{"id":214512,"date":"2024-06-17T10:46:59","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T02:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hkubs.hku.hk\/event\/twilight-of-the-medieval-chinese-aristocracy-keju-officeholding-and-assortative-mating-in-the-tang\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T10:46:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T02:46:59","slug":"twilight-of-the-medieval-chinese-aristocracy-keju-officeholding-and-assortative-mating-in-the-tang","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.hkubs.hku.hk\/tc\/event\/twilight-of-the-medieval-chinese-aristocracy-keju-officeholding-and-assortative-mating-in-the-tang\/","title":{"rendered":"Twilight of the Medieval Chinese Aristocracy: Keju, Officeholding, and Assortative Mating in the Tang"},"content":{"rendered":"
INFORMATION<\/h5>\n

Twilight of the Medieval Chinese Aristocracy: Keju, Officeholding, and Assortative Mating in the Tang<\/strong><\/p>\n

Data from the distant past provide fertile ground for testing social science theories of education and social mobility. Erik H. Wang of the New York University and his team constructed a dataset from 3,640 tomb epitaphs of males in China\u2019s Tang Dynasty (618\u2013907 CE), containing detailed information about ancestral origins, family background, and career histories of the deceased elites. Their statistical analysis yields evidence of a transition away from an aristocratic society in three key trends: 1) family pedigree mattered less for career achievement over time, 2) passing the Imperial Examination (Keju) became an increasingly important predictor of one\u2019s career achievement, and 3) father\u2019s position always mattered throughout the Tang, especially for men who did not pass the Keju. Erik and his team\u2019s findings cast doubt on historical studies portraying the medieval Chinese aristocracy as self-perpetuating during this era. These works appear to \u201cselect on the dependent variable\u201d when analyzing biographical data.<\/p>\n

During this Quantitative History Webinar, Erik will present models that correct for the biases incurred in these studies. The new findings reaffirm earlier, classic works that suggested a chronic decline of the aristocracy via the rise of Keju. The aristocracy\u2019s advantage in officeholding had already been in clear decline long before the wars and upheavals of the late 9th and early 10th centuries that allegedly ended the aristocracy. The twilight of medieval Chinese aristocracy, according to the data, began in as early as the mid-seventh century CE. The advantage of ancient great houses gradually vanished and individuals\u2019 educational achievement became increasingly important for their career success. Erik will also discuss new results on Keju and assortative mating among the Tang elites.<\/p>\n

Discussant: Javier Cha, Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities, HKU Department of History<\/p>\n

Live on Zoom on Thursday, June 20, 2024
\n09:00 Hong Kong\/Beijing\/Singapore
\n10:00 Seoul\/Tokyo | 11:00 Sydney
\nPrevious Day 18:00 Los Angeles | 21:00 New York on Wednesday, June 19 | Click here to view your local time<\/a><\/p>\n

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About the Quantitative History Webinar Series<\/h5>\n

The Quantitative History (QH) Webinar Series aims to provide researchers, teachers, and students with an online intellectual platform to keep up to date with the latest research in the field, promoting the dissemination of research findings and interdisciplinary use of quantitative methods in historical research. The QH Webinar Series, now entering its fourth year, is co-organized by Centre for Quantitative History at the HKU Business School and International Society for Quantitative History in partnership with Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Series is now substantially supported by the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. [AoE\/B-704\/22-R]). \u91cf\u5316\u6b77\u53f2\u7db2\u4e0a\u8b1b\u5ea7\u7cfb\u5217\u7531\u9999\u6e2f\u5927\u5b78\u9673\u5fd7\u6b66\u548c\u99ac\u99b3\u9a01\u6559\u6388\u806f\u5408\u767c\u8d77\uff0c\u65e8\u5728\u4ecb\u7d39\u524d\u6cbf\u91cf\u5316\u6b77\u53f2\u7814\u7a76\u6210\u679c\u3001\u4fc3\u9032\u540c\u4ec1\u4ea4\u6d41\uff0c\u63a8\u5ee3\u91cf\u5316\u65b9\u6cd5\u5728\u6b77\u53f2\u7814\u7a76\u4e2d\u7684\u61c9\u7528\u3002\u672c\u7cfb\u5217\u8b1b\u5ea7\u7531\u9999\u6e2f\u5927\u5b78\u7d93\u7ba1\u5b78\u9662\u91cf\u5316\u6b77\u53f2\u7814\u7a76\u4e2d\u5fc3\u548c\u570b\u969b\u91cf\u5316\u6b77\u53f2\u5b78\u6703\u627f\u8fa6\uff0c\u53ca\u9999\u6e2f\u4eba\u6587\u793e\u6703\u7814\u7a76\u6240\u5168\u529b\u652f\u6301\u3002\u5f9e2023\u5e74\u958b\u59cb\uff0c\u7cfb\u5217\u5f97\u5230\u4e2d\u570b\u9999\u6e2f\u7279\u5225\u884c\u653f\u5340\u7814\u7a76\u8cc7\u52a9\u5c40\u5353\u8d8a\u5b78\u79d1\u9818\u57df\u8a08\u5283\u7684\u91cd\u8981\u8cc7\u52a9 (\u9805\u76ee\u7de8\u865f[AoE\/B-704\/22-R])\u3002<\/p>\n

Conveners:
\nZhiwu Chen<\/a>
\nChicheng Ma<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-214512","event","type-event","status-publish","hentry","seminar-categories-quantitative-history-series-tc","event-natures-seminar-calendar","event-natures-sc-economics-seminar-seminar-calendar"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t