The Institute for Chinese Studies presents:
"A Century in the Furnace: Living with Heat in Wuhan 1920-2020"
Chris Courtney
University of Durham
with discussant:
John Brooke
The Ohio State University
Flyer: Forthcoming
Abstract: The heat in Wuhan is infamous. Due to the oppressive humidity experienced during the summer months, it is known as one of China’s furnace cities. High temperatures have had a profound influence on the historical development of the city, helping to define everything from local dietary and sartorial choices, to patterns of work and housing. Despite being a defining feature of local life, environmental historians have almost entirely ignored the issue of heat. This oversight is even more remarkable when we consider the extent to which the local climate dominates popular memories of life in the city. Drawing upon oral history and archival research conducted in Wuhan, this paper examines how local citizens have coped with extreme temperatures over the course of the modern era, exploring the various technological and social solutions they have adopted in order to live with heat.
