Women of the Tang Dynasty

Women in Tang society enjoyed experimenting with ways to enhance their charms. Not only enthusiastically adopting fashion styles of foreigners who thronged the capital of Chang'an, they were also some of the earliest cross-dressers in history. Through a close-up look at excavated pottery figures and surviving gold and silver objects, a picture emerges of a remarkable open society in which women took an active part.

The Close-Up series is the very first of its kind to give you fascinating, concise introduction to over 100 individual aspects of China and its to peoples, past and present. Each topic is presented by chosen experts in their fields who write with brevity for the intelligent reader. Illuminating text is supported by the work of international photographers, with maps and diagrams, to give a Close Up picture that satisfies curiosity while encouraging further reading. Together, the titles build up an encyclopedia covering every wonderful aspect of China, a vast country that is only now revealing its true mystery and magnificence.