Precis and Critique of Gilbert Chen's Article: Confucian Iconography

This assignment presents a precis and critique of Gilbert Chen's article, "A Confucian Iconography of Cao E (Maiden Cao): Narrative illustrations of a female deity in late imperial China." The student analyzes Chen's work, which explores the pictorial hagiographies of Maiden Cao and their reception across different societal levels in post-Taiping era China. The assignment summarizes Chen's argument for the effectiveness of visual representation in reaching diverse audiences, while also critiquing the article's methodology and depth of analysis. The critique highlights the lack of detailed explanation regarding data collection and analysis, as well as the reliance on limited sources for context, particularly concerning the perspectives of locals, elites, and officials on the deity's femininity. The assignment examines the role of Cao E's iconography in Chinese culture, particularly regarding the social elevation of women, and discusses the controversies and interpretations surrounding the deity's canonization and perceived powers.

Running head: PRECIS AND CRITIQUE OF GILBERT CHEN’S ARTICLE 1
Precis And Critique Of Gilbert Chen’s Article
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PRECIS AND CRITIQUE OF GILBERT CHEN’S ARTICLE 2
Precis and Critique of Gilbert Chen’s Article
Part A:
Precis
Gilbert Chen’s article “A Confucian Iconography of Cao E (Maiden Cao): Narrative
Illustrations of a Female Deity in Late Imperial China,” is an applauded work modern
interpretation of filial pieties as transcribed in pictorial hagiographies and text of Maiden Cao.
The writing base its work on how the narrative of Cao E was and are perceived at locals, elites,
and the political levels since post-Taiping era.
The writer departs from textual analysis for meaning to visual representation of Maiden
Cao. He argues that the pictorial representation was the most effective medium in bids to reach a
more extensive and heterogeneous audience. However, although the visual hagiography was
prone to viewer misinterpretation, especially the gendered sexual implication to the male elites,
Cao’s Confucian iconography has persisted. Nevertheless, he defends the use of visual
presentation of Cao deity as most scholars are also integrating it in their scholarly works to create
diverse view and appeals. He argues that China conventionally uses pictorial hagiography for
dynamic interactions. As a result, the deity of Cao has continued to be preserved in murals as
well as engraved on wood for the longevity of preservation.
Part B:
Critique
The introduction lays the foundation of the whole text by giving a general context which
the article will be based. The introduction part played a role for Chen to defend his approach to
use pictorial hagiography in presenting the history and perception of a female deity (Chen, 2016,
p. 85). In this defense he uses illustrations and rationale to deviate from textual presentation to

PRECIS AND CRITIQUE OF GILBERT CHEN’S ARTICLE 3
visual, citing that, although pictorial hagiography of subjective and can be used to subvert the
message in the Cao’s iconography, it has been referred as the most effective to communicate to
the diverse and heterogeneous audience especially the local none elites in eastern Zhejiang. As
such, he was seen to deviate from the conventional presentation of literature in support of
hagiography as another form of communication.
The second part is a paratext in which the narration of Cao in the forms of text, murals,
and wood are given. The writer provides a chronology of the events and the rationales for the
actions taken to conserve the femininity deity of Cao E (Chen, 2016, p. 92). Although the
conservation is surrounded by controversy about contorted interpretation. Nevertheless, the
pressure from the locals made the officials give in. The content therein shed light on the issue of
a political contribution in the canonization and deity of Cao. The writer also gives the rationality
for the local cult claiming miraculous nature of Cao. The fact that the elites have a convoluted
form of view about Cao and also were not in agreeing to the local belief on Cao’s supernatural
power means the femininity in a deity has limited acceptance in Chine culture.
The third part gives the account of Maiden Cao by the use of illustrative narrative (Chen,
2016, p. 96). In this regard, the writer has succeeded in providing a clear presentation about the
life of Cao as well as her deity’s femininity. In essence, the pictorial hagiography has been used
to present the position of a woman in the Chinese culture as well as religion. In the imperial,
although women were not allowed to go to the temple, during reverence of Cao’s deity, women
felt identified with her and thus became incorporated in religious activities. Generally, the deity
of Cao has played a role in the social elevation of the woman in society.
Although Chen has succeeded in presenting the narrative about deity’s femininity in
imperial China, the article can be criticized for lacking authority, especially in the

PRECIS AND CRITIQUE OF GILBERT CHEN’S ARTICLE 4
methodological approach used. He fails to explain how the information was collected, compiled,
then analyzed to conclude. The text lacks in-depth reviews on the Confucian iconology of Cao.
He mainly relied on the Watson’s work to put the Maiden Cao into the context which was
shallow as more literature was needed to illuminate on the contribution of the locals, the elites
and the officials in the deity femininity of Cao as well as their various perspectives.

PRECIS AND CRITIQUE OF GILBERT CHEN’S ARTICLE 5
Work Cited
Chen, G., (2016). A Confucian Iconography of Cao E (Maiden Cao): Narrative illustrations of a
female deity in late imperial China. NAN NÜ 18(1), 84-114.