{"product_id":"violence-and-order-on-the-chengdu-plain-rural-china-history","title":"Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain - Rural China History","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review the book Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is recommended for readers who want a focused, scholarly narrative about local power and secret societies in 1940s rural Sichuan. Di Wang uses a gripping case study-the 1939 filicide carried out by a Gowned Brother-to trace how a secret brotherhood shaped community life and how Western social science framed the inquiry. The book's value is its combination of narrative detail and sociological context, making it a strong pick for historians and social scientists who want depth rather than broad survey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary case study:\u003c\/strong\u003e The detailed account of Lei Mingyuan's 1939 filicide supplies a vivid entry point into the Gowned Brothers' role in local violence and authority.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFieldwork-based narrative:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shen Baoyuan's 1945 fieldwork offers rare first-hand observations and intimate portrayals of family and community dynamics.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSociological framing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Di Wang situates the events within the influence of Western sociology and anthropology on Republican-era Chinese intellectuals, clarifying interpretive choices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLocal power analysis:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book examines structures of rural governance and social order in 1940s Sichuan, useful for scholars of Chinese rural history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInterpersonal focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Close attention to the Lei family humanizes wider political and social forces for readers looking for narrative depth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is best for academic readers, graduate students, and informed general readers interested in modern Chinese history, rural studies, or the sociology of violence. Its close reading of a single community and the interplay with intellectual currents makes it especially valuable for researchers seeking case-based evidence rather than sweeping national narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a broad, general history of twentieth-century China or a comprehensive political history should look elsewhere; this work is intentionally narrow in scope and assumes some familiarity with scholarly approaches to social history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvides a compelling, concrete case study that illuminates how a secret brotherhood operated in daily life.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDraws on Shen Baoyuan's fieldwork to include rare primary observations and personal detail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnects local events to broader intellectual currents by discussing the influence of Western sociology and anthropology.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe narrow, case-study focus means readers wanting broad chronological surveys of the Republic era may find it limited.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eViolence and Order on the Chengdu Plain\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubtitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Story of a Secret Brotherhood in Rural China, 1939-1949\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDi Wang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary case year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1939 (filicide incident)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFieldwork year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1945 (Shen Baoyuan's research)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGeographic focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRural Sichuan near Chengdu\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eViolence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is a strong, focused study that will reward historians and social scientists who value case-based analysis and primary field observations. Its careful linkage of a single, dramatic event to broader intellectual debates makes it good value for readers seeking depth on rural social power in 1940s China.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book rely on primary sources?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The narrative draws on Shen Baoyuan's fieldwork and interviews conducted in the town after the 1939 incident.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book a general history of modern China?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. It is a focused case study centered on one rural community and the Gowned Brothers between 1939 and 1949.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho wrote it and why does that matter?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDi Wang authored the work, using Shen Baoyuan's field notes to connect local events to larger sociological and anthropological discussions of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Di Wang","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48226017378523,"sku":"1503604837","price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81L4b4q0NgL._SL1500.jpg?v=1770842463","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/violence-and-order-on-the-chengdu-plain-rural-china-history","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}