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Appearance Politics

Name: Appearance Politics
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SKU: 9781501787447
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Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China

By Lex Lu

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Brief Description

In Appearance Politics, Lex Lu argues that crafting an appealing and powerful outward image has long been a critical political tool in China. This strategy is evident in historical records, imperial portraits, physiognomic assessments, photographs, posters, statues, and digital images. Using rare archival materials from Beijing,... Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$110³⁹

Pre-order

Releases 20^th August 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order "Appearance Politics" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Appearance Politics

$110³⁹

Description

In Appearance Politics, Lex Lu argues that crafting an appealing and powerful outward image has long been a critical political tool in China. This strategy is evident in historical records, imperial portraits, physiognomic assessments, photographs, posters, statues, and digital images. Using rare archival materials from Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing, Lu explores how political figures designed their images and examines the shifting standards of male beauty that shaped their choices.

The book analyzes five case studies: Ming Prince Zhu Di's usurpation; the rise of Manchu masculinity and blended Han-Manchu beauty standards under Emperor Yongzheng; modern photography and Western beauty ideals in the early twentieth century; Sun Yat-sen's crafted image as the Republican founding father; and Mao Zedong's iconic visual legacy.

Through this empirical, nuanced study, Appearance Politics challenges stereotypical portrayals of Chinese male leadership in Western media and scholarship, offering a richer understanding of appearance as a deliberate political strategy.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781501787447

Publisher: Cornell University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 May 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Cornell University Press

Illustration: 35 Halftones, black and white - 26 Halftones, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 324

Collections

Asian History Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Lex Lu Non-Fiction Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date

About the Author

Lex Lu is Associate Professor in History at Clark University. His research focuses on conceptualization of masculinity, as well as changing male beauty standards, as they pertain to Chinese politics, society, and culture.