Women in Imperial China - eBook

9781442271661
1-4422-7166-3

This accessible text offers a comprehensive survey of womens history in China from the Neolithic period through the end of the Qing dynasty in the early twentieth century. Rather than providing an exhaustive.

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chronicle of this vast subject, Bret Hinsch pinpoints the themes that characterized distinct periods in Chinese womens history and delves into the perception of female identity in each era. Moving beyond the traditional focus on the late imperial era, Hinsch explores how gender relations have developed and changed since ancient times. His chronological look at the most important female roles in every major dynasty showcases not only the constraints women faced but also their vast accomplishments throughout the millennia. Hinschs extensive use of Chinese-language scholarship lends his book a fresh perspective rare among Western scholars. Professors and students will find this an invaluable textbook for Chinese womens studies and an excellent supplement for courses in gender studies and Chinese history.