Visual Narratives of Ming Dynasty Courtesans: Aesthetic Appreciation and Cultural Practice in “Wu Ji Bai Me” Illustrations

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_85How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Famous Courtesans; Flower Rankings; “Bai Mei Tu”; “Wu Ji Bai Me”; Courtesan Culture

Abstract

During the mid-Ming Dynasty and beyond, Flower Rankings literature gained prominence. This paper explores the work “Wu Ji Bai Mei “(The One Hundred Beauties of Suzhou) compiled by Zhou Zhibiao and published by Zhuhuazhai. It reveals how this publication brought together lifelike depictions of famous courtesans with poetic verses by literati, employing the organizational framework of the imperial examination system. This fusion created an embellished portrayal of the ideal courtesan, shaping the traditional genre of “Bai Mei Tu,”(Hundred Beauties Painting) which celebrates beautiful women through visual and poetic artistry. The paper posits that such “Bai Mei Tu” finds its origins in Flower Rankings activities, serving as a visual representation of the outcomes of these evaluations. These artworks adhere to the standards by which literati judged courtesans: a combination of emotion, talent, and beauty, with precedence given to emotional depth. Furthermore, the paper unveils the multifaceted significance of Flower Rankings and “Bai Mei Tu” in emulating the literary examination system. It suggests that these cultural phenomena served as a psychological refuge for literati during times of limited official prospects and a vital avenue for courtesans to transcend class boundaries through public recognition.

Copyright

© 2023 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Jinyu Lan
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/12/31
TI  - Visual Narratives of Ming Dynasty Courtesans: Aesthetic Appreciation and Cultural Practice in “Wu Ji Bai Me” Illustrations
BT  - Proceedings of the  2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 753
EP  - 764
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_85
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_85
ID  - Lan2023
ER  -