True to Her Word: The Faithful Maiden Cult in Late Imperial China - Couverture rigide

Lu, Weijing

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0804758085 ISBN 13 : 9780804758086

Editeur : Stanford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

This path-breaking book examines the broad cultural, social, and gender meanings of the "faithful maiden" cult in late imperial China (1368-1911). Across the empire, an increasing number of young women or "faithful maidens," defied their parents' wishes and chose either to live out their lives as widows upon the death of a fiancé or killed themselves to join their fiancé in death. The book analyzes the familial conflicts, government policies, ideological controversies, and personal emotions surrounding the cult. Concentrating on the dramatic acts of spirit wedding and suicide, the faithful maidens' unique code of conduct, and the extraordinary life journey of "virgin mothers," Lu documents the ideological, psychological, cultural, and economic aspects of these young women's mentality and behavior, and the implications of this behavior for their families and the broader society. The book's narrative of the faithful maiden cult interweaves late imperial political, cultural, social and intellectual history, thus, providing a new window onto the history of the late imperial period.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

Weijing Lu is Assistant Professor in History at the University of California, San Diego. She has published many journal articles in English and Chinese; this is her first book.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Stanford University Press
• Date d'édition: 2008
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0804758085
• ISBN 13: 9780804758086
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 368
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible