Courtesans, Concubines, and Wives: Gender Relations in Imperial China

This course examines gender relations in China in the imperial period, from roughly 200 BCE down to 1911 CE. By examining the categories of courtesan (entertainers), concubines (secondary consorts), and wives, we will see how the Chinese gender system evolved over time. We will examine how the gender system was both shaped by other social and cultural phenomena and in turn impacted other aspects of culture and society. The course follows a roughly chronological trajectory: each section of the course will be devoted to a particular set of historical issues that was particularly salient in that period. We will examine how gender relations intersected with philosophical ideals, political agendas, religious values, and economic developments, and how individuals navigated the gender system to construct meaningful lives.