Soph from the future (3/16/22)
Reading: The Inner Quarters: Marriage and the Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period. by Ebrey, Patricia Buckley
From this reading, I chose to focus on chapter 12, Concubines. Prior to reading this text, I never really knew about the darker side of the life of the concubine- all I had only vaguely known of the more artistic & romanticized way they were portrayed in history. Kidnappings, being sold, forced to sell themselves as a last ditch effort at survival- this lifestyle is in no may as pretty as it’s depicted. The text is a deep dive into the life of a concubine- and how every woman’s experience might’ve been different.
I found the story of Miss Ho and Kao Wen-hu to be a “best case situation”. In his old age, Kao Wen-hu bought Miss Ho to help take care of him. The two ended up having a very pleasant partnership- without any sexual advancements on the young girl.
All this being said- Concubines were talented artists and famed personalities – but it’s possible to respect their accomplishments, while acknowledging the violence of the concubine system
TO DO LIST
- Spring Break Catch Up
- Feedback on Hypothesis
- First Reflection
- Work on Portfolio Project
TADA LIST
- 5-15 Reports (All Up To Date!)
- WEEK 4 5-15 Report
- WEEK 6 5-15 Report
- WEEK 7 5-15 Report
- WEEK 8 5-15 Report
