The Death of Woman Wang

The biographies of women in the Local History depict women who remained chaste, obedient, and loyal to their husbands, even to the death: “[F]ifteen of the listed women had committed suicide, and in thirteen of these suicides the motive was loyalty to a deceased husband or to avoid rape, which would shame both wife and husband” (100). In one instance, a wife died by suicide while her husband was dying in prison; in others, betrothed women killed themselves when their families broke the marriage contracts (100-01).

The Local History also records stories of women who, during the Manchu invasion of the region in 1643, resisted, rescued their children, or died by suicide rather than face capture (102-03). Similarly, P’u’s story “Chang’s Wife” concerns a woman who tricks and kills two enemy soldiers (103-04). However, P’u’s stories also show less “moral” women, including one being seduced by a scholar (104-05). Another story describes a peasant woman whom a man from a wealthy family promises to marry. The two have sex, but even when she becomes pregnant, he instead marries a wife chosen by his family (107-09). Another story depicts a different unfortunate fate that could befall women: A gambling addict sells his beloved wife.