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: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 11 June 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, is not merely a tool for communication or information dissemination; it is a dynamic force that defines the relationship between technologies and their social or cultural forms. It explores the interplay between devices or communicative processes and their representations in texts and images, shaping the very fabric of our understanding of the world.

Ma's work goes beyond a mere reexamination of late Qing China's political upheavals and modernizing energies through the lens of media. He demonstrates that a new culture of mediation was emerging, one that was helping to shape the very distinctions between politics, gender dynamics, economics, and science and technology. Mediation, as Ma defines it, is not just a process of transmission or reception; it is a cultural practice that shapes the way we perceive and interpret the world.

One of the key insights of "The Stone and the Wireless" is that mediation lies at the heart of Chinese media history, but it is also a universal phenomenon that has shaped the development of media across different cultures and time periods. Ma contends that media history is not just a story of technological advancements but of the cultural and social forces that have shaped the way we communicate and interact with each other.

Through his meticulous research and compelling analysis, Ma offers a fresh perspective on media history, challenging our assumptions and illuminating the complex ways in which media has shaped our world. "The Stone and the Wireless" is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, culture, and society, providing a valuable contribution to the field of media studies.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478011477