Appearance Politics: Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China

In Appearance Politics, Lex Lu argues that crafting an appealing and powerful outward image has long been a critical political tool in China. This strategy is evident in historical records, imperial portraits, physiognomic assessments, photographs, posters, statues, and digital images. Using rare archival materials from Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing, Lu explores how political figures designed their images and examines the shifting standards of male beauty that shaped their choices. The book analyzes five case studies: Ming Prince Zhu Di's usurpation; the rise of Manchu masculinity and blended Han-Manchu beauty standards under Emperor Yongzheng; modern photography and Western beauty ideals in the early twentieth century; Sun Yat-sen's crafted image as the Republican founding father; and Mao Zedong's iconic visual legacy. Through this empirical, nuanced study, Appearance Politics challenges stereotypical portrayals of Chinese male leadership in Western media and scholarship, offering a richer understanding of appearance as a deliberate political strategy.