Feminization Of Male Image In Ming And Qing Fiction

As an aesthetic pursuit of literators and readers, feminization of male image, characterized by those in male bodily form and appearance and in male character, is widespread in Ming and Qing fiction, particularly at the close of Ming and in the beginning of Qing dynasty. This paper, based on extensive materials and intensive reading, makes, from the two levels of literature and culture, a systematic investigation into this phenomenon, aiming to reveal the aesthetic taste behind the feminization and the implied social cultural psychological motivation and prevalent fashion, and to wide the horizon of research into Ming and Qing fiction.