Talented Women of Ancient China

By staff reporter HUO JIANYING

Wu Zetian and Shangguan Wan'er.

In feudal times, imperial exams were the main channel through which men of letters entered officialdom. Unfortunately only men were eligible to take these examinations. Su Xun, a great scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), had two sons that both passed the highest imperial examination and went on to became famous poets. He also had a daughter, Su Xiaomei, who was as intelligent and gifted as her brothers. Her father Su Xun is said to have remarked, "It's a pity Su Xiaomei was not born male, or there would be three successful imperial examination candidates in our family." He is not, however, recorded as ever trying to change the system that so disregarded his daughter's and other women's talents and capabilities.

This inequitable convention forced untold intelligent and artistic women to remain in obscurity, but a few were able to emerge and illuminate their epochs. Two such outstanding women -- Wu Zetian and Shangguan Wan'er -- lived during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Invaluable Administratrix

In 690, Empress Dowager Wu Zetian rose from her position as controller of the imperial court and ascended the throne. She was the only female ever to reign as monarch in Chinese history.

Ban Zhao was a character often featured in Kunqu opera.

Shangguan Wan'er had been Wu Zetian's trusted aide prior to her enthronement, and for several decades the destiny of the Tang Empire was in the hands of these two exceptional women. Historical data show that they were instrumental in maintaining the stability, prosperity and development of the Tang Dynasty. Their successful partnership was, however, hard earned.

Shangguan Wan'er (664-710) was born into an official's family. Her grandfather Shangguan Yi, important official and influential poet of the early Tang Dynasty, was involved in a power struggle during Emperor Gaozong's reign and was, along with Shangguan Wan'er's father, executed by Wu Zetian. Shangguan Wan'er's mother and her one-month-old daughter subsequently became slaves at the imperial palace. Wan'er's initial impression of Wu Zetian was therefore influenced by two generations of her family having died at the hands of this female despot. After participating in administration of imperial affairs, however, Wan'er gradually saw that the empress was a learned, versatile and insightful woman, and a conscientious monarch who governed wisely and loved the people.

Shangguan Wan'er learned reading and writing from female officials in the imperial palace. She read extensively, and early showed talent for writing prose and poetry. Wu Zetian stumbled upon poems written by the 14-year-old Wan'er in the crown prince's study, and was so impressed that she appointed Wan'er her personal secretary. The empress later gave Wan'er the responsibility of drafting edicts, and would discuss state affairs with her before making any decisions. Eventually all memorials submitted to Wu Zetian were first read by Wan'er for her opinion before being approved by the empress. By the age of 19, Wan'er was the most powerful person in the imperial court, second only to Wu Zetian herself.

On Wan'er's promotion to the position of prime minister, Wu Zetian betrothed her to Li Xian, her son, later Emperor Zhongzong, to whom Wan'er proved an invaluable helpmeet. In one palace coup, she coolly and efficiently directed the guards to attack leaders of the rebellion, and so suppressed the uprising. Wan'er was also a positive influence on Emperor Zhongzong. She encouraged him to build schools and so foster literary talent. Wan'er's poetic sensibility gave her the ability to assess works and appoint a large number of poets to the court. The richness of Tang poetry thus owes a great deal to Wan'er.

In A.D. 710, Li Longji, a grandson of Wu Zetian, killed Wan'er in a palace coup. Two years later, Li Longji ascended the throne to become Emperor Xuanzong. To commemorate Wan'er and make amends for slaying her, the emperor ordered her poems collected and published in 20 volumes. Prime Minister Zhang Yue wrote a glowing preface. The famous anthology, "The Complete Poetry of the Tang Dynasty," also includes thirty-two of Wan'er's poems.

Inheritrix of an Historical Undertaking

Another outstanding woman was Ban Zhao (49-120) whose father Ban Biao was author of the "Sequel to the Records of the Historian," and whose elder brother Ban Gu was also a famous historian.

Upon Ban Biao's death, Ban Gu embarked on compiling the "Chronicles of the Han Dynasty," an endeavor he continued for more than 20 years until A.D. 92, when he became involved in a power struggle in the imperial court and died in prison. It then fell to his sister Ban Zhao to finish the chronicles. On completion the work, written in ancient obscure characters, was impossible for lay people to read. Emperor Hedi, particularly appreciative of Ban Zhao's talents, ordered her to give lectures on it at the imperial library, as well on Confucian classics at the imperial palace for the benefit of his wives and concubines. Ban Zhao was later advisor to Empress Dowager Deng. On Ban's death the empress was so stricken that she gave her a state funeral.

Cai Wenji (middle, front row) reunited with her famly, a scene from a stage drama. Cnsphoto

Apart from her knowledge of historiography, Ban Zhao was also accomplished in literature, and wrote much poetry and prose. Her daughter-in-law compiled these works into three volumes entitled "Collection of A Master." Unfortunately most did not survive the passage of time, and only eight poems remain, one the famous "Ode to Eastern Expedition" (Dongzheng Fu).

Over a century later, another talented woman, Cai Wenji, emerged. Her life experience was similar to that of Ban Zhao's, but she suffered a great deal more. Her best known work is the epic poem "Eighteen Verses Sung to a Barbarian Whistle" (Hujia Shibapai).

Cai Wenji was a gifted musician, learned and versatile. She was daughter of Cai Yong, a famous scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). He died in prison in the warlord years, and Cai Wenji was captured by invading Xiongnu whose chieftain married her, and whom she bore two sons. Twelve years later, Cao Cao, ruler of the State of Wei during the Three Kingdoms Period, and a good friend of Cai Yong, paid a huge ransom for her return. Cai Wenji was ecstatic at being freed, but sorely grieved at parting with her sons. Her "Eighteen Verses Sung to a Barbarian Whistle" reflect her conflicting emotions on being released.

This was not, however, the end to her misery. On returning, Cai Wenji married Dong Si, an official under Cao Cao. Soon after he committed a crime and was sentenced to death. Cai Wenji went barefoot to Cao Cao's mansion in the deep midwinter to beg for leniency. Moved by her humble sincerity, Cao Cao pardoned Dong Si.

Her father, the scholar Cai Yong, had amassed a collection of 4,000 books in which Cao Cao expressed interest. Cai Wenji sadly told him that they were all lost, but that she could write more than 400 works from memory. This she did and presented to Cao Cao. Cai Wenji thus left a precious heritage.

Outstanding Poetess and Compiler

Li Qingzhao (1084-1151) was born of scholarly parents, and as an infant could recite over a hundred ancient poems. By the time she had reached her teens she was proficient in chess, calligraphy, painting and the lute, and wrote extraordinary poetry. She had all the accomplishments of a scholar.

At the age of 18 Li Qingzhao married Zhao Mingcheng, son of the prime minister, and the couple lived in Qingzhou. Zhao Mingcheng differed from the usual profligate sons of officials, being eager to learn and dedicated to his career. He was a keen collector of antiques and an expert on epigraphy. The couple lived a studious, frugal life, their only extravagance being works of painted and sculpted art.

Zhao Mingcheng began to compile his monumental work, "Notes on Ancient Bronze and Stone Inscriptions," in 1117. Then in 1128 Jin troops captured Qingzhou and burned down the couple's house, together with their collection of cultural relics. Zhao Mingcheng died of illness on his way to his post in 1129, and Li Qingzhao fled to Hangzhou with a host of other refugees, where she settled. A few years later, she collated her husband's manuscripts and finished compiling his work. The whole collection comprised 30 volumes, including 2,000 rubbings and more than 500 essays.

Li Qingzhao was a ci poetess, and eventually developed a school of her own. At that time ci poetry fell into two schools: euphemistic and heroic. Li Qingzhao's poems were of the former school, but her starkly eloquent poems had none of the floweriness of that of her peers. Li Qingzhao's poetry became known to later generations as the Yi'an style, and she is now regarded as leader of the euphemistic school.

Being suppressed by feudal ethics must have been particularly unbearable to women of sagacity and talent like Su Xiaomei, Shangguan Wan'er, Ban Zhao, Cai Wenji and Li Qingzhao. It is tragic to consider how few others were able to emerge and contribute what they had to China. One wonders how different the course of Chinese history might have been, had more women earlier participated in its arts and government.