Women in Tang China

By (author) Bret Hinsch author of Women in Ancient China, Women in Early Medieval China, Women in I

Publication date:

11 November 2019

Length of book:

256 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

237x160mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781538134894

This important book provides the first comprehensive survey of women in China during the Sui and Tang dynasties from the sixth through tenth centuries CE. Bret Hinsch provides rich insight into female life in the medieval era, ranging from political power, wealth, and work to family, religious roles, and virtues. He explores women’s lived experiences but also delves into the subjective side of their emotional life and the ideals they pursued. Deeply researched, the book draws on a wide range of sources, including standard histories, poetry, prose literature, and epigraphic sources such as epitaphs, commemorative religious inscriptions, and Dunhuang documents. Building on the best Western and Japanese scholarship, Hinsch also draws heavily on Chinese scholarship, most of which is unknown outside China. As the first study in English about women in the medieval era, this groundbreaking work will open a new window into Chinese history for Western readers.

This excellent, concise overview of the status of women in China during the Sui and Tang dynasties covers the 6th through the 10th centuries CE. Following an introduction outlining this period's political history, the book examines marriage, motherhood, women’s roles in government and the economy, religion and ethics, education, and emotions. The conclusion summarizes the chapters with a supplemental discussion of women's fashions and beauty ideals. Each chapter clearly draws on the latest scholarship for its particular topic, including sources in Chinese, Japanese, and Western languages. Hinsch (Fo Guang Univ., Taiwan), an expert on sex and gender in early China, has written a highly accessible account, making this book useful for teaching. Especially engaging sections discuss the powerful Wu Zetian, the sole female emperor in Chinese history, and the tragic Yang Guifei, a palace lady unfairly blamed by generations of historians for a major rebellion. Many in China today are fascinated by tales of Tang princesses and courtesans as portrayed in film and novels. This book offers a valuable scholarly perspective on the realities of life for the entire social spectrum of Tang women. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty.