Women and Property in China (960—1949): Reader Reviews & Ratings

Octavia2026-10-02 16:22

This book brilliantly proves that women did have property rights in Song China.

Maisie92026-09-10 14:41

This study finally proves women did have property rights.

Willie2026-09-07 09:23

Bernhardt proves that women's property rights were never fixed but constantly shaped by state priorities and local customs rather than simple gender equality.

Darcy272026-09-02 06:11

Bernhardt brilliantly proves women did own property in Song China, shattering the old myth about total dependence.

Debbie2026-09-01 13:01

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Chinese legal history.

Seth2026-08-26 02:32

Bernhardt proves the Song half-share rule was misunderstood, applying only to heirless households and showing how state tax needs actually drove these legal changes.

Jeri2026-08-23 12:48

Bernhardt effectively explains how the 1930s Civil Code promised equality but failed rural women due to loopholes favoring individual property rights over clan customs.

Finley2026-08-16 03:55

Slightly repetitive in places, still solid overall.

Donnie2026-08-15 05:54

Bernhardt reveals that the 1930s Civil Code's promise of equality failed because it ignored deep-rooted patriarchal customs and family structures, allowing fathers to legally disinherit daughters through pre-death gifts, proving that formal legal equality without addressing underlying social and economic structures cannot achieve real-world equity for marginalized women who fell through the cracks of the code's rigid, individualistic framework.

Noah2026-08-13 00:35

The 1930s Civil Code promised equality but loopholes let fathers disinherit daughters legally.

Mae2026-08-12 12:31

Bernhardt proves the Song half-share rule was only for heirless families, correcting a major historical misunderstanding about women's rights.

Noel2026-08-11 12:16

Disappointed that formal equality in the 1930s code did not help many women in practice.

Glen662026-08-11 11:42

Bernhardt brilliantly dismantles the myth that Chinese women never owned property, showing how rights shifted with state needs.

Carole2026-08-10 17:10

This book shows how judges acted as intermediaries between strict laws and local customs, often bending rules to fit community values about chastity or lineage.

Taryn022026-07-31 07:10

Interesting book that challenges common assumptions about women and property in traditional China.

Clyde2026-07-27 09:16

Finally a history that proves women had property rights.

Val2026-07-18 17:42

Interesting but frustrating. The 1930s Civil Code promised equality for daughters. Yet loopholes let fathers disinherit them legally using pre-death gifts.

Sheldon2026-07-10 12:53

This book proves that formal legal equality in the 1930s often failed real women due to loopholes and deep-rooted patriarchal customs.

Adelaide2026-07-10 02:21

Bernhardt's deep dive into court cases reveals how state priorities like tax revenue and labor stability drove changes in women's property rights across centuries, not just gender equality.

Alfred022026-06-30 17:13

Bernhardt shows how Song laws were actually about tax revenue, not helping daughters, which changes how I view history.