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"The Last Royal Family: A History of Court Society in the Qing Dynasty" is a panoramic display of the court society in the Qing Dynasty. The book is divided into three parts, respectively discussing the material culture, social structure and etiquette system of the Qing Dynasty court. Through detailed data collection and meticulous investigation, Luo Youzhi comprehensively demonstrated the distinctive national customs of the Qing Dynasty in palace dress, language, food, cultural policies, etc., Deeply analyzed the rights system and organizational operations of Qing court personnel such as concubines, princes, servants, etc., And explained in detail the methods of holding public or private ceremonies such as enthronement, birthday ceremonies, rain prayers, and funerals, as well as the cultural significance of beliefs. The core question discussed in "The Last Royal Family" is why the Qing Dynasty was able to establish and maintain its rule for nearly three centuries. As an ethnic minority regime that originated on the border of the Ming Empire, how the Qing ruling group managed numerous subjects with different cultural backgrounds and social habits has always been a hot topic in academic circles. In "The Last Royal Family", Luo Youzhiti believes that the reason for the success of the Qing Dynasty was not because it accepted the assimilation of the dominant Han culture, but because it skillfully integrated the ruling styles of ethnic minorities and the institutional policies of previous Central Plains dynasties. Therefore, the palace governance of the Qing Dynasty and the social structure of the Qing Dynasty have special significance and important influence in Chinese history. "The Last Royal Family" has a clear structure and substantial content. It vividly reveals the palace life of the Qing Dynasty for the first time and is a milestone in the study of Qing history.

Luo Youzhi, a famous American sinologist and a disciple of King Fairbank, specializes in the social history and economic history of China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This book is one of her masterpieces. It is a very important monograph in the field of Chinese history research and a precious manual for studying the social structure of China in the Qing Dynasty and the public and private etiquette of the Manchu court. Luo Youzhi has made the greatest contribution we can expect from a good academic work: presenting bold concepts and arguments while providing a solid foundation for future generations of researchers. The questions raised in this book are fascinating and important. Through painstaking archival collecting work, Luo Youzhi unearthed a large amount of very valuable information, making her book a valuable manual for studying the social structure of Qing Dynasty China and the public and private etiquette of the Manchu court. Luo Youzhi's monograph is a milestone and represents the beginning of a new history of the study of China: it is an in-depth study of an imperial China that was far more complex and culturally diverse than we have ever known.