Viewing Early Globalization Through Imported Goods in Dream of the Red Chamber
Abstract
This paper employs textual analysis and case study methods to examine imported goods in Dream of the Red Chamber, systematically analyzing their categorization, origins, and cultural metaphors. Furthermore, it explores the impact of the flourishing trade between the 16th and 18th centuries on the material life and identity construction of the upper classes in the Ming and Qing dynasties, aiming to elucidate China’s role and cognitive limitations during the early stages of globalization. The study reveals that the consumption practices of the Jia family—ranging from textiles and handicrafts to medicines and food—not only reflect the luxurious lifestyle and aesthetic tastes of the aristocracy at the time but also illustrate China’s relationship with the outside world. Additionally, the research finds that the upper society depicted in Dream of the Red Chamber was materially interconnected yet intellectually conservative. This dichotomy between openness and isolation foreshadowed the eventual trajectory of the vast empire.
References
- Lu, S. (2024). The Early Modern Period, Dream of the Red Chamber, and World Literature. Journal of World Literature, 9(2), 207-225.
- Liu, F. F. (2021). A Study on the Metaphor of Disease in Dream of the Red Chamber (Master’s thesis, Anqing Normal University).
- Zhang, X. R. (2023). A Glimpse into the Ming and Qing Tributary Trade System Through the Lens of Foreign Tributes in Dream of the Red Chamber. Collection, (07), 106-108.
- Luo, J. (2023). Sino-Western Exchange, Folk Custom Evolution, and Novel Narration: A Study of Western Objects in Dream of the Red Chamber (Master’s thesis, Yunnan Normal University).
- Gu, Z. R. (2023). A Century of “New Redology”: A Review of Studies on Western Objects in Dream of the Red Chamber. Studies on Dream of the Red Chamber, (04), 170-188.
- Liu, Y. (2014). Sea and Land: A Comprehensive Study of the Silk Road in Han and Tang Dynasties. Peking University Press.
- Mi, Z. 2003). Sino-Russian Border Trade in Kyakhta during the Qing Dynasty. Nankai University Press.
- Cao, X. (2008). Dream of the Red Chamber. People’s Literature Publishing House. (The original work was published in the 18th century).
- Feng, Q., & Li, X. (1990). A Dictionary of Dream of the Red Chamber. Culture and Art Publishing House.
- Wang, S. (2007). A History of Snuff Bottles. Forbidden City Publishing House.
- Zhonghua Book Company. (1986). Records of the Qing Dynasty: Records of Emperor Gaozong Chun (Vol. 12). Zhonghua Book Company.