為中國明清畫壇巨擘，創作風格獨特，深受時人與後世推崇。本書主要聚焦於1697至1707年間，當石濤身處揚州且目前留存作品數量最多的晚期階段。作者綜合運用中國傳統的研究理路、西方的形式分析和圖像學分析，以及因1970年代英美學界「新藝術史」興起而形成的一套社會詮釋模式，探討石濤這位偉大畫家的社會、政治、心理、經濟和宗教等五大面向，揭示其繪畫實踐的複雜性。作者同時以現代性架構石濤的生平與藝術，並以自主性、自我意識與懷疑界定石濤繪畫的主體性。相信閱讀本書將可獲得一種與閱讀當今其他藝術史著作完全不同的體驗。

The study examines the origins of the “literary revolution” proclaimed in 1917 which laid the foundation for the replacement of the classical language by the vernacular as China’s national language and medium of national literature. A unique, multifaceted approach is used to explain the political significance of the classical/vernacular divide against the backdrop of social change that followed the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5. Seeing education as the central battleground for all debates on language, the study in six thoroughly documented chapters investigates the language policy of the Qing and Republican governments, vernacular journalism of the revolutionaries, the activities of urban script reformers, the linguistic thought of the national essence advocates, and the emergence of a scholarly interest in the vernacular in academic circles.

Print and Politics offers a cultural history of a late Qing newspaper, Shibao, the most influential reform daily of its time. Exploring the simultaneous emergence of a new print culture and a new culture of politics in early-twentieth-century China, the book treats Shibao as both institution and text and demonstrates how the journalists who wrote for the paper attempted to stake out a “middle realm” of discourse and practice. Chronicling the role these journalists played in educational and constitutional organizations, as well as their involvement in major issues of the day, it analyzes their essays as political documents and as cultural artifacts. Particular attention is paid to the language the journalists used, the cultural constructs they employed to structure their arguments, and the multiple sources of authority they appealed to in advancing their claims for reform.

长期以来，中国世系群一直是人类学家的兴趣所在，也是他们的调查对象之一。但之前的研究，往往很少关注继嗣制度和更广泛的社会和经济结构之间的关系。 本书作者鲁比·沃森运用现有的历史资料和实地收集的证据，对位于香港新界的厦村这个有着600年悠久历史的中国世系群作了社会历史的解读，并通过描述几个14世纪的散居家户如何成为18世纪之后的地区权力主体的过程，阐述了世系群在社区演变中的重要作用。 沃森博士认为，虽然父系世系群的意识形态高唱手足情意和平等之美德的赞歌，但实际上世系群促成了一个地主和商人构成的精英阶层的形成、发展和维系，该阶层的经济地位虽已然衰退，却依然在政治上起着控制作用。因此，尽管世系群成员在祖先的眼里可能是平等的，但他们在涉及土地所有和政治权力的日常生活中根本无平等可言。 相信人类学家、历史学家、社会学家、中国研究专家以及关心阶级研究和政治经济的人士，都会对本书发生兴趣。