grasp the essence of late Qing Dynasty society further based on the discussion.Except for introduction and epilogue,this paper is composed of four chapters.Chapter 1 of this paper first define "the middle-level Beijing official".Then analyse Zhu Xueqin's family,his experience,his children and in-laws.Because of Zhu Xueqin's giant social network,chapter 2 specially card this network.Chapter 3 expound how Zhu Xueqin built and maintained his giant social network,and analyse the characteristic of this network.Chapter 4 discuss the benefit relationship reflected by Zhu Xueqin's social intercourse at first.On this basis,the author analyse the effect on Zhu Xueqin himself and the political pattern at that time taken by his social network,and then analyse officialdom of late Qing Dynasty.Zhu had a giant social network,personnel's composition iscomplicated,including Beijing officials,magistrates,and those people outside the bureaucracy system,like men of letters,booksellers and doctors.Officials that maintained connection with Zhu Xueqin cover all levels.The forming process of his network had a trend from bottom to top,as he mainly made the acquaintance of middle and lower class officials when he entering the political career,and the influence and status of people he associated with was synchronous rising when he got gradually promoted.On the one hand,officer of the same period also got promoted at the same time.On the other hand,after the promotion,Zhu Xueqin can got touch with those official in higher level.And at the mean time,officials from all levels began drawing Zhu Xueqin actively.After building up the interpersonal relationships,these relationships should be run mindfully.Zhu used a variety of ways to maintain his giant social network such as epistolizing letters,paying a visit,congratulations and condolences,throwing parties and entertainments.His network had several obvious characteristics:firstly,most of his friends were the Han officials;secondly,he showed a geopolitical tendency to meet officials from regions south of the Yangtze River;last but not lease,people inside the network shared the same interests of collecting books.Study of the social interaction of Zhu Xueqin contributes to grasp the essence of the bureaucracy system and the political situation of the late Qing Dynasty.On one hand,it reflects the inside stories of the official circle in the late Qing Dynasty,including economic interests between officials,requesting help for job vacancy and exchange of information.Then,the auther find that Zhu Xueqin's social intercourse not only made effect on his own promotion,but also on the political pattern at that time.On the other hand,through Zhu Xueqin's condition,the author analyse the survival condition of middle-level Beijing officials.At the same time,it shows that the middle level Beijing officials respected by Zhu Xueqin play the role of middleman in the bureaucracy system of the late Qing Dynasty,connecting the lower class and upper class officials and bonding local and central with their giant social network.In the meantime,the middle level Beijing officials were the hard core of different factions in late Qing Dynasty,thus the social interaction of them reflects the splitting or integrating of factions at that time.Therefore,the middle level Beijing officials deserve more study to conduct further research on the bureaucracy system and political situation of the late Qing Dynasty.