Reflections of the social status of women through female fashion in the Tang dynasty

Tomašić, Zrinka (author), Vampelj Suhadolnik, Nataša (mentor)

This BA thesis deals with women’s fashion in the Tang dynasty. It will show that the openness of the society to foreigners had an influence on Tang women’s clothing. It will also demonstrate that Tang women had to abide by clothing rules; as a matter of fact, they had to dress according to their status. It will show that, in the Tang dynasty, a woman’s clothing style was dependent on male approval. After giving a brief insight into Tang dynasty history and its openness towards foreigners, which subsequently led to the liberation of women, the thesis will give an insight into Tang dynasty silk production and its innovations. Some of their innovations in textile techniques came from foreign influence through the Silk Road. This aided in making Tang women’s clothing and accessories the most extravagant and the most exquisite in all of traditional China. Although the overall status of women in the Tang dynasty was the highest in traditional Chinese history, this work will demonstrate that most women acquired their status through the men in their lives. Women could mantain positions as government or military officials in the era of Wu Zetian ruling, but they were still dependent on whether they had male approval.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Tang dynasty, women’s clothing, weave techniques, women social status
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2021
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135156
• Publication date in RUL: 24.02.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Odraz družbenega statusa žensk skozi žensko modo v dinastiji Tang

Abstract

Diplomska naloga obravnava žensko modo v dinastiji Tang ter vpliv odprtosti družbe na ženska oblačila. V nalogi bo prikazano, da so se morale ženske držati določenih oblačilnih kodeksov ter se obleči v skladu s svojim statusom, hkrati pa je bil stil oblačenja odvisen tudi od moške odobritve. Po kratkem prikazu zgodovine dinastije Tang in njene odprtosti do tujcev, ki je privedla do liberalizacije žensk, bo v nadaljevanju prikazana proizvodnja svile iz dinastije Tang in njene novosti. Nekatere novosti v tekstilnih tehnikah so tujega izvora, kar je pripomoglo k temu, da so ženska oblačila in dodatki postali najbolj ekstravagantni in odlični v celotni tradicionalni Kitajski. Čeprav je bil splošni status žensk v dinastiji Tang najboljši v tradicionalni kitajski zgodovini, bo to delo pokazalo, da je večina žensk svoj status pridobila prek moških. Ženske so lahko v času vladanja cesarice Wu Zetian zasedale položaje vladnih ali vojaških uslužbencev, vendar so bile še vedno odvisne od tega, ali imajo moško odobritev.

• Keywords: dinastija Tang, ženska oblačila, tehnike tkanja, ženski družbeni položaj