The burden of being a talented woman

The burden of female talent: the poet Li Qingzhao and her history in China

This book is a specialized study of Li Qingzhao, a female lyric poet of the Song Dynasty. The author sifts through a vast amount of historical and contemporary materials, and through rigorous analysis and argumentation, posits that later generations' perception of Li Qingzhao as a gifted woman and their stance toward her have undergone cumulative changes. Almost all common statements about Li Qingzhao are the product of careful interpretation; only after being refracted through the prism of tradition was Li Qingzhao accepted by orthodox culture. To reinforce her traditional image, some works in the Ming Dynasty collection of Li Qingzhao's writings even included later forgeries. The author peels away the accretions that have been attached to Li Qingzhao over centuries to reconstruct an image of her closer to her original self, thereby revealing the fascinating reception history of Li Qingzhao over several centuries.

2017-03-01

上海古籍出版社

363

9787532582112