Women in Early Medieval China

This study is the first comprehensive survey of Chinese women during the early medieval period of disunion, from the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty to the reunification of China by the Sui dynasty. It provides rich descriptions of female life, including family and marriage, motherhood, political power, work, inheritance, education, and religious roles, and draws on Chinese primary sources and scholarship.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 06 May 2021
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

This groundbreaking study is the sole comprehensive survey of Chinese women during the early medieval period of disunion, which spanned from the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty in 220 AD to the reunification of China by the Sui dynasty in 581 AD, also known as the Six Dynasties. Bret Hinsch provides rich descriptions of the most significant aspects of female life in this era, encompassing family and marriage, motherhood, political power, work, inheritance, education, and religious roles. He delves into the lived experiences of women, as well as their emotional lives and the ideals they pursued. Hinsch draws extensively on Chinese primary sources and scholarship, most of which remains unknown outside China. As the first study in English about women in the early medieval era, this groundbreaking book offers Western readers a new window into Chinese history.

Family and Marriage:
Hinsch explores the complex dynamics of family and marriage in the early medieval period. He discusses the role of women in the household, their marital status, and the dynamics of childbirth and child-rearing. He also examines the social and economic implications of marriage, including the exchange of property and the rights and responsibilities of wives and husbands.

Motherhood:
Hinsch delves into the experiences of motherhood in the early medieval era. He discusses the responsibilities and challenges of being a mother, including the care of children, the management of the household, and the fulfillment of religious and social roles. He also explores the emotional life of mothers and the ways in which they expressed their love and devotion to their children.

Political Power:
Hinsch examines the political power of women in the early medieval period. He discusses the role of women in government, including their participation in court politics, their influence on decision-making, and their roles as political leaders and officials. He also explores the barriers and challenges that women faced in pursuing political power and the ways in which they overcame them.

Work:
Hinsch explores the various forms of work that women engaged in during the early medieval period. He discusses the agricultural labor of women, their participation in textile production, and their roles as merchants and traders. He also examines the social and economic implications of women's work, including their ability to accumulate wealth and their status within society.

Inheritance:
Hinsch examines the inheritance rights of women in the early medieval period. He discusses the legal and social mechanisms that governed inheritance, including the rules of primogeniture and the rights of widows and daughters. He also explores the ways in which women could inherit property and the challenges they faced in claiming their inheritance.

Education:
Hinsch explores the education of women in the early medieval period. He discusses the availability of education, the types of schools that women attended, and the subjects that they studied. He also examines the role of education in shaping women's lives and the ways in which it contributed to their social and economic advancement.

Religious Roles:
Hinsch examines the religious roles of women in the early medieval period. He discusses the participation of women in religious practices, their roles as religious leaders and officials, and the ways in which religion influenced their lives and identities. He also explores the conflicts and tensions that women faced in their religious roles and the ways in which they negotiated them.

Weight: 376g
Dimension: 220 x 153 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538158326