Date of Award
7-23-2025
Thesis Type
PhD
Document Type
Thesis
Divisions
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Department
Department of Chinese Studies
Institution
Universiti Malaya
Abstract
At the pinnacle of Chinese cultural and artistic development, the Tang dynasty not only achieved remarkable successes in politics and economics but also elevated poetry to an unparalleled artistic height. As a unique literary group, Tang female poets surpassed their predecessors in number and produced works with greater diversity and richness. Their contributions hold a significant place in the history of Tang poetry and the broader development of Chinese literature. In existing studies on Tang dynasty literature, the works of female poets are often examined within the broader framework of general poetry history, lacking in-depth analysis of their ethical identity, ethical dilemmas, and ethical choices. Some research focuses on the aesthetic aspects of poetic imagery and style, particularly in the works of a few outstanding female poets. However, there is relatively little discussion on the internal struggles of female poets in ethical dilemmas and their self-expression and coping strategies when facing societal ethical constraints. This thesis aims to reinterpret the poetic practices of female poets of the Tang dynasty from the perspective of ethical identity, seeking to clarify the multiple ethical identities they embodied. In addition, it examines the ethical choices they made in their poetry when facing conflicts between ethical and personal emotions. By collecting and analyzing relevant historical records, literary texts, and biographical materials from the Tang dynasty, the study reconstructs the living conditions of Tang women within their historical context. In the theoretical framework, this thesis primarily applies ethical literary criticism. It helps explain their poetic tendencies and creative motivations. First, this thesis examines the historical and cultural background to analyze the key social factors that contributed to the active participation of female poets and the diversity of their poetic styles in the Tang dynasty. Next, this thesis analyzes the multiple identities of Tang female poets, categorizing them into four distinct ethical identities: imperial consorts and princesses, Buddhist nuns and Taoist priestesses, female performers, and commoner women. It then explores how these poets made ethical choices through their poetic creations, expressed themselves, and used subtle or symbolic means to resist societal constraints. The thesis further examines the thematic and emotional tendencies in the poetry of female poets within each ethical identity, focusing on their choices of subject matter. By interpreting the ethical reflections in their views on love, marriage, creativity, and life, this research reveals Tang female poets’ unique perspectives and emotional experiences as they navigated the conflict between rationality and emotion. From this thesis, we can see that the creations of the poetry of Tang female poets were not merely expressions of individual emotions but also responses to social culture and ethical values. Examining the multiple ethical identities of Tang female poets and their ethical choices in literary creation helps to reveal the living conditions and inner world of Tang women. Moreover, this study provides a new perspective on interpreting ancient Chinese women’s literature and ethical literary criticism.
Additional Information
Thesis (PhD) – Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 2025.
Recommended Citation
Qi, Shen, "Ethical identity and ethical choices of female poets in the Tang Dynasty" (2025). Student Works (2020-2029). 1923.
https://knova.um.edu.my/student_works_2020s/1923
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
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