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

Author: Evelyn S. Rawski
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Overseas Chinese Studies Series · Women's Series. The Song Dynasty examined in this book was a complex and transformative era. On one hand, foot-binding began to flourish, and scholars started advocating 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 marital and property rights were further protected. In this pioneering work of overseas Chinese women's history research, the author presents us with an exceptionally rich tapestry, vividly bringing to life the lives of Song Dynasty women: the distinction between inner and outer life, sacrificial ceremonies and celebrations, arranging marriages, serving in-laws, raising children, rivalries within the inner quarters, and remarriage after widowhood, all of which demonstrate that women's history is a dynamic and multifaceted history with diverse possibilities. Through this, readers can not only gain a multi-dimensional understanding of the collective image of Song Dynasty women but also grasp their choices and intelligence within social transformations.