Inner Sanctum—Marriage and Women's Lives in the Song Dynasty: Marriage and Women's Lives in the Song Dynasty

Author: Evelyn S. Rawski
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Song Dynasty examined in this book was a complex and transformative era. On one hand, foot-binding began to flourish, and scholars advocated for the saying, "Dying is a small matter, losing integrity is a great matter." On the other hand, we encounter a completely different impression; women's marriage and property rights were further protected. In this groundbreaking work of overseas Chinese women's history research, the author presents us with a richly detailed picture, vividly bringing to life the lives of Song Dynasty women: distinctions between the inner and outer worlds, sacrificial ceremonies, arranging marriages, serving in-laws, raising children, rivalries within the inner quarters, and remarriage after widowhood, thereby demonstrating that women's history is a dynamic history, full of diverse possibilities. Through this, readers not only gain a multi-faceted understanding of the collective image of Song Dynasty women but also grasp their choices and intelligence within social changes.