Premodern Chinese mining terms in a memorial by the Yunnan provincial government of 1849
清代云南矿冶术语：以林则徐1849年奏折为中心

Introduction

This glossary contains some 50 technical terms on mining, metallurgy and structures within the industry that were in use in 19th century southwest China.

It covers the terms that occur in a memorial that Lin Zexu 林則徐 (1785–1850) and Cheng Yucai 程矞采 (1783-1858), the officials presiding the provincial government of Yunnan province, submitted to the throne in 1849. The document is entitled “Inspection of the Situation in the Mines and Trial Implementation of Exploitation Development” 查勘礦廠情形試行開採摺 and reports on silver mining in the province.

The text is a core source on silver mining in Yunnan province during the Qing period because it contains much specific information that appears in no other surviving record. Because it dates shortly before the devastating mid-19th-century civil wars, which brought the dynasty to the brink of collapse, the text moreover marks the final point in a textualization process of traditional mining knowledge.

Glossary

To explore the formation of the terms, the glossary draws on texts on mining in southwest China from the period between the early 17th century and about 1900 and digitized full-text collections.

It provides my translation of the terms, notes on uses and semantic fields, linked occurrences in 14 key texts, and preliminary classifications.

You can use the glossary like a dictionary, searching alphabetically by pronunciation. Explore the Glossary.
Or you can consult the memorial (with English translation) and check highlighted technical terms. View the Memorial

Contact

Corrections and comments are welcome! Please email: nanny.kim@gmx.net.