发生于光绪初年华北地区特大旱灾，波及地区广，持续时间久，影响极为深远，是中国历史上特大灾荒之一。对中国历史上这次重大灾害进行细致的研究，梳理其发生、发展的历史，不仅有助于了解当时不同层面的救济行为和举措，而且有助于揭示灾荒救治的传统与近代变迁的历史脉络。同时，对当今社会保障制度建设和减灾救灾工作的开展也具有借鉴意义。本书研究既重视第一手的史料收集和数据分析，又强调宏观的社会史视野，展示了地方官员、乡村民众、士绅文人、富户商人、西方传教士等社会角色在灾荒中的各种表现。

关帝庙信仰研究具有突破意义的最新力作。
内容简介：
关帝庙现象在传统中国社会普遍存在，具有历时性、共时性等各方面的丰富内涵。本书以关帝庙集中而典型的高平地区为研究对象，通过大量的田野调查与民间文献的系统整理，从社会、经济和文化三个方面来全面考察关帝庙问题。突破了以往将庙宇停留在信仰研究的层面，研究重点从“神灵中心”转向“庙宇中心”，将抽象的关公文化落实到具体的庙宇、村庄和区域社会之中，全方位、多角度、深层次揭示出乡村庙宇在传统中国社会中复杂而多样的作用。
编辑推荐：
突破了以往将庙宇停留在信仰研究的层面，研究重点从“神灵中心”转向“庙宇中心”，将抽象的关公文化落实到具体的庙宇、村庄和区域社会之中，全方位、多角度、深层次揭示出乡村庙宇在传统中国社会中复杂而多样的作用。

In China, John Leighton Stuart (1876-1962) is a controversial figure occupying an important position in the history of modern China and Sino-U.S. relations. As a scholar and educator, Stuart loved Chinese culture and contributed much to the development of Chinese education. While as a missionary, he was inherently prejudiced against Marxism. As the U.S. ambassador to China, Stuart executed U.S. government's policy, and was finally stereotyped as a symbol of "American imperialism". This book gives a detailed account of Stuart's complicated and deep political involvement in modern China. Stuart had close relationships with Chiang Kai-shek and other high-ranking officials of Kuomingtang (KMT), while he was also an honored guest of Mao Tse-tung and Chinese Communist Party (CCP). During his tenure as the U.S. Ambassador to China, Stuart did implement U.S. government's policy of supporting KMT. But when the CCP's gaining power became inevitable, he took a pragmatic attitude and urged the U.S. government to normalize its diplomatic relations with the Communist Government. These seemingly contradictory behaviors reveal Stuart's complex features and the changeable era. By collecting substantial relevant materials both at home and abroad, both published and unpublished, this book reveals Stuart's multidimensional characters, getting rid of the stereotype. Academic and general readers interested in Stuart, modern Chinese history and Sino-U.S. relations will be attracted by this book.