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).
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: Xi
