Date: 6/27/21

Name: Alicia M-B. Hall

School: Eastern Middle School

Lesson Title: Women’s Status in Tang Dynasty China

Content Standards:
MSDE SS: 5.0. Emergence, Expansion and Changes In Nations and Empires
4. Compare the dynasties and empires in ancient China
a. Describe the causes and consequences of the unification of China under early imperial dynasties,
such as the Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang
b. Explain the major traditions,customs and beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism in the context
of early Chinese imperial dynasties

Content Areas: Social Studies (Economics, History, Culture, and Geography)

Targeted Grades: 6-12

How will this Lesson Be Integrated into your curriculum?: The Tang dynasty is sometimes taught
at the end of the China unit in the Humanities unit as an economic case study. This lesson is part of a
plan to shift focus more on economic systems earlier in the unit and leave more time to look at a topic
students frequently request: Women and Gender.

Time of Implementation: 2-3 days

Essential Questions: To what extent was the Tang Dynasty a golden age for Chinese women?
·
Lesson Agenda:

I. Prior to Lesson: Earlier in the Unit, students need to become familiar with the status of Chinese
women during earlier dynastic periods and basic information about the Tang dynasty such as its
rise, geographic extent (especially the reclaiming of lands lost under the Sui and expansion
efforts), economic prosperity, and changes in society (particularly the cultural exchanges and
foreign visitors that helped make the capital a cosmopolitan city and the advent of
neo-Confucianism in the late Tang). It is against this background that we will explore women’s
status in Tang Dynasty China and students will argue whether or not it was a golden age for
women.

The following are a few resources for teaching about the status of earlier Chinese women, if not
addressed in your curriculum:
● Women in Traditional China
https://asiasociety.org/education/women-traditional-china
This article from Asia Society provides an overview of the status of women in Dynastic
China through the Qing. It focuses mostly on the Han and Song dynasties.
 ● “Women and families in classical society”
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/ancient-medieval/women-and-fa
milies/a/women-and-families-article
This Khan academy source largely concentrates on Han China and comparisons to
Imperial Rome.
● Lessons For Women, Ban Zhao [Pan Chao, Ca. 45-116]
https://china.usc.edu/lessons-women-ban-zhao-pan-chao-ca-45-116
Provided by USC Annenberg’s US-China Institute, this primary source excerpt is from a
book written by the earliest known female Chinese historian, Ban Zhao. it addresses
expectations of women ranging from chastity to household duties to hygiene and
adornment.

You may wish to prepare to teach this lesson, by reviewing:

● “Women in the Tang dynasty: Prescribed, dependent and scary” by Annika Pissin
● the chapters Introduction, Government, and Wealth in Hinsch, Bret. Women in Tang
China. Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.

II. Activator: Artifact Analysis

In small groups, students will examine the artifact “Female Polo Player, 618 - 906”
(https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/female-polo-player-37339) and respond to the following
prompts on Padlet (https://padlet.com/alicia_m_hall/93y2qkj44qvp8f2d):
● What is it?
● How can you describe it?
● Where and when was this object made?
● What is distinctive or surprising about this object?
● Why was the object created?
● Who might have used this object?
● How might this object shed light on the society it came from?
● What additional information might help us better understand this artifact?

Discuss student responses, then share some additional information about the artifact from the
Detroit Institute of Arts website. After reviewing details about this particular object, share with
students that it was one of a group of similar objects. Show examples:
● https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1964.181 (Point out that the player is a woman dressed
in male clothing)
● https://collections.mfa.org/objects/19300
● https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5167313
● https://www.cheffins.co.uk/fine-art/lot-view,a-red-painted-tang-dynasty-pottery-female-pol
o-player-astride-a-galloping-h_41394.htm

Ask students to compare these popular figures of female polo players during the Tang dynasty
with popular images of women from earlier periods. What might the similarities and differences
say about the status of Tang women?

III. Information gathering

Explain that we are going to look at the expectations and experiences of Tang women to see if
they enjoyed more freedom than women in prior dynasties. We will focus on three areas:
 political power, economic power, and social freedoms. It is suggested that information gathering
is done as a group activity. Younger students and others requiring more support with reading
might work through sources together using guided reading graphic organizers to record key
information. Older students may gather information via a jigsaw activity in which students
research one the three topic areas in homogeneous “expert groups” and then share their
findings in heterogeneous “home groups”.

Here are resources for students:

● Princess Pingyang
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Princess_Pingyang
The role of Pingyang in the rise of the Tang is outlined in this encyclopedia entry, which
also addresses changes in the status of women during the dynasty including access to
divorce and remarriage.
● Does China's Only Female Emperor Deserve Her Bad Rap?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBxYsJIkmXE
This video clip from the Smithsonian Channel examines tomb artifacts that show women
experienced expanded freedom and roles during the reign of China’s only female
emperor, Wu Zeitan. Students should have some background knowledge about Emperor
Wu before viewing. I suggest assigning either the Ducksters webpage “Biography:
Empress Wu Zetian” https://www.ducksters.com/history/china/empress_wu_zetian.php
for younger students (or older students reading at a lower lexile) or the Smithsonian
magazine article, “The Demonization of Empress Wu”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-demonization-of-empress-wu-20743091/
for older students.
● Excerpt from “Deed Of Sale Of A Slave”
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/china/slave_deed.pdf
This primary source from Asia for Educators documents roles of women as enslaved
people, slave owners, and legal witnesses.
● Excerpts from Analects for Women by Song Ruozhao
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/cup/song_ruozhao_analects.pdf
According to the Asia Society for Educators, this primary source was “one of the most
popular texts for women’s education in pre-modern China.” Written by one of the
daughters of a high-ranking Tang official, these excerpts lists dos and don’ts for women
in well to do households.
● https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/17/world/tang-dynasty-woman-donkey-polo-scn/index.html
This CNN article
● Excerpts from House Instructions of Mr. Yan (​Yanshi Jiaxun)
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/cup/yan_house_instructions.pdf
According the Asia for Educators, “It was common for successful men in China and
elsewhere in East Asia to write down “House Instructions” for the
benefit of their heirs and descendants.” This primary source is an excerpt from
instructions left by a prominent writer and official. In the “Family Governance” section,
Yan aligns limitations of women’s roles in the family with their limited role in government.

Students can also be encouraged or required to research additional reliable sources if you desire.
Iv. Assessment: A golden age for women?

Students will make a claim about the extent to which the Tang Dynasty was a golden age for Chinese
women and then create a Wakelet collection of primary and secondary sources to support their thesis.

Resources Needed:

Internet access to use the listed sources

Free student Wakelet accounts (for more information go to
https://wakelet.com/wake/I1v7FoMlpWLsVRYaJjjl0)