A Perspective Of The History Of Body

This dissertation is based on the history of body study of the issues of courtesans in Song Dynasty. This paper used the concept of "body" mainly refer to the body image and body image relations of power.Courtesans body image in different text, genre showed different characteristics. Taking "Wen Wan " as an example, for a different writing purpose, different accounts of the authors have similarities, and also have conflict, and inconsistencies, which highlighted different aspects of prostitute---some pay a plenty of attention on the morals, some on the talent. This reflects the choice of writing materials according to different writing purposes, which shows the expectation and imagination of the author of prostitute in a certain social context. Judging from different genre, the most obvious is that the image of courtesans varies in different poetry and historical biography. The poems of scholars showed the attention on the appreciation of makeup and posture of prostitute; Historical biography stressed the moral aspect of them. Bu the courtesans depict themselves as sympathetic and full of chastity. From the difference of description between scholars and the courtesans themselves, we can discover the recognition of scholars of women’s status in the society, and the courtesans’ recognition on the moral judging standard of the scholars and the important function in social order in Song Dynasty, In this process, the courtesans were imaged and also completed self-objectification.The courtesans’body, body physicochemical and self-objectification are formed through the family, society and the roles of state powers. In private and officer courtesans reflect different manners of action of power. Private courtesans mainly include home courtesans and city courtesans. Home courtesans are common in rich families and aristocratic family. Besides their role of instrumental for fun, singing and dancing, and men’s enjoyment, they reflect their master’s grade, knowledge and indicate the master’s life attitude’ and political intentions. City brothels scattered and courtesans lived in different areas of the cities and towns, with the ordinary residents. In the festival or daily life, courtesans appeared in a certain way in front of the people, affecting the daily experience of the public. These entire make the body of a courtesan become the physical landscape. Courtesans challenge the existing social norms order. These also put themselves out of respectable woman, which make other people more deeply believe in the moral behavior criterion of respectable woman.Officer courtesans include Jiaofang courtesans and courtesans of the various local authorities. This paper mainly targets courtesans of the various local authorities as the main research object. The civil official’s body-action, including their sextual action, had been paid more attentions. Zhu Xi impeached Tang Zhongyou in his memorials just because Tang had sextual relationships with a courtesan. By an analysis of this and other cases, we can find that officials were gradually forbidden to have sexual relations with courtesans from Song Dynasty. Laws and official admonitions show the discipline either. The change comes from the enhancement of moral values, as well as the specialization of civil service which needs its officials are more accordant with administrative systems. And so a control to official’s bodies is using by the country to exercise its power. After Song Dynasty, the prohibition above is conventional.On the other hand, courtesan is in the local state administration. Official courtesans are mainly from the criminals and those who are sold to the state office. In the county level administrative agencies, courtesans are under the joint management of officer Zhixian and Xianwei; In the state level, courtesans are under the joint management of Taishou and Sili; when there are conflicts between different administrative levels, they are coordinated by the superior or both. Brothels, by job with limited way as own ability, can change their situation. When the brothels come to the service of the state office, which includes banquet, festival activities and so on, and this is the privilege of the officials. Official and private courtesans should participate in the government’s activity of selling wine. In this process, the state gives the materialized courtesans to the subjects and the officials. They become the consumption of the public. The courtesans are away from etiquette and become mass consumption switching between values. Thus, family, society, and the consumption of courtesans’body formed the complex relation map, and also shaped courtesans body image.