Appearance Politics: Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China
What did the powerful men look like in Chinese history? How did they adorn their political image with power? Clark University professor Lex Lu (History) will explore these questions and more in a talk based on his recent book, "Appearance Politics: Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China" (Cornell University Press, 2024). Using rare archival materials from Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing, he will examine textual and visual records of political imagery and recount behind-the-scenes maneuvering of image cultivation in Chinese politics. From Ming Prince Zhu Di's usurpation to Mao Zedong’s iconic visual legacy, Lu will illustrate the power, influence, and nuance behind ever-shifting standards of male beauty.
A book signing will follow immediately after the discussion. Copies of "Appearance Politics" will be available for purchase.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Sponsored by the Alice Coonley Higgins Institute for Arts and Humanities, the Department of History, and the Center for Gender, Race, and Area Studies at Clark University
