Women in Imperial China

by Bret Hinsch

Publisher:

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

, 2016

This accessible text offers a comprehensive survey of women’s history in China from the Neolithic period through the end of the Qing dynasty in the early twentieth century. Rather than providing an exhaustive chronicle of this vast subject, Bret Hinsch pinpoints the themes that characterized distinct periods in Chinese women’s 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. Hinsch’s 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 women’s studies and an excellent supplement for courses in gender studies and Chinese history.

Contents

Major Chinese Dynasties
Preface
Chapter 1: Ancient Beginnings: Prehistory, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties
Chapter 2: Womanhood under Empire: Qin and Han Dynasties
Chapter 3: Order Out of Chaos: The Early Medieval Era
Chapter 4: An Era of Effervescence: Tang Dynasty
Chapter 5: The Great Transition: Song Dynasty
Chapter 6: Explorations and Restraints: Ming Dynasty
Chapter 7: Pondering Possibilities: Qing Dynasty
Conclusion
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

Praise for Women in Imperial China

This book is an informative survey of Chinese women’s history from ancient beginnings to the end of the Qing Dynasty. Hinsch employs conventional dynastic periodization to the subject of women’s history, stressing the construction of female identity in each era by examining the most important female social roles. The author draws on a rich scholarship of primary and secondary sources in English as well as in Chinese and Japanese to bring a fresh perspective to Western readers. The strength of this survey is its emphasis on the vast scope of China’s history as well as the formative impact of earlier eras. Most of the fundamental aspects of gender relations emerged many centuries prior to the well-researched late imperial period. The long time span also helps reveal considerable change and development throughout history. Valuable for Chinese women’s studies and an excellent supplement for courses in gender studies and Chinese history.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. General and undergraduate collections and up.

[O]verall, the work offers a wealth of information and many suggestions to further deepen the topic. (Translated from German)

This book is a tour de force—a learned and lively presentation of women’s history during the longue durée of China’s development, from ancient beginnings to the end of the Qing era. Readers will appreciate how Hinsch demonstrates the changing ways in which female identity was constructed as well as the changing mechanics of patriarchy over time. Hinsch draws on a wealth of scholarship, including primary and secondary sources in English, as well as those in Chinese and Japanese, and creates a readable and informative narrative of women’s history in China. Both students and research scholars will benefit from reading this highly informative volume.

Product Details

• Title : Women in Imperial China
• Author: Hinsch, Bret
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication Date: 2016
• ISBN: 9781442271661

About Bret Hinsch

Bret Hinsch is professor of history at Fo Guang University, Yilan, Taiwan. He is the author of Women in Ancient China, Women in Early Medieval China, Women in Early Imperial China, Women in Imperial China, Masculinities in Chinese History, and The Rise of Tea Culture in China.