The Stone and the Wireless: Mediating China, 1861-1906

In the final decades of the Manchu Qing dynasty in China, technologies such as the phonograph, telephone, telegraph, and photography were both new and foreign. Shaoling Ma analyzes diplomatic diaries, early science fiction, feminist poetry, photography, telegrams, and other archival texts to show how writers, intellectuals, reformers, and revolutionaries theorized what media does despite lacking a vocabulary to do so. Media defines the dynamics between technologies and their social or cultural forms, between devices or communicative processes and their representations in texts and images. Ma contends that mediation lies at the heart of Chinese media history and of media history writ large.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 02 July 2021
Publisher: Duke University Press

In the final decades of the Manchu Qing dynasty in China, a remarkable period of technological innovation and cultural exchange unfolded. The introduction of technologies such as the phonograph, telephone, telegraph, and photography marked a significant shift in the way information was transmitted and consumed. These new and foreign innovations captivated the minds of scholars, intellectuals, reformers, and revolutionaries alike, who sought to understand the profound implications of these media on society.

In his book "The Stone and the Wireless," Shaoling Ma delves into a rich tapestry of archival texts, including diplomatic diaries, early science fiction, feminist poetry, photography, telegrams, and more. Through meticulous analysis, Ma unravels the complex ways in which writers, intellectuals, reformers, and revolutionaries theorized about the role of media in shaping their world.

Media, as Ma argues, defines the dynamic interplay between technologies and their social or cultural forms. It explores the relationship between devices or communicative processes and their representations in texts and images. By examining this interconnection, Ma offers a fresh perspective on late Qing China's political upheavals and modernizing energies. He demonstrates how a new culture of mediation was emerging, helping to shape the very distinctions between politics, gender dynamics, economics, and science and technology.

Ma's work goes beyond a mere reexamination of late Qing China's media history. He argues that mediation lies at the heart of media history writ large. He explores how media has played a pivotal role in shaping societies across different times and cultures, from the ancient world to the present day. Ma's insights shed light on the complex mechanisms through which information is transmitted, interpreted, and consumed, and how it contributes to the formation of social identities, ideologies, and power structures.

Through his meticulous research and compelling analysis, Shaoling Ma has made a significant contribution to the field of media studies. "The Stone and the Wireless" offers a rich and nuanced understanding of the role of media in shaping the world we live in today. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, culture, and society.

Weight: 567g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478010463