As far back as the first century BCE, Chinese dynastic historians -- all men -- began recording the achievements of Chinese women and creating a structure of understanding that would be used to limit and control them. This collection is an enlightening source for studying Chinese women of the imperial era as well as for understanding Chinese womanhood in general. By contextualizing these biographies, the author shows us these women not just as the complaisant, calm-eyed, delicate figures that adorn Confucian texts, but also as the products of the Confucian tradition's appropriation of women.

Author Biography

Sherry J. Mou teaches Chinese in the Modern Languages Department and Asian Studies Program at DePauw University.

List of Tables

Preface and Acknowledgments

Explanatory Notes

xiii

Chronology of Early Chinese Dynasties

Illustrations for Biographies follow page 112

1. From The Biographies of Women to the Biographies of Chaste Women

(23)

Introduction

(2)

Women in the Confucian Tradition

(15)

Summary of the Book

(6)

2. Appropriating Women: Liu Xiang's Lienü zhuan

(50)

Introduction

(2)

Rectification of the Name

(2)

The Formulaic Structure

(4)

The Biographies

(31)

Conclusion

(11)

3. Subjecting Women to Histories: Hou Han shu and Jin shu

(37)

Introduction

(1)

Hou Han shu (History of the Later Han Dynasty [25-220])

(17)

Jin shu (History of the Jin Dynasty [265-420])

(9)

Conclusion

103

(10)

4. Reinventing Women: Wei shu, sui shu, and Bei shi

113

(23)

Introduction

113

(1)

Wei shu (History of the Wei Dynasty [386-556])

113

(7)

Sui shu (History of the Sui Dynasty [581-618])

120

(10)

Bei shi (History of the Northern Dynasties [386-581])

130

(1)

Conclusion

131

(5)

5. Writing Virtues with Their Bodies: Xin Tang shu and Jin Tang shu

136

(34)

Introduction

136

(1)

The Paradigms: Chinese Womanhood of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)

137

(21)

Interpreting the Inconsistencies: The Undercurrents in the Biographies

158

(12)

6. Conclusion: A Biography Tradition That Is Not

170

(31)

Setting Examples: The Paradigm of Motherhood and the Separation of the Imperial and the Common

171

(4)

The Reintroduction of Women: Gendering Virtues

175

(4)

Official Honoring and Willful Oblivion: The Names of Women

179

(5)

From Signs to Symbols: Writing Chastity with Their Bodies

184

(7)

Toward a Coherent Reading of the Lienü zhuan Tradition

191

(10)

Appendixes

201

(60)

A.1: The Biographies of Women: Chapter Introductions

201

(3)

A.2: The Biographies of Women: Chapter and Biography Titles

204

(5)

A.3: The Biographies of Women: Biographies by Chapter

209

(11)

B: Dates and Compilers of "Biographies of Women" Chapters in the First Nineteen Official Histories

220

(2)

C.1: Introductions (Xu) and Eulogies (Zan) from "Biographies of Women": Chapters in the First Nineteen Official Histories

222

(11)

C.2: Introductions (Xu) and Eulogies (Zan) from "Biographies of Women": Chapters in the First Nineteen Official Histories (in Chinese)

233

(7)

D: "Biographies of Women" Chapters in Hou Han shu and fin shu

240

(9)

E: Comparison Among "Biographies of Women" Chapters in Wei shu, Sui shu, and Bei shi

249

(2)

F: "Biographies of Women" Chapters in Wei shu, Sui shu, and Bei shi

251

(5)

G: Comparison Between the Two Tang Histories' "Biographies of Women" Chapters

256

(2)

H: Paradigms, Virtues, and Expressions in the "Biographies of Women" Chapters in the Two Tang Histories

258

(3)

Glossary

261

(10)

Bibliography

271

(16)

Index

287

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