In the following paragraphs I will discuss what each author brings to the table.

Vietnamese women according to Edward H. Schafer are thought of as erotic and promiscuous in their behavior. The Chinese believed the level of culture was not as sophisticated in the south as was theirs. As early as the Han period the Chinese thought the female spirit was unnatural and it was unusual that the “wanton female is dominant”. (Schafer 80) To the Chinese the south had always been a place with erotic women. The assumption that these people had not yet learned the proper civilized morals of sexual repression is evident in numerous literary works. The south wa

As you can see the women of Vietnam were endowed with a lot of power as opposed to other East Asian countries, where women were very subordinate to men, even more so then in western culture during that period. The literature of this time provides us with the insight that is needed to prove the transparent contrasts between both social positions.

s over populated with females; in contrast to the north the population favored men. Women were usually depicted in exotic, tropical or erotic terms that featured their promiscuity. In a translation of the poem, or tz’u, by Ou-yang Chiung we see the southern female depicted in this very sexually enticing manor. “Her rose tinted dress clings tightly. She laughs confidently by the riverbank, and beckons to the stranger come from afar”. (Schafer 84) Another poem by the same author uses very similar imagery. “…She invites me with a laugh…” (Schafer 85) These and many other poems are filled with vivid erotic imagery of sexually empowered women. Much of this literature was a celebration of the beauties of southern women compared to their exotic surroundings. Examples of this can be found in metaphors from the same poem like “face like a pink lotus.” (Schafer 84) One problem with these literary works is identifying the women because the Chinese authors give these exotic women characteristics attractive to there own people. Schafer simply believes that this is a result of idea

Some topics in this essay:
Ou-yang Chiung, East Asian, Edward Schafer, Based Confucius', David Lu, Davis Lu, East Asia, , Japanese Tokugawa, Sui Tang, women vietnam, david lu, east asian, rhoads murphey, tokugawa period, women powerful, schafer 84, edward schafer, status women, vietnam women,