ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the Late Imperial Chinese elites and social mobility in general before concentrating more specifically on the position of the numerous offspring of Ming and Qing rulers. It focuses two general aspects conducive to the rise of regional hereditary power groups, huge distances and strong ties of kinship, were conspicuously present in Late Imperial China. The Qing dynasty not only unified China under its authority, it also 'marched west', conquering extensive territories beyond the traditional borders of China proper. Dynasties and households stand at the core of most forms of political organisation in world history. The dominance of the dynastic principle is confirmed conspicuously by the fact that even rebels usually followed the banner of real or fake scions of a 'legitimate' dynasty. The overview of elite strategies in Esherick and Rankin's conclusion provides some parallels between Europe and China.
