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629:, the talents of courtesans such as geji were widely cultivated to distinguish them more heavily from common prostitutes. This development coincided with a general increase in wealth during the Ming Dynasty which allowed even men of low social standing to engage with common prostitutes, prompting men of high-status to cultivate and seek out courtesans for cultural capital. The relationships between literati and the geji often became heavily romanticized during the late Ming Dynasty, and even married women associated openly with geji, inviting them to parties. Famously, the poet
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women in specific roles and duties within a given social ladder, the most common of these would refer to a courtesan as ji. While sexual favors may be one of the services provided by ji, she is first and foremost an entertainer. Chinese courtesan culture was defined by several integral points: a skill in the literary arts, such as writing and poetry; a comprehension in song and singing; a setting of trends in fashion and art; as well as the ability to combine these talents to promote a literary exchange amongst the elite.
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In order to understand the social role of the courtesan, it is important to define the position. This requires a comprehension of the etymology of the term, and how the
English language may fail to reflect this idea in a translation. Classical Chinese is known to have a variety of words to define
625:; they also sometimes provided sexual services to their clients. In ancient China, music and sexual performance were intertwined; consequently, the poetry, rather than music, of courtesans such as geji were often held up as an example of their high-culture. During the
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in ancient China, geji had low social standing. Some geji contributed to the development of dance, poetry, painting and other arts and literature throughout China's history. During the
909:. Eastman/Rochester studies in ethnomusicology. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press ; Woodbridge, Suffolk : Boydell & Brewer Limited. p. 67.
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musical performance and sexual performance were, in fact, usually the forte of an individual known as a "singing girl" (geji 歌妓, literally "song courtesan").
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banned courtesans such as geji from performing at official functions.
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695:[The identities and fates of ancient female musicians].
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Visualizing Love and
Longing in Song Dynasty Paintings of Women
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The confusions of pleasure: commerce and culture in Ming China
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Harris, Rachel; Pease, Rowan; Tan, Shzr Ee, eds. (2013).
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was known to keep the company of famous geji, such as
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1276:This article related to the history of China is a
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637:. Following the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, the
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782:"The Curious Case of Chinese Courtesan Culture"
934:. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. pp. 78–80.
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961:International Review of Social History
821:. University of Michigan. p. 77.
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27:Chinese Singing Courtesans
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1332:Courtesans of antiquity
907:Gender in Chinese music
848:Brook, Timothy (2011).
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1075:Prostitution in Macau
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608:entertainers
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428:Martial arts
222:Tea ceremony
112:1949–present
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1167:Li Xiangjun
1089:Prostitutes
606:Like other
102:before 1912
1321:Categories
1187:Sai Jinhua
1120:Courtesans
1111:Lin Hei'er
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703:2024-08-10
679:References
597:courtesans
568:Former Shu
401:Television
350:Literature
194:Traditions
158:Sinosphere
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1243:Geji
977:ISSN
936:ISBN
911:ISBN
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577:Geji
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