This pioneering multidisciplinary work explores the early history of the area now known as South ... more This pioneering multidisciplinary work explores the early history of the area now known as South China and North Vietnam by focusing on the peoples referred to in early Chinese texts as Yue 越. By judiciously combining textual, archaeological, and linguistic sources, Brindley examines what we know, and do not know, about these people, making an important contribution to the study of identity in Early China and to the general history of this long-neglected region. 1 The book can be roughly divided into three parts. The first three chapters employ textual, archaeological and linguistic evidence to examine the origins of the people who inhabited the region from the Neolithic until the first century C.E. Chapters , and concern the political and military interactions between the states of this region and those of the north, especially the Western Han Empire. Finally, chapters - explore how the people of this region are depicted in classical Chinese texts, our only written sources on them, and what this has to tell us about how their authors understood their place in the world and their own identities. The engaging preface and introduction focus on identity formation, and explain the roles specific historical narratives play in the identities of people in the region today. Chapter then reviews the ethnonyms used in ancient Chinese texts for peoples of the south and considers what we actually know about these peoples. Effectively a second introduction, this chapter is an excellent review of the central questions in the study of the ancient peoples of the region. The following two chapters
Contributions in any of the major scholarly languages of the world, including romanized modern st... more Contributions in any of the major scholarly languages of the world, including romanized modern standard Mandarin and Japanese, are acceptable. In special circumstances, papers written in one of the Sinitic topolects (fangyan) may be considered for publication. Although the chief focus of Sino-Platonic Papers is on the intercultural relations of China with other peoples, challenging and creative studies on a wide variety of philological subjects will be entertained. This series is not the place for safe, sober, and stodgy presentations. Sino-Platonic Papers prefers lively work that, while taking reasonable risks to advance the field, capitalizes on brilliant new insights into the development of civilization. Submissions are regularly sent out for peer review, and extensive editorial suggestions for revision may be offered. Sino-Platonic Papers emphasizes substance over form. We do, however, strongly recommend that prospective authors consult our style guidelines at www.sino-platonic.org/stylesheet.doc. Manuscripts should be submitted as electronic files in Microsoft Word format. You may wish to use our sample document template, available here: www.sino-platonic.org/spp.dot. All issues of Sino-Platonic Papers are free in PDF form. Issues 1-170, however, will continue to be available in paper copies until our stock runs out. Please note: When the editor goes on an expedition or research trip, all operations may cease for up to three months at a time.
This article examines representations of Music Master Kuang in early Chinese historical and philo... more This article examines representations of Music Master Kuang in early Chinese historical and philosophical texts. Music Master Kuang was entirely blind, at a time when people with disabilities suffered serious discrimination. However, in spite of his handicap, he was able not merely to become a fine musician, but also served as a key advisor to two rulers of Jin, Lord Dao (r. 573-558 BCE) and his son, Lord Ping (r. 557-532 BCE), and in some texts is said to have acted as their prime minister. In achieving this transition, he is unique among Music Masters of the period. This article classifies the stories told about him into two main thematic groups, as a musician and as a statesman, to show the way in which music was related to statecraft through the persona of an individual who was both a highly respected government minister and a noted performer on the qin.
Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, and Reviews, 2017
In ancient texts Lady Xia Ji is described as a dangerous woman, whose seductive beauty brought ab... more In ancient texts Lady Xia Ji is described as a dangerous woman, whose seductive beauty brought about the near collapse of the state of Chen in 599 BCE. Having been virtually forgotten for many centuries, in the late Ming dynasty Lady Xia Ji was the subject of an erotic novel: the Zhulin yeshi (The Romantic History of Zhulin). Here she is portrayed as using esoteric techniques of sexual vampirism to maintain her beauty and achieve transcendency. Subsequently, she also figured in the Xin lieguo zhi (New Account of the States [of the Eastern Zhou]) by Feng Menglong (1574-1645). Although these two Ming dynasty novels are known to be closely related, the connection has not previously been explored. These interrelationships provide important clues as to the dating of these two texts.
This paper focuses on the small group of writings from the Wei-Jin period about different kinds o... more This paper focuses on the small group of writings from the Wei-Jin period about different kinds of sweeteners used in food and drink. Apart from any question of literary merit in these writings, there is the issue of status: all sugars were expensive, and some were extremely rare, and to consume such a sugar was a potent sign of privilege. It is not surprising that all early medieval poems and prose about sweeteners focus on the sugars considered to be most prestigious: honey, manna, and sugarcane. These writings influenced later works on the same subject, and provide the earliest surviving descriptions of the importance of sugars in Chinese culture.
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 2018
Headhunting has a long and well-documented history in China, but most people are today unaware of... more Headhunting has a long and well-documented history in China, but most people are today unaware of this practice, first recorded in Shang oracle bones and regularly mentioned in ancient Chinese texts until the Han dynasty. This ignorance is because headhunting subsequently came to be seen as a barbaric practice and knowledge concerning its long history was destroyed: this was achieved by inventing a new character, guo 聝, which means “to cut the ear of a dead enemy combatant” and using this to replace (and thus confuse meanings with) an older character guo 馘, which refers specifically to headhunting. Ancient texts in which headhunting practices are documented have been misunderstood and misrepresented by imperial era scholars to prevent anyone from seeing that ancient China was a headhunting culture. This study shows how dominant cultural norms can impact on the way in which texts are read.
Beginning in the early imperial era, Chinese texts recorded instances of domestic violence perpet... more Beginning in the early imperial era, Chinese texts recorded instances of domestic violence perpetrated by women living in polygynous households. These acts of abuse were commonly understood to be the result of sexual jealousy. Marital disharmony was a cause of great concern to the elite, as a result of which legal and historical texts, as well as the literature of the period, provide a rich vein of evidence concerning domestic violence perpetrated by women. Furthermore, there are some surprisingly sympathetic accounts of the psychological pressures that led to such abuse by wives. As the importance of this material in the history of marital relationships and domestic life in China has been neglected, this study provides an overview of some of the key sources, particularly the recently discovered Han dynasty narrative poem, Wang Ji 妄稽.
The texts written for the instruction of women in ancient China are some of the earliest examples... more The texts written for the instruction of women in ancient China are some of the earliest examples of didactic sources aimed at a female readership to be produced anywhere in the world. The oldest surviving texts in the transmitted tradition date to the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). However, in 2010, Peking University acquired a cache of manuscripts written on bamboo, one of which, the Jiaonü (Instructions to women), predates these Han dynasty admonitions texts by several centuries. This paper provides a full translation of this important text, a discussion of the historical and cultural context in which it was produced, and examines its relationship with the later similar works in the transmitted tradition. The Jiaonü throws new light on the way in which women were educated in appropriate gender roles in ancient China.
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies
With the exception of legal texts, surviving records of rape in early China have been the subject... more With the exception of legal texts, surviving records of rape in early China have been the subject of little academic study to date. This is the result of a number of factors, including the criminalization of both consensual and non-consensual sex outside of marriage in ancient China, the tradition of using euphemistic vocabulary to refer to such topics, considerable variation, depending on time and place, as to what constitutes rape and discomfort that some very famous men are said to have committed crimes of rape and sexual violence. This article examines two famous and well-documented incidents – one concerning the rape of a woman in peacetime, the other an instance of mass gang rape during war – to explore the specific challenges of studying sexual violence in ancient civilizations. Ignoring early accounts of rape serves to significantly distort our understanding of some key events in Chinese history and perverts the textual record.
Kingdoms in Peril: Volume 4: The Assassins Strike, 2023
Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms ar... more Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms are now established. However, old loyalties persist, and brave men are still determined to avenge their former lords. Even as their world consigns them to the past, a handful of assassins still seek to rewrite history.
Kingdoms In Peril: Volume 3: The Death of a Southern Hero, 2023
The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel ... more The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel a hatred for each other that transcends all bounds. Cruel humiliations are imposed on the vanquished each time a battle is lost, while vicious scheming and internecine manipulation destroy many lives. The balance of power is threatened—but there can only be one victor.
Kingdoms in Peril, volume 2: The Exile Returns, 2023
Lord Wen of Jin brings some temporary stability to the political scene when he returns after many... more Lord Wen of Jin brings some temporary stability to the political scene when he returns after many years in exile. However, the grants of land and office to his longstanding supporters make them too powerful for his successors to control. Just as the Zhou aristocrats seize power from their king, a bitter struggle begins as ministers seek to impose their authority on their lords.
Kingdoms in Peril, Volume One: The Curse of the Bao Lords, 2023
Deep inside the Zhou royal palace, an ancient curse is released, and darkness spreads
across the... more Deep inside the Zhou royal palace, an ancient curse is released, and darkness spreads
across the land. An incompetent king’s mad passion for a teenaged slave leads to the
country being torn apart by civil war. As the situation unravels, will anyone attempt to
stand against the forces of chaos?
This thesis focusses on historical and fictional accounts of the hegemons of the Spring and Autum... more This thesis focusses on historical and fictional accounts of the hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period: Lord Huan of Qi, Lord Wen of Jin, Lord Mu of Qin, King Zhuang of Chu, King Helii of Wu and King Goujian of Yue. Chapter One describes the methodological basis. Many ancient Chinese texts underwent periods of oral transmission, but the effect on their form and content has been little researched. Theme and formula are important for understanding the development of these texts. The hegemons are also investigated for the degree to which they conform to greater patterns: the Indo-European models of the hero and good ruler. In Chapters Two and Three selected tales about the hegemons are considered. Some were chosen because the same story appeared in a large number of texts over many centuries, in the works of widely differing philosophers and historians. This shows the diffusion and popularity of these tales, and the way that the same story appealed to thinkers of very different pers...
Women in Ancient China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2018. Pp. xiv + 209. ... more Women in Ancient China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2018. Pp. xiv + 209. $79. Women in Early Medieval China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2019. Pp. xx + 211. $85.
This paper is concerned with the early documented history of featherwork in China, as described i... more This paper is concerned with the early documented history of featherwork in China, as described in historical texts and literature up until the end of the Tang dynasty in 907 CE. Although featherwork from several Pacific islands and Latin America has recently been the subject of academic attention, the important Chinese tradition has been neglected. Drawing on studies of featherwork from other cultures, this paper divides these accounts by technical criterion into flexible base featherwork (clothing, curtains, hangings, and coverlets); rigid base featherwork (boxes, architectural detailing, jewelry, and screens); and most remarkably of all, deconstructionist featherwork, whereby the barbs of individual feathers were peeled apart and then spun with a silk core to create a feather thread, which was then woven into cloth. Featherwork was produced in vast quantities in early and medieval China to satisfy demand for these luxurious and brightly colored items, and exotic birds—kingfishers...
The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan is one of the most important works concerning statecra... more The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan is one of the most important works concerning statecraft to survive from ancient China, here made accessible to English-language readers for the first time.
Zhao Luanluan 趙鸞鸞 is the main protagonist of an early Ming dynasty work of fiction, the "Luanluan... more Zhao Luanluan 趙鸞鸞 is the main protagonist of an early Ming dynasty work of fiction, the "Luanluan zhuan" 鸞鸞傳 or "The Tale of Luanluan" by Li Changqi 李昌祺 (1376-1452), which is found in his collection of twenty-two short stories: Jiandeng yuhua 剪燈餘話 (More Stories Written While Trimming the Lamp). Zhao Luanluan is here described as a woman poet who is caught up in the fall of the Yuan dynasty, but subsequently she was further fictionalized as a Tang dynasty courtesan, and her poetic works reattributed to this imaginary person. Furthermore other related fictional female poets of the Ming dynasty have also been treated as genuine historical individuals, and their writings are included in many major anthologies of women's poetry. This paper argues that the boundaries between genuine female poets and fictional female poets created by male writers have been consistently ignored.
This paper discusses the role of dogs in early Chinese society, as a source of food, in sacrifice... more This paper discusses the role of dogs in early Chinese society, as a source of food, in sacrifice, as tribute, for racing and hunting, and as companion animals for members of the ruling elite. As food items or sacrificial victims, dogs were the objects of the most elemental expression of power. As tribute, they were highly valuable property, representing the ruler's authority over distant regions. As companion animals, they occupied a liminal zone between objectification and individualized identity. These competing roles are reflected in the complex analysis of the role of dogs found within early Chinese ritual and philosophical texts. In addition to this, dogs were animals at all times closely associated with aristocratic privilege in early China. This ensured that the moral implications of ownership would be discussed at some length in philosophical and ritual texts. From at least the Warring Slates period onwards, the ownership of dogs came under sustained attack as part of a...
This pioneering multidisciplinary work explores the early history of the area now known as South ... more This pioneering multidisciplinary work explores the early history of the area now known as South China and North Vietnam by focusing on the peoples referred to in early Chinese texts as Yue 越. By judiciously combining textual, archaeological, and linguistic sources, Brindley examines what we know, and do not know, about these people, making an important contribution to the study of identity in Early China and to the general history of this long-neglected region. 1 The book can be roughly divided into three parts. The first three chapters employ textual, archaeological and linguistic evidence to examine the origins of the people who inhabited the region from the Neolithic until the first century C.E. Chapters , and concern the political and military interactions between the states of this region and those of the north, especially the Western Han Empire. Finally, chapters - explore how the people of this region are depicted in classical Chinese texts, our only written sources on them, and what this has to tell us about how their authors understood their place in the world and their own identities. The engaging preface and introduction focus on identity formation, and explain the roles specific historical narratives play in the identities of people in the region today. Chapter then reviews the ethnonyms used in ancient Chinese texts for peoples of the south and considers what we actually know about these peoples. Effectively a second introduction, this chapter is an excellent review of the central questions in the study of the ancient peoples of the region. The following two chapters
Contributions in any of the major scholarly languages of the world, including romanized modern st... more Contributions in any of the major scholarly languages of the world, including romanized modern standard Mandarin and Japanese, are acceptable. In special circumstances, papers written in one of the Sinitic topolects (fangyan) may be considered for publication. Although the chief focus of Sino-Platonic Papers is on the intercultural relations of China with other peoples, challenging and creative studies on a wide variety of philological subjects will be entertained. This series is not the place for safe, sober, and stodgy presentations. Sino-Platonic Papers prefers lively work that, while taking reasonable risks to advance the field, capitalizes on brilliant new insights into the development of civilization. Submissions are regularly sent out for peer review, and extensive editorial suggestions for revision may be offered. Sino-Platonic Papers emphasizes substance over form. We do, however, strongly recommend that prospective authors consult our style guidelines at www.sino-platonic.org/stylesheet.doc. Manuscripts should be submitted as electronic files in Microsoft Word format. You may wish to use our sample document template, available here: www.sino-platonic.org/spp.dot. All issues of Sino-Platonic Papers are free in PDF form. Issues 1-170, however, will continue to be available in paper copies until our stock runs out. Please note: When the editor goes on an expedition or research trip, all operations may cease for up to three months at a time.
This article examines representations of Music Master Kuang in early Chinese historical and philo... more This article examines representations of Music Master Kuang in early Chinese historical and philosophical texts. Music Master Kuang was entirely blind, at a time when people with disabilities suffered serious discrimination. However, in spite of his handicap, he was able not merely to become a fine musician, but also served as a key advisor to two rulers of Jin, Lord Dao (r. 573-558 BCE) and his son, Lord Ping (r. 557-532 BCE), and in some texts is said to have acted as their prime minister. In achieving this transition, he is unique among Music Masters of the period. This article classifies the stories told about him into two main thematic groups, as a musician and as a statesman, to show the way in which music was related to statecraft through the persona of an individual who was both a highly respected government minister and a noted performer on the qin.
Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, and Reviews, 2017
In ancient texts Lady Xia Ji is described as a dangerous woman, whose seductive beauty brought ab... more In ancient texts Lady Xia Ji is described as a dangerous woman, whose seductive beauty brought about the near collapse of the state of Chen in 599 BCE. Having been virtually forgotten for many centuries, in the late Ming dynasty Lady Xia Ji was the subject of an erotic novel: the Zhulin yeshi (The Romantic History of Zhulin). Here she is portrayed as using esoteric techniques of sexual vampirism to maintain her beauty and achieve transcendency. Subsequently, she also figured in the Xin lieguo zhi (New Account of the States [of the Eastern Zhou]) by Feng Menglong (1574-1645). Although these two Ming dynasty novels are known to be closely related, the connection has not previously been explored. These interrelationships provide important clues as to the dating of these two texts.
This paper focuses on the small group of writings from the Wei-Jin period about different kinds o... more This paper focuses on the small group of writings from the Wei-Jin period about different kinds of sweeteners used in food and drink. Apart from any question of literary merit in these writings, there is the issue of status: all sugars were expensive, and some were extremely rare, and to consume such a sugar was a potent sign of privilege. It is not surprising that all early medieval poems and prose about sweeteners focus on the sugars considered to be most prestigious: honey, manna, and sugarcane. These writings influenced later works on the same subject, and provide the earliest surviving descriptions of the importance of sugars in Chinese culture.
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 2018
Headhunting has a long and well-documented history in China, but most people are today unaware of... more Headhunting has a long and well-documented history in China, but most people are today unaware of this practice, first recorded in Shang oracle bones and regularly mentioned in ancient Chinese texts until the Han dynasty. This ignorance is because headhunting subsequently came to be seen as a barbaric practice and knowledge concerning its long history was destroyed: this was achieved by inventing a new character, guo 聝, which means “to cut the ear of a dead enemy combatant” and using this to replace (and thus confuse meanings with) an older character guo 馘, which refers specifically to headhunting. Ancient texts in which headhunting practices are documented have been misunderstood and misrepresented by imperial era scholars to prevent anyone from seeing that ancient China was a headhunting culture. This study shows how dominant cultural norms can impact on the way in which texts are read.
Beginning in the early imperial era, Chinese texts recorded instances of domestic violence perpet... more Beginning in the early imperial era, Chinese texts recorded instances of domestic violence perpetrated by women living in polygynous households. These acts of abuse were commonly understood to be the result of sexual jealousy. Marital disharmony was a cause of great concern to the elite, as a result of which legal and historical texts, as well as the literature of the period, provide a rich vein of evidence concerning domestic violence perpetrated by women. Furthermore, there are some surprisingly sympathetic accounts of the psychological pressures that led to such abuse by wives. As the importance of this material in the history of marital relationships and domestic life in China has been neglected, this study provides an overview of some of the key sources, particularly the recently discovered Han dynasty narrative poem, Wang Ji 妄稽.
The texts written for the instruction of women in ancient China are some of the earliest examples... more The texts written for the instruction of women in ancient China are some of the earliest examples of didactic sources aimed at a female readership to be produced anywhere in the world. The oldest surviving texts in the transmitted tradition date to the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). However, in 2010, Peking University acquired a cache of manuscripts written on bamboo, one of which, the Jiaonü (Instructions to women), predates these Han dynasty admonitions texts by several centuries. This paper provides a full translation of this important text, a discussion of the historical and cultural context in which it was produced, and examines its relationship with the later similar works in the transmitted tradition. The Jiaonü throws new light on the way in which women were educated in appropriate gender roles in ancient China.
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies
With the exception of legal texts, surviving records of rape in early China have been the subject... more With the exception of legal texts, surviving records of rape in early China have been the subject of little academic study to date. This is the result of a number of factors, including the criminalization of both consensual and non-consensual sex outside of marriage in ancient China, the tradition of using euphemistic vocabulary to refer to such topics, considerable variation, depending on time and place, as to what constitutes rape and discomfort that some very famous men are said to have committed crimes of rape and sexual violence. This article examines two famous and well-documented incidents – one concerning the rape of a woman in peacetime, the other an instance of mass gang rape during war – to explore the specific challenges of studying sexual violence in ancient civilizations. Ignoring early accounts of rape serves to significantly distort our understanding of some key events in Chinese history and perverts the textual record.
Kingdoms in Peril: Volume 4: The Assassins Strike, 2023
Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms ar... more Many centuries of violence have forged a new political order, and seven great warring kingdoms are now established. However, old loyalties persist, and brave men are still determined to avenge their former lords. Even as their world consigns them to the past, a handful of assassins still seek to rewrite history.
Kingdoms In Peril: Volume 3: The Death of a Southern Hero, 2023
The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel ... more The three great southern states of Chu, Wu, and Yue are locked in conflict, and their kings feel a hatred for each other that transcends all bounds. Cruel humiliations are imposed on the vanquished each time a battle is lost, while vicious scheming and internecine manipulation destroy many lives. The balance of power is threatened—but there can only be one victor.
Kingdoms in Peril, volume 2: The Exile Returns, 2023
Lord Wen of Jin brings some temporary stability to the political scene when he returns after many... more Lord Wen of Jin brings some temporary stability to the political scene when he returns after many years in exile. However, the grants of land and office to his longstanding supporters make them too powerful for his successors to control. Just as the Zhou aristocrats seize power from their king, a bitter struggle begins as ministers seek to impose their authority on their lords.
Kingdoms in Peril, Volume One: The Curse of the Bao Lords, 2023
Deep inside the Zhou royal palace, an ancient curse is released, and darkness spreads
across the... more Deep inside the Zhou royal palace, an ancient curse is released, and darkness spreads
across the land. An incompetent king’s mad passion for a teenaged slave leads to the
country being torn apart by civil war. As the situation unravels, will anyone attempt to
stand against the forces of chaos?
This thesis focusses on historical and fictional accounts of the hegemons of the Spring and Autum... more This thesis focusses on historical and fictional accounts of the hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period: Lord Huan of Qi, Lord Wen of Jin, Lord Mu of Qin, King Zhuang of Chu, King Helii of Wu and King Goujian of Yue. Chapter One describes the methodological basis. Many ancient Chinese texts underwent periods of oral transmission, but the effect on their form and content has been little researched. Theme and formula are important for understanding the development of these texts. The hegemons are also investigated for the degree to which they conform to greater patterns: the Indo-European models of the hero and good ruler. In Chapters Two and Three selected tales about the hegemons are considered. Some were chosen because the same story appeared in a large number of texts over many centuries, in the works of widely differing philosophers and historians. This shows the diffusion and popularity of these tales, and the way that the same story appealed to thinkers of very different pers...
Women in Ancient China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2018. Pp. xiv + 209. ... more Women in Ancient China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2018. Pp. xiv + 209. $79. Women in Early Medieval China. By Bret Hinsch. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2019. Pp. xx + 211. $85.
This paper is concerned with the early documented history of featherwork in China, as described i... more This paper is concerned with the early documented history of featherwork in China, as described in historical texts and literature up until the end of the Tang dynasty in 907 CE. Although featherwork from several Pacific islands and Latin America has recently been the subject of academic attention, the important Chinese tradition has been neglected. Drawing on studies of featherwork from other cultures, this paper divides these accounts by technical criterion into flexible base featherwork (clothing, curtains, hangings, and coverlets); rigid base featherwork (boxes, architectural detailing, jewelry, and screens); and most remarkably of all, deconstructionist featherwork, whereby the barbs of individual feathers were peeled apart and then spun with a silk core to create a feather thread, which was then woven into cloth. Featherwork was produced in vast quantities in early and medieval China to satisfy demand for these luxurious and brightly colored items, and exotic birds—kingfishers...
The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan is one of the most important works concerning statecra... more The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan is one of the most important works concerning statecraft to survive from ancient China, here made accessible to English-language readers for the first time.
Zhao Luanluan 趙鸞鸞 is the main protagonist of an early Ming dynasty work of fiction, the "Luanluan... more Zhao Luanluan 趙鸞鸞 is the main protagonist of an early Ming dynasty work of fiction, the "Luanluan zhuan" 鸞鸞傳 or "The Tale of Luanluan" by Li Changqi 李昌祺 (1376-1452), which is found in his collection of twenty-two short stories: Jiandeng yuhua 剪燈餘話 (More Stories Written While Trimming the Lamp). Zhao Luanluan is here described as a woman poet who is caught up in the fall of the Yuan dynasty, but subsequently she was further fictionalized as a Tang dynasty courtesan, and her poetic works reattributed to this imaginary person. Furthermore other related fictional female poets of the Ming dynasty have also been treated as genuine historical individuals, and their writings are included in many major anthologies of women's poetry. This paper argues that the boundaries between genuine female poets and fictional female poets created by male writers have been consistently ignored.
This paper discusses the role of dogs in early Chinese society, as a source of food, in sacrifice... more This paper discusses the role of dogs in early Chinese society, as a source of food, in sacrifice, as tribute, for racing and hunting, and as companion animals for members of the ruling elite. As food items or sacrificial victims, dogs were the objects of the most elemental expression of power. As tribute, they were highly valuable property, representing the ruler's authority over distant regions. As companion animals, they occupied a liminal zone between objectification and individualized identity. These competing roles are reflected in the complex analysis of the role of dogs found within early Chinese ritual and philosophical texts. In addition to this, dogs were animals at all times closely associated with aristocratic privilege in early China. This ensured that the moral implications of ownership would be discussed at some length in philosophical and ritual texts. From at least the Warring Slates period onwards, the ownership of dogs came under sustained attack as part of a...
WORKSHOP - SAVE THE DATE - 19-21 April 2021
(note: link for registration and additional details ... more WORKSHOP - SAVE THE DATE - 19-21 April 2021 (note: link for registration and additional details will be circulated around mid-March)
Recent years have seen a surge in the number of scholarly debates dedicated to the history of disability, which aim to reposition the modern understanding of disability by placing the concept in cultural-historical, political, and social contexts. The guiding contention of such studies is that disability is not merely an individual ailment but a social construct, which in turn sheds light on the cultural values of a given society. On the Sinological sphere, several important studies were published which focus on specific bodily or cognitive impairments; yet so far, no effort has been made to juxtapose the different findings and understand what, at large, constitutes ‘disability’ in early China. This workshop will bring together academics to discuss this question and examine topics relating to disability and bodily impairment in early and medieval Chinese history, with an eye on their socio-political implications.
Kingdoms in Peril: A Novel of the Ancient Chinese World at War, 2022
Kingdoms in Peril A Novel of the Ancient Chinese World at War FENG MENGLONG "Olivia Milburn has g... more Kingdoms in Peril A Novel of the Ancient Chinese World at War FENG MENGLONG "Olivia Milburn has given us a delicious romp through history, this time in her sprightly translation of selections from the romance by the late Ming moralist Feng Menglong. The intrigues retold by Feng became the stuff of edifying proverbs in China and they became so celebrated in Europe that Voltaire adapted one for the Parisian theater. Now, at last, readers can feel the magic in this marvelous translation of an acclaimed book."-Michael Nylan, Sather Professor of History, UC Berkeley
The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction
Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE... more Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE–220 CE), was born in slavery and trained in the performing arts, a background that made her appointment as empress highly controversial. Subsequent persecution by her political enemies eventually led to her being forced to commit suicide. After her death, her reputation was marred by accusations of vicious scheming, murder of other consorts and their offspring, and relentless promiscuity, punctuated by bouts of extravagant shopping. This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan), a Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) erotic novella that describes in great detail the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by imperial favorites in the harem of Emperor Cheng. This landmark text was crucial for establishing writings about palace women as the accepted forum for discussing sexual matters, including fetishism, obsession, jealousy, incompatibility in marriage, and so on. Using historical documentation, Olivia Milburn reconstructs the evolution of Zhao Feiyan’s story and illuminates the broader context of palace life for women and the novella’s social influence.
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Papers by Olivia Milburn
across the land. An incompetent king’s mad passion for a teenaged slave leads to the
country being torn apart by civil war. As the situation unravels, will anyone attempt to
stand against the forces of chaos?
across the land. An incompetent king’s mad passion for a teenaged slave leads to the
country being torn apart by civil war. As the situation unravels, will anyone attempt to
stand against the forces of chaos?
(note: link for registration and additional details will be circulated around mid-March)
Recent years have seen a surge in the number of scholarly debates dedicated to the history of disability, which aim to reposition the modern understanding of disability by placing the concept in cultural-historical, political, and social contexts. The guiding contention of such studies is that disability is not merely an individual ailment but a social construct, which in turn sheds light on the cultural values of a given society. On the Sinological sphere, several important studies were published which focus on specific bodily or cognitive impairments; yet so far, no effort has been made to juxtapose the different findings and understand what, at large, constitutes ‘disability’ in early China. This workshop will bring together academics to discuss this question and examine topics relating to disability and bodily impairment in early and medieval Chinese history, with an eye on their socio-political implications.
This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan), a Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) erotic novella that describes in great detail the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by imperial favorites in the harem of Emperor Cheng. This landmark text was crucial for establishing writings about palace women as the accepted forum for discussing sexual matters, including fetishism, obsession, jealousy, incompatibility in marriage, and so on. Using historical documentation, Olivia Milburn reconstructs the evolution of Zhao Feiyan’s story and illuminates the broader context of palace life for women and the novella’s social influence.