Making the Palace Machine Work: Mobilizing People, Objects, and Nature in the Qing Empire ed. by Martina Siebert, Kai Jun Chen, and Dorothy Ko

Newly opened archives reveal the sophisticated operations of the Qing dynasty's Imperial Household Agency (Neiwufu), showcasing its role as a vast, machine-like institution that mobilized people, objects, and nature across an expanding empire. The agency, headquartered in Beijing but with operations stretching throughout China, managed the acquisition, processing, and transformation of raw materials—such as wood, jade, porcelain, and fur—to produce luxurious items for the imperial family, including furniture, textiles, ceramics, and even live elephants. It relied on a complex network of skilled laborers, artisans, and technical expertise from diverse ethnic groups, including Tibetans, Mongols, and Europeans. The study highlights the agency's organizational innovations, such as sophisticated record-keeping, audits, and surveillance systems, which paralleled broader societal processes. While the 'palace machine' analogy emphasizes its systematic nature, the research also underscores the flexibility and adaptability of its operations, challenging rigid notions of rationality.

Naquin, S. (2022). Making the Palace Machine Work: Mobilizing People, Objects, and Nature in the Qing Empire ed. by Martina Siebert, Kai Jun Chen, and Dorothy Ko. Technology and Culture, 63(4), 1256–1258. https://doi.org/10.1353/tech.2022.0198