Yeh, Catherine Vance, “Reinventing Ritual: Late Qing Handbooks For Proper Customer Behavior in Shanghai Courtesan Houses” (1998)

Title : “Reinventing Ritual: Late Qing Handbooks For Proper Customer Behavior in Shanghai Courtesan Houses”

Author(s) : Yeh, Catherine Vance

Year : 1998

Type : Journal article

Subject : History

Keywords : culture

Journal : Late Imperial China

Volume : 19

Number : 2

Start page : 1

End page : 63

Language:Name : English

Support : Print

Abstract : The International Settlement in Shanghai created the opportunity for the Chinese to develop an immigrant community in their own country. Under foreign control, Shanghai developed a reputation of being modern and exotic; one manifestation of this was an enhanced and more open role for courtesans. The latter increased their status and supported this by imposing distinct and new rituals to cover most aspects of their relations with madams and clients. These rituals, in turn, were publicized in handbooks which circulated widely and which were expected to be observed.