| Founded in916AD and defeated by the kin empire in1125, the Liao Dynasty existed for209years. During the long period of time, women could take part in political events andsocial affairs, express or state their own suggestions and views, discuss governmental affairs.This was the so-called ‘put forward suggestions and discuss politics. Women’s puttingforward suggestions and even taking part in political events have distinctive features, and it‘salso the important factor which promote the development of the Liao Dynasty. In the LiaoDynasty, women were able to put forward suggestions and discuss politics was because theyhad the women’s class division and political status was different. However, because thepolitical power was founded by Khitan nation which was a typical nomadic nationality, it wasunlike the Han nation which had a lot of Confucianism thought to restrict people’s right offree speak, women had freedom relatively and to some extent, Meanwhile, the nomadic wayof production made women form the character of open-mindedness, optimism and act withcourage and determination in Khitan nation. Women could put forward suggestions and eventake part in political events which could be seen at the beginning of the Liao Dynasty. The first model was chunqin queen-shulvping. Later, many women followed her step. Manywomen made important contribution to the nation’ s politic, military and cultural bydiscoursing expression, writing poem, such as wise queen-xiaochuo, tianzuo imperialconcubine-xiaosese, xiannv-yelvshichangge and lienv-xiaoyixin and so on. In politic andmilitary aspects, women promoted the political power’s foundation, stabilization,consolidation and development; in the aspect of thought and culture, women in khitan nationbegan to change their moral consciousness and accepted Confucianism thought of chastityand virtue which came from Central Plains heartland. In Liao Dynasty, the nomadic way ofproduction established the foundation for women’s social status. Their participation insuggestions and political affairs reflected women’s social status and change women’s positionin society, at the same time it indicated that women in the Liao Dynasty had adequatediscourse power. |
