| The discovery and application of new materials has been a topical issue in the literature research of Tang Dynasty in recent years.Based on the unearthed epitaphs and tomb murals of Tang Dynasty since 1950 s,this paper studies the female images in them.Although epitaphs and tomb murals belong to different categories,they are both products under the influence of social customs of tang Dynasty,and also can reflect the unique value orientation of people in the Tang Dynasty,so there is a relationship in the shaping of female images.Traditional gender orientation has been defined the division of labor between men and women,which is reflected in murals and epitaphs.The spatial arrangement in the tomb murals symbolizes the different lives of the Tang people inside and outside the house.The placement of women in the depth of the tomb,which symbolizes the inner courtyard or inner room,indicates that the space for women’s movement is confined to the inner room.Like the tomb murals,most of the unearthed epitaphs depict women’s life around their inner performance,so the female images inevitably show a typified state.No matter what stage they are in,they completely fit the traditional idea of the woman: dutiful as a daughter,respectful as a wife,kind as a mother.However,the Tang Dynasty was an open society,The flexible and changeable clothing of the female characters in the fresco shows the special enthusiasm and liveliness of women in Tang.Influenced by this,there are some special women in the unearthed epitaphs who broke the shackles of traditional ideas and showed intelligence and courage in literature,art,politics and other fields.Different from the visual expression of tomb murals,the portrayal of characters in unearthed epitaphs relies on the text.The writing of epitaph is not only based on the corresponding historical facts,but also inseparable from a certain degree of artistic processing.The records of personal life,family pedigree and imperial edict provide basic information for the shaping of characters.Literary writing,such as allusion,language,quotation and description,greatly enhances the literary interest of epitaph and provides various ways for vivid and comprehensive display of characters. |
