Public lecture: Prof. Elisabeth Kaske, "The Precariouos Mandarin: An Analysis Based on the Late Qing Novel Officialdom Exposed" (28.05.2025)

The Department of Sinology welcomes all students as well as everybody who is interested to this term's second public lecture. Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Kaske (University of Leipzig) will hold a lecture on "The Precariouos Mandarin: An Analysis Based on the Late Qing Novel Officialdom Exposed".

The lecture will be held on May 28th (18:00 st) in room 17 (Philosophiegebäude).

Abstract

This talk examines the transformation of the Qing Dynasty’s bureaucratic structure in the late nineteenth century through the lens of office selling and patronage, with a particular focus on its representation in Li Boyuan’s serialized novel Officialdom Exposed (1903-1906). Unlike traditional historical analyses that emphasize meritocratic recruitment via civil service examinations, the talk explores how the novel provides a vivid literary portrayal of the bureaucratic system’s commercialization and the struggles of “status officials” who held rank without guaranteed appointment.

Li Boyuan’s narrative reveals the lived experiences of officials navigating an increasingly patronage-driven system, where personal networks and financial investments were essential for securing employment. Unlike its European counterpart, French venalité, Qing office selling granted eligibility rather than specific positions, resulting in a disconnect between official rank and employment. The novel illustrates how declining government revenue from the sales of official resulted from the increasing difficulty to secure regular appointment. Instead, an intense competition for provincial commissions forced aspirants to seek patronage, thereby diverting venality revenues into private hands.

Rather than framing this development solely as corruption, this study argues for an analysis through the framework of patronage, drawing upon Officialdom Exposed to examine patronage givers, seekers, and brokers. Through close readings of key episodes, the paper highlights how the novel exposes the complexities of status, risk, and investment in late Qing officialdom. Li Boyuan’s depiction of bureaucratic aspirations and the commercialization of office offers a unique literary lens into the broader discussions of elite transformations in modern China, revealing how fiction can serve as a critical tool for understanding political legitimacy and social mobility.