Download or read book Tales of Empresses and Imperial Consorts in China written by Xizhi Shang and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Tales about Chinese Emperors written by Baojun Luan and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Celestial Women written by Keith McMahon and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-04-21 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume completes Keith McMahon’s acclaimed history of imperial wives and royal polygamy in China. Avoiding the stereotype of the emperor’s plural wives as mere victims or playthings, the book considers empresses and concubines as full-fledged participants in palace life, whether as mothers, wives, or go-betweens in the emperor’s relations with others in the palace. Although restrictions on women’s participation in politics increased dramatically after Empress Wu in the Tang, the author follows the strong and active women, of both high and low rank, who continued to appear. They counseled emperors, ghostwrote for them, oversaw succession when they died, and dominated them when they were weak. They influenced the emperor’s relationships with other women and enhanced their aura and that of the royal house with their acts of artistic and religious patronage. Dynastic history ended in China when the prohibition that women should not rule was defied for the final time by Dowager Cixi, the last great monarch before China’s transformation into a republic.

Download or read book Women Shall Not Rule written by Keith McMahon and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2013-06-06 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chinese emperors guaranteed male successors by taking multiple wives, in some cases hundreds and even thousands. Women Shall Not Rule 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.

Download or read book Chinese Imperial Women 2010 Edition EPUB written by Lim SK and published by Asiapac Books Pte Ltd. This book was released on 2018-11-12 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The word 'harem' often conjures up images of beautiful, half-dressed oriental women lounging in some stately pleasure dome, waiting for the opportunity to satisfy their masters. And in some ways this was not far from the truth. Tang Dynasty Emperor Xuanzong had 40,000 women in his harem, while the Qing emperors would fill their harem with the most eligible girls in the country for both pleasure and procreation. Some emperors were blessed with empresses who led their dynasties to prosperity and stability. Many emperors, however, found out that they had taken on more than they expected with the arrival of talented, ruthless and ambitious beauties. Wu Zetian was one such woman. Arriving in the harem of Tang Emperor Taizong as a sweet-faced 14-year-old, she went on, through treachery and murder, to become empress. This book tells the stories of the outstanding, the outrageous, the glorious as well as the tragic empresses and concubines of the Chinese palace.

Download or read book Tales from Ancient China s Imperial Harem written by Xiaoyan and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is more than a series of tales about intrigues, illicit love affairs, jealousies, and murders committed by the various women who populated the harems of China's many emperors. It is a unique retelling of major events in China's more than 3,000-year-old history as seen through the eyes of these courtesans of the rear palace. Each emperor had thousands of beauties at his beck and call. Most of them, separated at a young age from their families, lived in the rear palace in loneliness and seclusion. A few, however, wielded great power or even gained supremacy over the imperial court. Their stories vividly portray the social customs and palace life in ancient China, and give new insights into the important role of women in Chinese history.

Download or read book Empresses of China s Forbidden City written by Daisy Yiyou Wang and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Empresses of China's Forbidden City: 1644-1912 accompanies the exhibition of the same title organized by the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, the Freer]Sackler, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC, and the Palace Museum, Beijing, China."

Download or read book China under the Empress Dowager Being the history of the life and times of Tz Hsi written by J. O. P. Bland and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2024-07-01 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Welcome to the intriguing world of "China under the Empress Dowager: Being the History of the Life and Times of Tzŭ Hsi" by J. O. P. Bland and Sir E. Backhouse, a vivid portrayal of one of the most influential figures in Chinese history. Explore the captivating story of Empress Dowager Tzŭ Hsi, a woman of immense power and influence who ruled China for nearly half a century. Bland and Backhouse's meticulously researched narrative takes readers on a journey through the tumultuous era of late Qing dynasty China, revealing the complex political intrigues, cultural shifts, and historical events that shaped her reign. Delve into the character analysis of Empress Dowager Tzŭ Hsi, a formidable yet enigmatic figure whose decisions impacted the course of Chinese history. The authors illuminate her role in navigating China through internal strife, foreign encroachment, and the challenges of modernization, offering profound insights into her leadership style and legacy. Through rich historical detail and vivid storytelling, Bland and Backhouse capture the overall tone and mood of late 19th and early 20th-century China, painting a comprehensive portrait of a nation in transition. Their narrative skillfully intertwines the personal and political, providing a nuanced perspective on Tzŭ Hsi's life and the era she dominated. "China under the Empress Dowager" has garnered critical acclaim for its scholarly rigor and compelling narrative. It appeals to readers interested in Chinese history, gender studies, and the influence of powerful women in shaping global events. Whether you're a historian, a student of Asian studies, or simply curious about the life of one of China's most controversial figures, Bland and Backhouse's account offers a fascinating exploration of power, politics, and culture in late imperial China. Order your copy today and immerse yourself in the life and times of Empress Dowager Tzŭ Hsi. Don't miss this opportunity to uncover the secrets of China's last Empress Dowager. Bland and Backhouse's compelling narrative will transport you to a bygone era of imperial splendor and political intrigue.

Download or read book Imperial Woman written by Pearl Sydenstricker Buck and published by . This book was released on 2014-05-09 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fictionized biography of Tzu-hsi, the last empress of China, who was known as "Old Buddha."

Download or read book Tales of Empresses and Imperial Consorts in China written by Xizhi Shang and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Crossing the Gate written by Man Xu and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 2016-10-24 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Challenges the accepted wisdom about women and gender roles in medieval China. In Crossing the Gate, Man Xu examines the lives of women in the Chinese province of Fujian during the Song dynasty. Tracking women’s life experience across class lines, outside as well as inside the domestic realm, Xu challenges the accepted wisdom about women and gender roles in medieval China. She contextualizes women in a much broader physical space and social network, investigating the gaps between ideals and reality and examining women’s own agency in gender construction. She argues that women’s autonomy and mobility, conventionally attributed to Ming-Qing women of late imperial China, can be traced to the Song era. This thorough study of Song women’s life experience connects women to the great political, economic, and social transitions of the time, and sheds light on the so-called “Song-Yuan-Ming transition” from the perspective of gender studies. By putting women at the center of analysis and by focusing on the local and the quotidian, Crossing the Gate offers a new and nuanced picture of the Song Confucian revival.

Download or read book Empress Orchid written by Anchee Min and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2004 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From a master of the historical novel, Empress Orchid sweeps readers into the heart of the Forbidden City to tell the fascinating story of a young concubine who becomes China's last empress. Min introduces the beautiful Tzu Hsi, known as Orchid, and weaves an epic of a country girl who seized power through seduction, murder, and endless intrigue. When China is threatened by enemies, she alone seems capable of holding the country together. In this "absorbing companion piece to her novel Becoming Madame Mao" (New York Times), readers and reading groups will once again be transported by Min's lavish evocation of the Forbidden City in its last days of imperial glory and by her brilliant portrait of a flawed yet utterly compelling woman who survived, and ultimately dominated, a male world.

Download or read book Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women written by and published by M.E. Sharpe. This book was released on with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Daughter of Heaven written by Nigel Cawthorne and published by ONEWorld Publications. This book was released on 2007 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She was taken to the palace as a concubine for the Emperor. Using her skill in the bedroom, she seduced her way to the throne of the most powerful empire in the world. She executed her enemies without mercy, and even murdered her own children for political gain. She set up her own imperial harem made up of young men. She elected herself a living god and held a ruthless reign of terror for over fifty years. Yet in the end, it was sex that led to her downfall. In this sensational true story, bestselling author Nigel Cawthorne reveals the dark and dramatic story of the only woman ever to rule China; Wu Chao, concubine, manipulator, politician, murderer, Emperor. From her instruction in the art of love by palace officials, to her eventual sticky end, this book opens a window into the colorful world of Tang Dynasty China - a world of sex and of power. Like a cross between Gone with the Wind and Fatal Attraction, you won't be able to put it down! This is the gripping story of China's Cleopatra; a story of murder, sex, love, power, and revenge.

Download or read book Two Years in the Forbidden City written by Princess Der Ling and published by . This book was released on 2019-10-26 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two Years In The Forbidden City This book is about the small or hidden parts of Empress Dowager Cixi who was known to effectively controlled the chinese goverment in the late Ching Dynasty for 47 years. Empress Dowager Cixi was a concubine for Xianfeng Emperor and later became the empress dowager as soon as her son become the Tongzhi Emperor after the death of Xianfeng. She later appointed her nephew to become the next emperor on the death of her son.The Empress Dowager although known to refused to adopt the western model of goverment, she however supported the technological and military reform to strengthen the goverment. Princess Derling wrote this memoirs during her involvement with the empress. Her father was one of the goverment member and had sent her for western schools for education. She was then well versed with English and French.Apart from doing the court ladies work, she did all the interpretation as and when Empress Dowager Cixi attended to foreign visitors. Empress Dowager Cixi The Last Empress Of China This book, Two Years In the Forbidden City is about the hidden story or small details from the perspective of the court lady whom the empress had favoured. In her view, Empress Dowager Cixi is not the monster of depravity depicted in the popular press and in the second and third hand accounts left by foreigners who had lived in Beijing. The Last Empress Of China was actually to her an aging woman who loved beautiful things, had many regrets about the past and the way she had dealt with the many crises of her long reign, and apparently trusted Der Ling enough to share many memories and opinions with her. Read the whole 20 Chapters about Empress Dowager Cixi in this interesting book Two Years In The Forbidden City and get your copy from us today.

Download or read book The Concubine written by Jade Lee and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2009-02-01 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Requirements for being a royal consort: 1) Exemplify purity. 2) Pass all demanding tests. 3) Gracefully withstand petty backstabbing. 4) Be chaste. Very chaste. Check to all! Chen Ji Yue is on her way to empress superstardom in nineteenth-century China. She only has to vanquish 300 rivals to bring her family great honor. Oh, and she may not find the deliciously sexy Sun Bo Tao—the emperor's best friend—at all delicious. Or sexy. Damn. Ji Yue is in big trouble. Because Bo Tao is definitely very sexy…. And Ji Yue is about to discover that chastity is overrated….

Download or read book Chinese Empresses written by Bret Hinsch and published by . This book was released on 2024-01-02 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chinese Empresses highlights the stories of Chinese imperial women and how male authorities attempted to curb their power. It disputes the notion that Chinese empresses were simply hapless or powerless victims of the male-dominated political system. This book is not a compendium of biographies of Chinese empress. The objective is more fundamental. By analyzing details from the lives of representative empresses, it is possible to understand how women gained and used political power, and how male rivals opposed them. The significance of this topic extends far beyond the scope of Chinese studies. In China, monarchy stretches back to high antiquity, providing hundreds of case studies that can be used to understand the nature and applications of female power. Whereas the histories of most places describe only a few powerful women, Chinese chronicles offer numerous examples that reveal how rulers' consorts gained, maintained, and used power. The length and richness of Chinese history make it the best historical field for exploring female power in detail.