Local Identity in a Capital: Negotiating the Local and the National in Late Ming Nanjing

Abstract

Can localism take place in a capital? This paper investigates how the native literati in late Ming Nanjing visualized their identity in terms of the local or the national. By analyzing 3 different genres of works by these literati (the biji, pictorial guides and religious writings), I argue that they attempted to create a local identity by emphasizing local history and promoting local pride. I also argue that the Nanjing literati?s sense of local pride exuded a strong national flavor. They took pride in Nanjing?s long history as capital for various dynasties, and emphasized it in their version of local history. However, the national was differentiated from the state, and they were keen to isolate local pride from the developments of Ming dynasty. They constructed their Nanjing men identity out of Nanjing?s proud history as capitals for various nations, and the Ming dynasty was all but only one of them.