Heroines of Jiangyong

The stories and songs translated here are gems of folk literature. For the first time, Western readers will be able to appreciate some of the most popular stories composed in women's script and survey the kind of stories and songs enjoyed by these village women. -- Anne McLaren, University of Melbourne Contributes to the study of Chinese literature, history, and society by filling the void of research on rural women in imperial China--a field grossly underexplored due to the lack of historical documentation. -- Fei-wen Liu, Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica, Taipei An excellent entry into a form of writing widely noticed only in the last few decades, the 'women's script' of a small area in southern Hunan in central China. -- Robert E. Hegel, T'oung Pao, v96, 2011 For the first time Western readers will be able to appreciate some of the most popular stories composed in Women's Script and survey the kind of stories and songs enjoyed by these village women. Thanks to the detailed notes provided, readers will understand the cultural context within which these texts were interpreted by the women of Jiangyong. The introduction succinctly summarizes the various theories concerning the origin of Women's Script material, and the uses and social function of Women's Script within Jiangyong... Heroines of Jiangyong will be favoured reading for all those with an interest in Chinese popular literature, Women's Script, Chinese oral and literate culture, folklore and gender studies. -- The Bulletin of the School of Oriental & African Studies, The Bulletin of the School of Oriental & African Studies

Presents a glimpse into Chinese folk literature through translated verses secretly written by the oppressed village women of Hunan, who bravely scribed their stories, in their own words.

Heroines of Jiangyong is the first English translation of a set of verse narratives recorded in the unique women's script (nushu) of rural Jiangyong County, Hunan, in southern China. This selection of Chinese folk literature provides a rare window into the everyday life of rural daughters, wives, and mothers, as they transmit valuable lessons about surviving in a patriarchal society that is often harsh and unforgiving. Featuring strong female protagonists, the ballads deal with moral issues, dangers women face outside the family home, and the difficulties of childbirth.

The women's script, which represents units of sound in the local Chinese dialect, was discovered by scholars in the late twentieth century, creating a stir in China and abroad. This volume offers a full translation of all the longer ballads in women's script, providing an exceptional opportunity to observe which specific narratives appealed to rural women in traditional China. The translations are preceded by a brief introduction to women's script and its scholarship, and a discussion of each of the twelve selections.