Tusi Writing and Power Expression in Local Chronicles of the Frontier in the Mid-to-Late Qing Dynasty——A Case Study of Baishan Si Zhi and Baise Ting Zhi in Western Guangxi
Baishan Si Zhi during the Daoguang period and Baise Ting Zhi during the Guangxu period are two distinctive local chronicles compiled in the western Guangxi in the middle and late Qing Dynasty. The compilers all gave prominent records to the local hereditary Tusi (official position established in the northwest and southwest regions,held by ethnic minority leaders). However,due to the different historical contexts and the allocation of discourse power,there were obvious differences in the Tusi writing of the two chronicles. The Tusi Wang family held the discourse power in the compilation of the chronicle Baishan Si Zhi,which enabled them to construct and embellish the image of their family in it,so as to consolidate their hereditary position. The compilation of Baise Ting Zhi during the Guangxu period was dominated by appointed officials by the government. Although the chronicle also acknowledged the achievements of the Tusi family,its evaluations were more objective. It also strongly criticized the misdeeds of Tusi officials,which reflected the compilers' deeper purpose of promoting the majesty of the imperial court and strengthening social control in frontiers. Both Tusi families and appointed officials made full use of official political language to create their own texts in the context of national identity. Local chronicles thus became the cultural resources to express discourse power and an important tool to construct local history.
the middle and late Qing Dynastyfrontier societycompilation of local chroniclesTusi of West Guangxipower expression
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