This paper discusses the changing roles and status of women in the literary field during the Ming and Qing dynasties, noting that with the development of the commodity economy and commercial publishing, women began to compose, evaluate, and publish poetry collections. Meanwhile, the rise of gender studies shifted women from being mere appendages to male-centered research to becoming independent subjects of study. Grace Fong's work Herself an Author, as a representative of women's studies, remains relevant and influential despite being published 15 years ago. The paper examines Herself an Author from three perspectives: the authors and editors within the text, and the writers, translators, and publishers outside the text.

I. Authors in the Text: The Self-Presentation of Female Consciousness

The paper discusses the marginalization and "voicelessness" of women's literary creation in ancient literary traditions, highlighting the challenges faced by Ming and Qing women in engaging in literary composition and editorial activities. Despite a relatively open cultural atmosphere, women had limited access to education, with literacy rates far lower than men. Those who could read and write mostly came from middle- or upper-class families, where financial resources and progressive attitudes provided the foundation for their literary pursuits. Grace Fong employs the concepts of "agency" and "subjectivity" to explore the self-awareness, creative passion, and inner aspirations of female authors during this period. Using Gan Lirou's autobiographical poetry collection as an example, the book analyzes her life trajectory, poetic themes, and autobiographical impulses, demonstrating women's ability to present themselves through literary creation. Chapter 2 focuses on the poetry of concubines, examining their autonomy and agency in literary production. Chapter 3 studies women's travel poetry, challenging the traditional assumption that such works were rare and seldom preserved, while highlighting the broad thematic and emotional differences between male and female travel poetry.

II. Editors in the Text: A Female-Centered Critical Lens

The paper explores women's critical and evaluative activities in the literary field during the Ming and Qing dynasties, particularly how they established authority and built a community of female literati through poetry selection. With advancements in printing technology, women began to critique poetry through verse critiques, letters, prefaces, and postscripts, demonstrating autonomy and agency. Herself an Author analyzes women's anthologies, poetic commentaries, and poetry collections to reveal the paradigms, rhetoric, and communities of female criticism. Grace Fong uses the term "female-centered" to describe the aesthetic preferences of gentry women, who sought emotional belonging and validation through creative and evaluative activities. Shen Yixiu's Thoughts of Her, the first poetry anthology compiled by a talented woman, reflects the editor's aesthetic inclinations and evaluative stance. Ji Xian's Collection of Talented Women and Wang Duanshu's Poetic Weft of Famous Women exhibit more systematic editorial structures and authority. Shen Shanbao's Poetic Commentary on Talented Women focuses on critiquing women's poetry while documenting her own social circle of gentry women. Although these female critics experienced gender-related anxieties, a few dared to evaluate male poetry. Grace Fong emphasizes a female perspective, using close textual analysis to highlight women's subjectivity and agency. Ming and Qing female editors tended to focus on contemporary authors and works, possibly due to mutual admiration among talented women, personal connections, or the scarcity of surviving works by earlier female poets. However, female editors had limited resources and often relied on male assistance. Additionally, while Grace Fong attributes women's engagement in poetry criticism to the flourishing print culture, she does not delve into the broader influence of critical trends on talented women. Their poetic critiques were heavily influenced by male literati, indicating certain limitations to their agency and subjectivity.

III. Writers, Translators, and Discoverers Outside the Text: Literary Resonance Across Time and Space

The paper discusses Grace Fong's research on Ming and Qing women's literature in Herself an Author, emphasizing the importance of female writers and editors while pointing out some shortcomings in the study. Through years of research, Grace Fong established the "Ming Qing Women's Writings Database," but there are gaps in the collection of ancient texts and the selection of editions, as well as errors in quoting classical poetry. The book examines the characteristics of different literary genres, but its chapter structure is inconsistent, omitting certain types of talented women's poetry. The research perspective is limited to "elite women," failing to cover the literary creations of middle- and lower-class women. Grace Fong focuses on analyzing the subjectivity and agency of talented women but does not explore the social context of their creative awakening. Although the translator strives for smooth and elegant renditions, the translation suffers from inconsistent stylistic choices and inaccuracies. Jiangsu People's Publishing House included the book in its "Overseas Chinese Studies Series," but some obvious textual errors still require correction.