1. Introduction: History and Law 1
Society Through Court Records 1
Sources for This Study 5
2. Danshui and Xinzhu During the Qing Dynasty: The Geographical and Historical Context 16
Geography 16
The Evolution of Administrative Jurisdictions 17
Han Settlement: An Overview 23
3. The Frontier Heritage 31
Roots of Endemic Violence 31
Case: Armed Robbery (qiangdao) 37
4. Land Relations 52
Multi-tiered Land Rights 52
Government and Quasi-public Large Rent 58
Rent Relations and Assessments 65
Case:Rent Resistance (kangzu) 78
5. The Export Economy 95
Case: Boundary Dispute (zhengjie) 101
Case: Kidnapping (lujin) 120
6. Lineage Division and Inheritance Disputes 132
Case: Disputes over Wealth (zhengcai) 137
7. The Petition 148
Filing Procedure and Requirements 148
Litigants 164
Proxy Filers (baogao) 175
Scriveners (daishu) 176
Pettifoggers(songshi; songgun) 177
8. Search and Arrest: The Warrant 184
Warrants and Summons 184
Structural Components of Local Law Enforcement 189
Extending the Reach of Yamen Power 196
9. Hearing and Verdict 216
The Hearing 216
Final Disposition 229
Overview 249
10. Conclusion: Law and Society 250
Law and Social Change 253
Appendix 1: The Dan-Xin Archives as Classified and Numbered by Dai Yanhui 263
Appendix 2: Measures of Land and Grain 267
Appendix 3: Tea and Camphor Export Figures 268
Appendix 4: Yamen Organization and Personnel in Xinzhu County 270
Appendix 5: Danshui Subprefects and Xinzhu Magistrates 272
Appendix 6: Lou Yun's "Four Village Regulations" 274
Notes 277
Bibliography 315
Character List 331
Index 341