| Androgyny in Late Ming and Early Qing Literature Subjects: Chinese literature -- Ming dynasty 1368–1644 -- History and criticism; Chinese literature -- Qing dynasty 1644–1912 -- History and criticism; Androgyny (Psychology) in literature; The frequent appearance of androgyny in Ming and Qing literature has long interested scholars of late imperial Chinese culture. A flourishing economy, widespread education, rising individualism, a prevailing hedonism--all of these had contributed to the gradual disintegration of traditional gender roles in late Ming and early Qing China (1550-1750) and given rise to the phenomenon of androgyny. Now, Zuyan Zhou sheds new light on this important period, offering a highly original and astute look at the concept of androgyny in key works of Chinese fiction and drama from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. |