Inner Sanctum: Marriage and Women's Life in the Song Dynasty (Series of Overseas Chinese Studies)

Author: Evelyn S. Rawski (Auth.), Hu Zhihong (Trans.)
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Features: Overseas Chinese Studies Series · Women's Studies. 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 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: 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, all of which demonstrate that women's history is a dynamic and multifaceted history. Through this, readers not only gain a multi-angle and multi-level understanding of the collective image of Song Dynasty women but also grasp their choices and wisdom within social transformations.