Elizabeth I and Empress Wu, the former was the last queen of Tudor Dynasty in England and the latter was an empress who had crowned herself as the regent of Tang Dynasty. The two female monarchs had many similarities....Elizabeth I and Empress Wu, the former was the last queen of Tudor Dynasty in England and the latter was an empress who had crowned herself as the regent of Tang Dynasty. The two female monarchs had many similarities. First, in terms of cultur al policies, both implemented moderately flexible policies, which promoted cultural development. Second, in terms of heir prob lem, both did not determine their successors until old age so as that their heirs to the throne would not threaten their own politi cal status. Third, in terms of religion, both implemented religious tolerance policies, which helped avoid social unrest and strengthened centralization of authority. However, due to different historical era and environment where the two female mon archs lived, there still exist many differences between their policies. First, in matters of economy, Elizabeth I adopted mercantilist policies, while Empress Wu took agriculture into serious consideration and scorned commerce and trade. Second, in matters of military policies, under the leadership of Elizabeth I, the war between England and Spain took very long time and suffered tre mendous losses, while Empress Wu was more successful in solving the border problem of her country.展开更多
This article explores propaganda and self-portrayals among women rulers in seventh and eighth century Tang China, a unique era in which court politics were dominated by female leaders. I analyze the way in which these...This article explores propaganda and self-portrayals among women rulers in seventh and eighth century Tang China, a unique era in which court politics were dominated by female leaders. I analyze the way in which these leaders themselves wished to be rhetorically constructed, the images and allusions with which they desired to be figured, and the way in which they were rhetorically reconstructed by later writers after their deaths. I focus on the theme of auspiciousness--in particular, the definition of the ＂natural＂ in relation to gender identity and power. Female imagery is deployed in late seventh- and early eighth-century works to create the image of a particular brand of far-reaching, generative power possessed and/or desired by the leaders of the time. Beyond revealing the images and allusions with which the female power-holders wished to hear themselves be described and exalted, and what occasions were deemed worthy of exalting, these works offer a fascinating counterpoint to materials which retroactively defame this image. The rhetorical strategies and images later used to delegitimize and denigrate the power of these women often represent opposite treatments of themes present in the court literature from the Zhou-Jinglong era. This paper argues that reconstructions of these women＇s identities as female power-holders indicate the prerogative of later writers to reshape their images in accordance with their own judgments, conceptualizations, and fears of female power.展开更多
文摘Elizabeth I and Empress Wu, the former was the last queen of Tudor Dynasty in England and the latter was an empress who had crowned herself as the regent of Tang Dynasty. The two female monarchs had many similarities. First, in terms of cultur al policies, both implemented moderately flexible policies, which promoted cultural development. Second, in terms of heir prob lem, both did not determine their successors until old age so as that their heirs to the throne would not threaten their own politi cal status. Third, in terms of religion, both implemented religious tolerance policies, which helped avoid social unrest and strengthened centralization of authority. However, due to different historical era and environment where the two female mon archs lived, there still exist many differences between their policies. First, in matters of economy, Elizabeth I adopted mercantilist policies, while Empress Wu took agriculture into serious consideration and scorned commerce and trade. Second, in matters of military policies, under the leadership of Elizabeth I, the war between England and Spain took very long time and suffered tre mendous losses, while Empress Wu was more successful in solving the border problem of her country.
文摘This article explores propaganda and self-portrayals among women rulers in seventh and eighth century Tang China, a unique era in which court politics were dominated by female leaders. I analyze the way in which these leaders themselves wished to be rhetorically constructed, the images and allusions with which they desired to be figured, and the way in which they were rhetorically reconstructed by later writers after their deaths. I focus on the theme of auspiciousness--in particular, the definition of the ＂natural＂ in relation to gender identity and power. Female imagery is deployed in late seventh- and early eighth-century works to create the image of a particular brand of far-reaching, generative power possessed and/or desired by the leaders of the time. Beyond revealing the images and allusions with which the female power-holders wished to hear themselves be described and exalted, and what occasions were deemed worthy of exalting, these works offer a fascinating counterpoint to materials which retroactively defame this image. The rhetorical strategies and images later used to delegitimize and denigrate the power of these women often represent opposite treatments of themes present in the court literature from the Zhou-Jinglong era. This paper argues that reconstructions of these women＇s identities as female power-holders indicate the prerogative of later writers to reshape their images in accordance with their own judgments, conceptualizations, and fears of female power.
