The strength, talent and individuality of the courtesan poets of the late Ming and early Qing period served to help develop courtesan poetry into a unique and important genre of poetry. Courtesan poets were pioneers that forged a new path in both the social realm and the literary realm, transcending traditional gender barriers and creating unique poetry drawing from their own lives and experiences. Although courtesan poets often stemmed from humble beginnings, their skills and talents helped to catapult them to a level "on a par with the equally erudite gentry wives" (Ko, 76). However, "the courtesan's self-conscious development of her talent or the mystique of her persona was often aided by a coterie of complicit admirers, who were sometimes also self-appointed mentors" (Li, 64). Although courtesan poetry later lost popularity after the beginning of the Qing dynasty, it is preserved in multiple anthologies, and helped to set a precedent for later women's poetry. Although the success of courtesan poetry in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties was largely due to its promotion by well-known male literati, courtesan poetry was an admirable genre in its own right, thanks to the talent, skill, and pioneering spirit of courtesan poets. This paper will discuss courtesan poetry and how it helped create a redefinition of gender boundaries, and expanded the aspects of life in which certain women could participate. The focus will be on three of the most famous courtesan poets, Liu Shi, Liang Xiaoyu, and Wang Wei. This paper will reflect on the significance their poetry had, their skills, talents, and themes of their poems, and how these three women served as pioneers in women's poetry.
[...] This poem employs elements of nature to describe the solitude that Liu feels, and she uses the image of spring to contradict the sadness that she feels. Although she is amidst nature and near a pleasant stream, she gains no pleasure and is enveloped by her gloominess. In the line, the love of swallow and oriole persists,” Liu is stating that despite her extreme sadness and what is going on in her own life, the course of nature is unaffected. The topic of love and missing a loved one in their absence was a common theme in late Ming courtesan poetry. [...]
[...] Liu was not only graced with talents and beauty, but she had a strength that was inspirational and unique, setting her apart from many women of her time. “Although women's poetry was often praised for subtle and nuanced observations and emotions, Chen praised Liu's poems for their boldness of vision and execution. Liu Shi was a pioneering writer who helped to develop the genre of courtesan poetry primarily because she was willing to transcend traditional boundaries between men and women and she forged a new path where women had never gone before. She drew her inspiration not from earlier women writers, but from male poets. [...]
[...] Courtesan poets are attributed with preserving a world of late antiquity that was destroyed by “modernity, wars and revolution” Wai-Yee, 50.)Courtesan poetry was often used as a means of communication between courtesans and their clients, and dealt with topics such as love, various talents, music and nature, and in the case of Liu Shi, political issues. Liu Shi is the most well known of all the courtesan poets, however, because of the fact that she changed her name several times, many details of her early life are obscure (Chang, 19). [...]
[...] However, she put a new spin on the ideas and “went so far as to reverse the gender roles on which Chinese love poetry was conventionally based” (Chang, 24). Liu Shi's poem on the Male Spirit of the Lo River” exemplifies Liu's technique of gender-swapping, as the female character is wooing a male god. This poem can also be regarded on a deeper level, as Liu Shi states that, I realized that the ancients' writings were often inspired by fancy and emptiness, not necessarily like my experience which is genuine and authentic” (Chang, 25). [...]
[...] Like Liu Shi, Liang Xiaoyu was a very well known courtesan poet of the late Ming dynasty, and is one of the most published courtesan writers. In one of her poems Liang writes about Xi Shi, who was one of the most beautiful women in Chinese history. Beauty was often a theme of courtesan poetry, but in most cases the courtesan's would not praise themselves; they would express admiration of another woman. Beauty was appreciated by both the male clients, and fellow courtesans, and was often accompanied by other admirable traits such as strength and independence. [...]
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