From the inner quarters to the steppes: Education, marriage, and the lives of Qing imperial daughters

This thesis is a study of the education and marriage practices of imperial daughters of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). It argues that these women, like men in politics and government, participated in and experienced the adoption of Han cultural traits over the course of the dynasty, although a connection to the steppe heritage never ceased. Changes toward a more Confucianized education of proper gender roles for imperial daughters and abandonment of steppe marriage customs of the Manchu imperial house cannot be explained solely as the result of 'Sinicization,' as prospective marriage partners of imperial daughters continued to be restricted to Mongol and Manchu aristocrats. This contradiction represents the unique cultural hybridization---of steppe and Han cultures---that can be observed in both the Qing court and society.