About this book:

*Archives and Arguments: A Practical Guide to Researching Chinese History* is a comprehensive manual designed for researchers navigating the complex documentary landscape of mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the global diaspora. The book moves beyond theoretical frameworks to offer specific, tactical advice on framing answerable research questions, mastering diverse linguistic registers—from classical Chinese to regional dialects—and navigating the administrative hierarchies that govern institutional access. By treating the archive as a living, bureaucratic system rather than a neutral repository, the text prepares scholars to manage the practicalities of fieldwork, from building relationships with gatekeepers to handling the logistical and legal hurdles of modern research.

The book provides a deep dive into specific source genres, including local gazetteers (*difangzhi*), imperial bureaucratic records, and private family papers such as genealogies and contracts. It emphasizes a "triangulation" strategy, encouraging researchers to cross-check official state narratives against the granular, often contradictory evidence found in community associations, overseas newspapers, and oral histories. Specialized chapters on paleography, document forensics, and the interpretation of visual and material culture equip readers with the skills to authenticate and date sources through physical markers like seals, ink quality, and handwriting styles.

Recognizing the shift toward digital scholarship, the guide explores the affordances and pitfalls of digital repositories, Historical GIS, and Natural Language Processing. It offers technical workflows for managing large-scale research corpora, ensuring data stewardship, and maintaining reproducibility in a digital environment. Throughout, the text emphasizes the ethical responsibilities inherent in historical work, particularly regarding privacy, sensitive political contexts, and the relational nature of researching living communities.

The final sections transition from data collection to professional practice, focusing on the craft of constructing persuasive historical arguments from fragmented evidence. It addresses the standards of translation, annotation, and citation necessary for rigorous scholarship while also encouraging researchers to engage with collaboration, peer review, and public history. Ultimately, the book serves as both a technical toolkit and a professional roadmap for scholars seeking to transform archival traces into meaningful historical narratives.