Manchu Women Poets

Two Centuries of Manchu Women Poets
An Anthology
Translated by Wilt L. Idema
Seattle – London: University of Washington Press, 2017.
US$ 50
ISBN: 9780295745749

Description
This anthology presents substantial selections from the work of twenty Manchu women poets of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The poems, inspired by their daily life and reflections, provide fascinating insights into the experiences and emotions of these women, most of whom belonged to the elite families of Manchu society. Each selection is accompanied by biographical material that illuminates the life stories of the poets. The volume's introduction describes the printing history of the collections from which these poems are drawn, the authors' practice of poetry writing, ethnic and gender issues, and comparisons with the poetry of women in South China and of male authors of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).

Contents
Introduction
1. The Women of the Nalan Family: Miss Nalan, Sibo, and Madam Zhaojia
2. A Prisoner’s Mother and Wife: The Mistress of the Study for Nurturing Simplicity and the Mistress of the Orchid Pavilion
3. Chastity and Suicide: Xiguang
4. Mourning Royalty: Lady Zhoujia, Lady Tongjia, and Lady Fucha
5. Sacrifice and Friendship: Bingyue
6. A Tomboy in a Silly Dress: Mengyue
7. Unbridled Energy: Yingchuan
8. Releasing Butterflies: Wanyan Jinchi
9. Seeking Refuge in Truth: Guizhen Daoren
10. Traveling throughout the Empire: Baibao Youlan
11. A Proud Descendant of Chinggis Khan: Naxun Lanbao
12. From Hengyang to Beijing: Lingwen Zhuyou
13. The Modest Pursuit of a Minor Way: Duomin Huiru
14. A Poet from the Homeland: Lady Husihali

Abbreviations
Notes
Glossary of Chinese Characters
Bibliography
Index

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Wilt L. Idema is professor emeritus of Chinese literature at Harvard University. He obtained his BA and MA from Leiden University (The Netherlands). Following continued study and research in Japan and Hong Kong, he returned to Leiden to teach. He obtained his doctorate in 1974, and was promoted to Professor of Chinese Language and Literature in 1976. From 2000 to 2013 he taught at Harvard as Professor of Chinese literature. His research was originally focused on traditional vernacular fiction, but later shifted to early traditional drama and popular ballads and tales. He has also published on women’s literature of the premodern period. His publications of the last ten years include The Red Brush: Writing Women of Imperial China (with Beata Grant, 2004); Personal Salvation and Filial Piety: Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her Acolytes (2007); Meng Jiangnü Brings Down the Great Wall: Ten Versions of a Chinese Legend (2008); Heroines of Jiangyong: Chinese Narrative Ballads in Women’s Script (2009); The White Snake and her Son (2009); Judge Bao and the Rule of Law: Eight Ballad-Stories from the Period 1250-1450 (2010); Monks, Bandits, Lovers and Immortals: Eleven Early Chinese Plays (with Stephen H. West, 2010); The Butterfly Lovers: The Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (2010); Escape from Blood Pond Hell: The Tales of Mulian and Woman Huang (with Beata Grant, 2011); Battles, Betrayals, and Brotherhood: Early Chinese Plays on the Three Kingdoms (with Stephen H. West, 2012); The Generals of the Yang Family: Four Early Plays (with Stephen H. West, 2013); and The Resurrected Skeleton: From Zhuangzi to Lu Xun (2014).