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Contents List of Illustrations vii Preface and Acknowledgements ix Chronology of Ruan Yuan’s Government Appointments xv Notes on Transliteration and Other Matters xix Reign Titles of Qing Emperors xx Introduction 1 Part One The Making of a Scholar-Official 1. The Formative Years: Yangzhou, 1764–86 17 2. Intellectual Foundations and Political Beginnings: Beijing, 1786–93 37 3. Director of Studies: Shandong, 1793–5; Zhejiang, 1795–7; 59 and Expectant Official in Beijing, 1797–9 Part Two The Provincial Official at Work 4. Internal Security and Coastal Control: Piracy Suppression in 81 Zhejiang, 1799–1809 5. Internal Security and Local Control: Investigations of Secret 109 Societies in Jiangxi, 1814–6, and Guangxi, 1817–26 6. Management of Foreign Relations at Canton, 1817–26 135 7. Management of Ethnic Minorities and Border Security in Yunnan, 165 1826–35 8. Ruan Yuan’s Social Welfare Programmes 181 Part Three Ruan Yuan at Leisure 9. Scholar and Patron of Learning of the Mid-Qing Era 201 vi Contents Part Four The Private Ruan Yuan 10. Son and Father: Man of the Confucian Persuasion 223 11. The Women in Ruan Yuan’s Life 239 Part Five The Senior Statesman 12. Glories of Long Service: Grand Secretary in Beijing, 1835–8 261 13. The Golden Years: Retirement in Yangzhou, 1838–49 283 Conclusions 305 Appendices I. Ruan Genealogy A. Ancestors of Ruan Yuan 318 B. Descendants of Ruan Yuan 320 II. Pirate Fleets in Zhejiang, 1796–1809 322 III. Scholars Associated with Ruan Yuan 323 IV. Ruan Yuan’s Publications 329 V. The Liu Fenggao Affair 336 VI. Ruan Yuan as Director-General of Grain Transport 339 Bibliographies I. Archival Sources 343 II. Published Sources in Chinese 348 III. Published Sources in Western Languages 367 Glossary and Index 381 ...

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