With the Empress Dowager of China · Theme
Gender and Women's Roles
How With the Empress Dowager of China develops Gender and Women's Roles.
The book examines the position of women in Chinese and Manchu society, including the status of daughters, widows, and court ladies, and contrasts these with Western perspectives on femininity and independence.
Where it surfaces
- V: The Young Empress and Ladies of the Court
The chapter details the roles of women in the palace, including the Empress, secondary wife, princesses, and maids, highlighting their duties, restrictions, and the customs of widowhood and adoption.
- XV: The Literary Tastes and Accomplishments of the Empress Dowager
The Empress Dowager's literary accomplishments are noted as rare for a woman, and the chapter contrasts her with the 'Literary Empress' of the Eastern Palace, showing women's intellectual capabilities in a patriarchal society.
- XIX: A Garden Party at the Summer Palace
The separate receptions for men and women, the role of the Princesses as hostesses, and the Empress Dowager's position as the primary hostess highlight gendered roles within the court and diplomatic society.
- Her Majesty's Anxiety—Her Birthday
The Empress Dowager, as a female ruler, navigates her role in a patriarchal society, receiving prostrations in a palace other than the Great Audience Hall, which is reserved for the Emperor alone.
- XXVI: Some Social Customs—Manchu and Chinese
The chapter details the unique status of Manchu women, including unmarried daughters' legal rights and the roles of secondary wives.