Drawing on a range of examples from Western and developing cultures, this book offers a re-reading of the contemporary society as the product of both individual and collective identity and behaviour. Marxist interpretations of the expansion in the range and number of material goods have tended to view people as estranged from the objects they produce, while massive consumption reinforces the fragmented and individualistic nature of capitalism. In this book, the author develops a more positive theory of material culture, revealing the creative potential in the relationship between people and goods. He argues that rather than being oppressed by them, people redefine material objects to make them express themselves and their cultures. He shows that everyday objects reflect not only personal tastes and attributes, but also moral principles and social ideals.

本书是关于锡箔及其生产、流通、消费的历史。 锡箔是将锡片打制成箔，裱褙于纸上而制成，因其色白肖银，人们常将其折叠成元宝形状，用于象征银锭这一特定的货币形态。由于原料与工艺的特殊性，制作锡箔在历史上成为中国部分地区的特色产业，并且在20世纪二三十年代的反迷信运动中被推到历史前台。本书通过探索物质文化史的路径，以锡箔切入江浙地区礼俗消费，对民国时期社会文化变革的历史进行了别开生面的探研。