Under Confucian Eyes Writings on Gender in Chinese History [Paperback]

These translations of eighteen classical Chinese texts from the mid-ninth century (Tang dynasty) through the late nineteenth century (Qing dynasty) offer a comprehensive collection of primary sources focusing on gender issues in medieval and late imperial China. The book's title reflects the sometimes ironic relationship between Confucian viewpoints and women's visibility in Chinese historical documents. The texts, written by both men and women, show that Confucian values and scholarly practices produced a rich documentary record of women's lives.

Includes a brief guide for use by students and teachers

Susan Mannis Professor of History at the University of California, Davis, and author ofPrecious Records: Women in China's Long Eighteenth Century(1997).Yu-Yin Chengis Assistant Professor of History at Marymount Manhattan College and author ofA Chronological Biography of Lo Ju-fang (1515-1588): Poet, Philosopher, Activist(1995).

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Editors Introduction
Guide for Students and Teachers

1. Biography of the Daoist Saint Wang Fengxian by Du Guangting (850 - 933)
Translated by Suzanne Cahill
This biography of an important Daoist female saint of the mid-ninth century chronicles her life from childhood through her spiritual self-cultivation, culminating in her ascension to heaven.

2. Biography of the Great Compassionate One of Xiangshan by Jiang Zhiqi (1031 - 1104)
Translated by Ch?n-fang Y?
The earliest documentary evidence of the legend of Miaoshan, this stone inscription shows how the local story of a Chinese princess became identified with a universal Buddhist deity, the Bodhisattva Guanyin.

3. The Book of Filial Piety for Women Attributed to a Woman N?e Zheng (ca. 730)
Translated by Patricia Buckley Ebrey
The excerpt from this classic appears opposite corresponding passages from the originalÓ1