A Comprehensive Study of the Prefaces and Postscripts in Qing Dynasty Female Poets’ Anthologies

Abstract

During the Qing Dynasty, ancient Chinese boudoir literature developed rapidly and reached its peak. With the massive publication of works by female writers, numerous prefaces and postscripts appeared in their anthologies. Given the unique identities of female writers and the special positioning of boudoir literature, the prefaces and postscripts in anthologies of Qing Dynasty female poets developed distinctive methods of acquisition, author circles, and writing characteristics. These prefaces and postscripts themselves constituted a complex historical scene, narrating many intricate stories about Qing Dynasty female writers. The prefaces and postscripts present a real and complex historical scene, where multiple roles, voices, perspectives, and competing forces are more direct and clearer than in the boudoir literature works themselves. Conducting a comprehensive study of the prefaces and postscripts in anthologies of Qing Dynasty female poets helps us to better understand Qing Dynasty female literature and culture, bringing us back to that authentic historical scene.