Women In The Tang Dynasty

Although the Tang Dynasty was remembered for its militaristic strengths, political structure, economic stability, and overall power, it was clear that the Tang dynasty had many other positive outcomes such as changing ideals and opportunities for women of this era. The fall of the Sui Dynasty in 618 C.E resulted in an obvious decline in harsh conditions and limited privileges for women and led to the changes that took place in the Tang Dynasty from 618-907 C.E. These changes are what allowed the women in Tang China to be considered some of luckiest women based on open-minded and liberal ideals that changed the norm for the women of the Tang. Northern influences and religion seemed to be the leading factors to this change in ideal because of …show more content…
It influenced women to take part in activity and offered a social alternative for women in a way that opens up paths to pursue their own goals as independent agents. One of these creative outlets for talent was literature and art. The Tang dynasty was known as a golden age of art and literature as both reached their peak in the dynasty. Art and literature provided a sketch of Tang political and social structure and depicted the ideals of women of which were most popular. There was one specific writer known to clearly show what she believed to be the female ideal. Lady Zheng and her writings in “The Book of Filial Piety for Women” clearly demonstrated how an elite woman should behave and what she should engage in. Art in the Tang Dynasty portrayed images of women engaging in activities and depicted what they believed to beautiful. These creative outlets, although demonstrating ideals and what they think women should be, did not restrict women, but gave them a chance to express themselves in many …show more content…
The domestic life of women was also evolving. As in most societies, women were seen to be mothers who took care of the household, the tang dynasty was no difference. Although we spoke of all of these new found freedoms that brought many good things to women of the tang, they still had familial duties. Women were still expected to do women’s work, properly establish themselves as a person, learn etiquette and ritual decorum, support in laws, support husbands, and manage the household. These ideals were not lost in the tang dynasty, they were still considered women’s roles and duties but women were not oppressed or abused in these situations. As mentioned the Tang dynasty is more of a harmonious society where men and women can live simultaneously and not be seen as one higher than the other, or one more important. The female duty was having children and raising them and taking care of their home, but they were not restricted to their home which gave them looser rules so they could have those freedoms in the public eye. The balance of female duty and female freedom is something that is particularly important in the Tang dynasty. Because women had all of the excess freedoms and were not owned by their husbands, they did not have a completely negative outlook on their domestic and maternal duties so they were not seen as much of a