So today’s ancient Chinese story is really a poem. I had recently bought a book by Arthur Waley containing all sorts of ancient Chinese tales and poetry. This is the sad truth of ancient Chinese women and their lives. So today before I write the translation from Arthur Waley I will give a brief history of the women in China. During the ancient times, women in the world generally (not always though depending which society you speak of) were not so highly respected. In China, where Confucianism eventually would become the dominant Chinese philosophy, women in ancient Chinese society would gradually be seen as inferior to men. They were there essentially just to treat the men well and be the typical housewife. When a woman was born, there was no joy to be found and women were placed under the bed for the first few days (mind you I researched this and thought it was a lie until I read of it in actual Chinese texts still in Chinese) in order to humble the ancient girls. This ancient Chinese poem will tell you the rest. Now on today’s on Chinese Tales and stories post I will only change some words from Wade-Giles into ping yin. The title of the poem is called To Be a Woman originally written by the Chinese poet Fu Xuan.

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How sad it is to be a woman!

Nothing on earth is held so cheap.

Boys stand leaning at the door

Like Gods Fallen out of Heaven.

Their hearts brave the Four Oceans,

The wind and dust of a thousand miles.

No one is glad when a girl is born:

By her the family sets no store.

When she grows up, she hides in her room

Afraid to look a man in the face.

No one cries when she leaves her home-

Sudden as clouds when the rain stops.

She bows her head and composes her face,

Her teeth are pressed on her red lips:

She bows and kneels countless times.

She must humble herself even to the servants.

His love is distant as the stars in Heaven,

Yet the sunflower bends toward the sun.

Their hearts more sundered than water and fire-

A hundred evils are heaped upon her.

Her face will follow the years’ changes:

Her lord will find new pleasures.

They that were once like substance and shadow

Are now as far as Hu from Qin

Yet Hu and Qin shall sooner meet

Than they whose parting is like Can and Chen

———–

While this is usually the case, there were some exceptionally powerful women in China. Today’s ancient Chinese Stories’ poem actually is from the time of Empress Wu, who was known as one of the harshest leaders in the Tang, but she also did help it develop as well. I could go on for quite a while about her, but perhaps I will reserve that for another post. Before I end off today’s tale, the picture I took here is from the summer of 2007 and the water was still so warm from the fountains. Thanks again for reading everyone.