The most controversial woman in history

Author: Huang Jing / Li Duo (editors)
Publisher:
Publish Date: March 1, 2006
Features: Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen, saved Egypt from peril in political struggles with her beauty. But some called her the "Nile Witch" or the "Sorceress by the Nile"—which evaluation is more accurate? If the decline of the entire Tang Dynasty is blamed on Yang Guifei, she would be the most innocent scapegoat in history. But was she merely an indifferent bystander to the wars? Perhaps people only remember Lu Xiaoman's extravagance, viewing her as a deadly opium poppy lost in dreams. At twenty-nine, she carried all the blame, unaware that the years after twenty-nine would be spent bearing all the suffering, loneliness, and heart-wrenching solitude.
They were beautiful, they were intelligent. Some said they used "flesh bombs" and "allure" to break through the male-dominated order, achieving material conditions and historical status unattainable by women who followed the rules. Others argued that it was precisely because they didn’t believe in the hidden rules of this patriarchal world that they brought forth the brilliance of women! Good or bad, affirmation or negation—how should history position them? Based on an analysis and examination of a wealth of historical documents, this book incorporates many unique insights and incisive descriptions. Placing these women’s histories within a vast temporal and spatial context, it delves into specific facts, proving that each of them had complex experiences and achieved extraordinary "great achievements" beyond ordinary human capabilities at the height of history. At the same time, it subtly portrays their "unconventional" methods and their "moral transgressions."
Reading this book will not only make you reflect on history but also give you a fresh, rational understanding and appreciation of women.