Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives And Concubines In China From Han To Liao
by Keith McMahon /
2013 / English / PDF
3.6 MB Download
Chinese emperors guaranteed male successors by
taking multiple wives, in some cases hundreds and even
thousands.
Chinese emperors guaranteed male successors by
taking multiple wives, in some cases hundreds and even
thousands.Women Shall Not
Rule
Women Shall Not
Ruleoffers a fascinating history of imperial wives
and concubines, especially in light of the greatest challenges to
polygamous harmony—rivalry between women and their attempts to
engage in politics. Besides ambitious empresses and concubines,
these vivid stories of the imperial polygamous family are also
populated with prolific emperors, wanton women, libertine men,
cunning eunuchs, and bizarre cases of intrigue and scandal among
rival wives.
offers a fascinating history of imperial wives
and concubines, especially in light of the greatest challenges to
polygamous harmony—rivalry between women and their attempts to
engage in politics. Besides ambitious empresses and concubines,
these vivid stories of the imperial polygamous family are also
populated with prolific emperors, wanton women, libertine men,
cunning eunuchs, and bizarre cases of intrigue and scandal among
rival wives.
Keith McMahon, a leading expert on the history of gender in China,
draws upon decades of research to describe the values and ideals of
imperial polygamy and the ways in which it worked and did not work
in real life. His rich sources are both historical and fictional,
including poetic accounts and sensational stories told in
pornographic detail. Displaying rare historical breadth, his lively
and fascinating study will be invaluable as a comprehensive and
authoritative resource for all readers interested in the domestic
life of royal palaces across the world.
Keith McMahon, a leading expert on the history of gender in China,
draws upon decades of research to describe the values and ideals of
imperial polygamy and the ways in which it worked and did not work
in real life. His rich sources are both historical and fictional,
including poetic accounts and sensational stories told in
pornographic detail. Displaying rare historical breadth, his lively
and fascinating study will be invaluable as a comprehensive and
authoritative resource for all readers interested in the domestic
life of royal palaces across the world.