CHIN

Contrary to our stereotypes about the silent, invisible woman of premodern China, women actually wrote and published their work in unprecedented numbers from the late 12th century to the early 20th century. This course will explore the literary and historical significance of this output, which mainly took the form of poetry and prefaces to poetry collections, letters, some drama, and novels in verse, and which was produced primarily by gentry women (e.g. women from elite families), courtesans, and nuns. Topics to be addressed include the social function of poetry and women’s literary networks, women’s relationship to the publishing market as writers, editors, and readers, the forces driving male interest in women’s writing at certain historical moments, and the changing ideas about what kinds of styles of past poets should be offered to boudoir poets as a repertoire of available choices to read and imitate.
In this course, we will primarily be looking at actual writings by Chinese women and exploring the historical and literary nexus of social, cultural, and biographical factors that led them to write and shaped their writing. We will, however, occasionally touch upon representations of writing women in Chinese literature and visual arts as well.

No prerequisites. All materials will be read in English translation.