Women Writers of Traditional China

by Chang, Kang-I Sun; Saussy, Haun; Kwong, Charles; Yu, Anthony C.; Kao, Yu-Kung

• ISBN13: 9780804732307
• ISBN10: 0804732302
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Stanford Univ Pr

Summary

This anthology of Chinese women's poetry in translation brings together representative selections from the work of some 130 poets from the Han dynasty to the early twentieth century. To measure the development of Chinese women's poetry, one must take into account not only the poems but also the prose writingsprefaces, biographies, theoretical tractsthat framed them and attempted to shape women's writing as a distinct category of literature. To this end, the anthology contains an extended section of criticism by and about women writers. These poets include empresses, imperial concubines, courtesans, grandmothers, recluses, Buddhist nuns, widows, painters, farm wives, revolutionaries, and adolescent girls thought to be incarnate immortals. Some women wrote out of isolation and despair, finding in words a mastery that otherwise eluded them. Others were recruited into poetry by family members, friends, or sympathetic male advocates. Some dwelt on intimate family matters and cast their poems as addresses to husbands and sons at large in the wide world of men's affairs. Each woman had her own reasons for poetry and her own ways of appropriating, and often changing, the conventions of both men's and women's verse. The primary purpose of this anthology is to put before the English-speaking reader evidence of the poetic talent that flourished, against all odds, among women in premodern China. It is also designed to spur reflection among specialists in Chinese poetry, inspiring new perspectives on both the Chinese poetic tradition and the canon of female poets within that tradition. This partial history both connects with and departs from the established patterns for women's writing in the West, thus complementing current discussions of "feminine writing."

Author Biography

Kang-i Sun Chang is Professor of Chinese Literature at Yale University. Haun Saussy is Associate Professor of Chinese and Comparative Literature at Stanford University.

Table of Contents

Contributors	xvii
Editorial Conventions	xix
Abbreviations	xxiii
Maps	xxvi
Introduction: Genealogy and Titles of the Female Poet	1	(14)
Part One POETRY	15	(652)
From Ancient Times to the Six Dynasties (222--589)	17	(29)
Ban jieyu	17	(5)
Cai Yan	22	(8)
Zuo Fen	30	(5)
Bao Linghui	35	(3)
Found Voices in Yuefu Poetry	38	(8)
Tang (618--907) and Five Dynasties (907--60)	46	(40)
Wu Zetian	46	(3)
Shangguan Wan'er	49	(3)
Other Court Women of the Tang: Xu Hui and Bao Junhui	52	(4)
Li Ye	56	(3)
Xue Tao	59	(7)
Yu Xuanji	66	(10)
Other Courtesan-Poets of the Tang: Sheng Xiaocong, Zhao Luanluan, and Xu Yueying	76	(3)
Zhang Yaotiao	79	(3)
Cheng Changwen	82	(2)
Huarui furen	84	(2)
Song Dynasty (960--1279)	86	(29)
Lady Wei	86	(3)
Li Qingzhao	89	(11)
Zhu Shuzhen	100	(6)
Yan Rui	106	(3)
Empress Yang	109	(3)
Wang Qinghui	112	(3)
Yuan Dynasty (1264--1368)	115	(35)
Yuan Entertainers: Pearl Screen Beauty, Little Bit, Swallow Song Liu, Zhenzhen, Mother's Compassion Liu	115	(11)
Guan Daosheng	126	(5)
Zheng Yunduan	131	(9)
Wu shi nu	140	(2)
Zhang Yuniang	142	(8)
Ming Dynasty (1368--1644)	150	(187)
The Fifteenth Century	150	(1)
Zhang Hongqiao	150	(3)
Zhu Jing'an	153	(4)
Chen Deyi	157	(4)
Meng Shuqing	161	(4)
Shen Qionglian	165	(2)
Xia Yunying	167	(1)
Zou Saizhen	168	(3)
The Sixteenth Century	171	(1)
Wang Su'e	171	(1)
Huang E	172	(6)
Li Yuying	178	(1)
Wen shi	179	(9)
Wang Jiaoluan	188	(7)
Yang Wenli	195	(5)
Kuaiji nuzi	200	(2)
Duan Shuqing	202	(5)
Dong Shaoyu	207	(2)
Ho Kyongbon (Xu Jingfan)	209	(6)
Yi Sugwon (Li Shuyuan)	215	(3)
Bo Shaojun	218	(3)
Xie Wuniang	221	(3)
Jing Pianpian	224	(2)
Xue Susu	226	(3)
Yang Yuxiang	229	(1)
The ``Four Talented Courtesans of Qinhui'': Ma Shouzhen, Zhao Caiji, Zhu Wuxia, and Zheng Ruying	229	(6)
Hu Wenru	235	(4)
Lu Qingzi	239	(18)
Xu Yuan	257	(9)
The Seventeenth Century	266	(1)
Shen Yixiu and Her Daughters, Ye Wanwan, Ye Xiaowan, and Ye Xiaoluan	266	(18)
Fang Weiyi	284	(4)
Yin Renrong	288	(2)
Xiang Lanzhen	290	(1)
Wang Fengxian and Her Daughter Zhang Yinyuan	291	(11)
Cao Jingzhao	302	(1)
Gu Ruopu	302	(12)
Shang Jinglan	314	(6)
Wang Wei	320	(9)
Ma Ruyu	329	(2)
Bian Sai	331	(2)
Yang Wan	333	(4)
Qing Dynasty (1644--1911)	337	(330)
The Seventeenth Century	337	(1)
Xu Can	337	(13)
Liu Shi	350	(7)
Huang Yuanjie	357	(6)
Wang Duanshu	363	(3)
Ji Yinghuai	366	(4)
Li Yin	370	(2)
Wu Qi	372	(3)
Wu Xiao	375	(8)
Wu Shan	383	(3)
Chai Jingyi and Her Daughter-in-Law Zhu Rouze	386	(10)
Wang Hui	396	(9)
Lin Yining	405	(6)
Qian Fenglun	411	(10)
Chen Susu	421	(5)
Gu Zhenli	426	(4)
The Eighteenth Century	430	(1)
Wu Xun	430	(2)
Hou Cheng'en	432	(3)
The Sisters Zhang Xueya and Zhang Xuedian	435	(8)
Xu Yingyu	443	(2)
Cai Wan	445	(3)
Ye Hongxiang	448	(5)
He Shuangqing	453	(12)
Xu Yuanduan	465	(2)
Mao Xiuhui	467	(2)
Xu Feiyun	469	(3)
Xu Quan	472	(3)
Chen Duansheng	475	(2)
Xi Peilan	477	(8)
Jin Yi	485	(2)
Dai Lanying	487	(3)
Qu Bingyun	490	(2)
Gui Maoyi	492	(3)
Zhang Yuzhen	495	(3)
Shen Ke	498	(2)
Wang Yuzhen	500	(2)
Pu Mengzhu	502	(4)
Ni Ruixuan	506	(5)
Tan Yinmei	511	(3)
Xiong Lian	514	(8)
The Sisters Bao Zhilan, Bao Zhihui, and Bao Zhifen	522	(4)
Wu Guichen	526	(1)
Jiang Renlan	527	(3)
Shen Xiangyun	530	(1)
Wang Yun	531	(7)
Shen Xiang	538	(6)
Jiang Zhu	544	(4)
Yang Jiduan	548	(4)
The Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries	552	(1)
Shen Shanbao	552	(4)
Sun Yunfeng	556	(8)
Sun Yunhe	564	(2)
Li Peijin	566	(6)
Zhao Wopei	572	(2)
Liang Desheng	574	(3)
Wang Duan	577	(6)
Zhuang Panzhu	583	(6)
Gu Taiqing	589	(12)
Wu Zao	601	(15)
Zuo Xixuan	616	(2)
Zong Wan	618	(9)
Qu Huixiang	627	(5)
Qiu Jin	632	(25)
Xu Zihua	657	(10)
Part Two CRITICISM	667	(162)
Female Critics and Poets	669	(50)
``On Su Hui's `Silk-Woven Palindromic Verse'''	669	(2)
Wu Zetian
preface to Nu lunyu	671	(1)
Song Ruoxin
Song Ruozhao
``On the Song-Lyric'' (Lun ci)	672	(3)
Li Qingzhao
``Record on Su Hui's Xuanji Diagram''	675	(2)
Zhu Shuzhen
preface to Suyong ji	677	(1)
Zheng Yunduan
preface to Nei xun	678	(3)
Empress Xu
comments on Zhu Shuzhen and Li Qingzhao	681	(1)
Meng Shuqing
prefaces to Shen's anthology Yiren si	682	(4)
Shen Yixiu
Ye Shaoyuan
preface to Xiang Lanzhen, Yongxue zhai yigao	686	(1)
Lu Qingzi
preface to Fang Mengshi, Relan'ge shiji	687	(1)
Fang Weiyi
preface to Wanzai pian and Yueguan shi	688	(1)
Wang Wei
preface to Xiaoxue an gao	689	(2)
Wu Xiao
preface to Mingyuan shiwei	691	(4)
Wang Duanshu
biographical-critical prefaces from Liechao shiji: Runji	695	(6)
Liu Shi
preface to Gujin mingyuan baihua shiyu	701	(2)
Sun Huiyuan
preface to Tingqiuguan guizhong tongren ji	703	(4)
Luo Qilan
preface to Guiyin Jixiu	707	(1)
Su Wanlan
Lunshi bashou	708	(3)
Guo Shuyu
preface to Guochao guixiu zhengshi ji	711	(2)
Wanyan Yun Zhu
preface to Shuying lou mingshu baiyong	713	(2)
Li Shuyi
preface to Human nushi shichao suojian chuji	715	(2)
Mao Guoji
preface to Banyue lou shichao	717	(2)
Qiu Chan
Male Critics and Poets	719	(110)
women poets in the Shi pin	719	(2)
Zhong Rong
on Xie Daoyun, from Jin shu	721	(1)
Fang Xuanling
preface to Shangguan Wan'er, Shangguan Zhaorong wenji	722	(3)
Zhang Yue
preface to Xie Ximeng, Cai pin shi	725	(2)
Ouyang Xiu
Comments on the Poet Li Qingzhao, from Biji manzhi	727	(2)
Wang Zhuo
preface to Zhu Shuzhen, Duanchang shi ji	729	(3)
Wei Duanli
preface to Cao Miaoqing, Xian ge ji	732	(1)
Yang Weizhen
preface to Shi nushi	733	(3)
Tian Yiheng
preface to Ma Shouzhen, Xianglan zi ji	736	(3)
Wang Baigu
preface to Mingyuan shigui	739	(3)
Zhong Xing
preface to Lu Qingzi, Kaopan ji	742	(2)
Zhao Huanguang
preface to Zhang Mengzhen, Qinglou yunyu	744	(2)
Huayin shangren
preface to Qu Juesheng, Nu sao	746	(2)
Zhao Shiyong
preface to Gu jin nu shi	748	(5)
Zhao Shijie
preface to Jiang Yuanzuo, Xu yutai wenyuan	753	(2)
Ge Zhengqi
preface to Wumengtang ji	755	(7)
Ye Shaoyuan
preface to Liu Shi, Wuyin cao	762	(2)
Chen Zilong
preface to Wang Duanshu, Yinghong ji	764	(1)
Ding Shengzhao
preface to Zhou Zhibiao, Nuzhong qi caizi lanke er ji	765	(3)
Zhi Ruzeng
preface to Zhou Ming, Linxia cixuan	768	(4)
You Tong
preface to Xu Shumin, Zhongxiang ci	772	(2)
Wu Qi
preface to Lichao mingyuan shici	774	(3)
Lu Chang
``Jin Xianxian nushi mu zhiming''	777	(4)
Yuan Mei
preface to Yuan Mei, Suiyuan nu dizi shixuan	781	(2)
Wang Gu
``Fu xue''	783	(17)
Zhang Xuecheng
preface to Zhuang lou zhaiyan	800	(1)
Qian Sanxi
foreword to Huang Zhimo, Guochao guixiu shi liuxu ji	801	(3)
Huang Chuanji
preface to Xu Naichang, Xiao tan luan shi huike baijia guixiu ci	804	(5)
Wang Pengyun
APPENDIXES
Appendix A: A Note on Song-Lyrics with a Glossary of Tune-Titles	809	(16)
Appendix B: A Chronological Chart of Chinese History	825	(4)
Notes	829	(22)
Bibliography	851	(20)
Index of Names	871