Heroines of Jiangyong

<p><i>Heroines of Jiangyong</i> is the first English translation of a set of verse narratives recorded in the unique women's script (nushu) of rural Jiangyong County Hunan in southern China. This selection of Chinese folk literature provides a rare window into the everyday life of rural daughters wives and mothers as they transmit valuable lessons about surviving in a patriarchal society that is often harsh and unforgiving. Featuring strong female protagonists the ballads deal with moral issues dangers women face outside the family home and the difficulties of childbirth.<br/><br/>The women's script which represents units of sound in the local Chinese dialect was discovered by scholars in the late twentieth century creating a stir in China and abroad. This volume offers a full translation of all the longer ballads in women's script providing an exceptional opportunity to observe which specific narratives appealed to rural women in traditional China. The translations are preceded by a brief introduction to women's script and its scholarship and a discussion of each of the twelve selections.</p>