#kingdom of women

[samadhifired]

*Clutches perals in shock*

A woman getting impregnated?!?! In a kids' show?!?

How dare they soil those innocent eyes with something this lewd!

[jianghuchild]

赵英俊让我看懂了女儿国 | How Zhao Yingjun Made The Kingdom of Women Make Sense

不知怎的，突然想起赵英俊的那首《女儿国》。这两天反复听，歌词也扒着反复琢磨。朋友们，我悟了！女儿国这个单元，我从小到大没看懂，但赵英俊让我看懂了。我以为的一厢情愿，原来是心意相通；我以为的她爱他逃，原来是惺惺相惜却不得不斩的一个“情”字。所以赵英俊是怎么用一首歌来重塑了我对女儿国、甚至对唐僧的认知呢？且待我娓娓道来。

（事先说好了，笔者从小长在国外，以下只是自己一些拙见，有哪些分析不对的欢迎交流。中文水平马马虎虎，不许欺负我哟～）

1）歌曲结构

这首歌给我个什么感觉呢，就是唐僧和女儿国国王在对唱，但好像又没有完全在对唱。整首哥没有传统的主歌、副歌，而是一男一女各唱各的。他们歌词不变，没有什么递进，只是一遍又一遍的诉说自己的困惑。这种结构不由让我产生一种很微妙的感觉，仿佛两人都各自困在一个不可逃离的循环当中。

赵英俊在《女儿国》里也很爱用对句，就是相声里常说的“天对地、雨对风”。列入：

任来世枯朽成灰 换今生与你相随

来世对今生、成灰对相随。（歌里还有更多的对句，到唐僧段挑几句细品一下。）这种细微的对照再加上整体的男女对唱，就让整首歌从大到小都散发着两个字：平行。唐僧与女儿国国王好像是平等而相互欣赏的知己，又像两条傍走却永不交集的河流。

男女声各自总共唱三遍，而只有最后一遍是一起唱。但即便一起唱也是交叉、平行，全程没有传统意义上的合唱。这也应证了他们即便心里有着对方，却奈何永远跨不过那道鸿沟。他注定要继续西行，而她也必须做她女儿国的国王。

2）女儿国国王的词

虽然歌里唐僧先唱，但我觉得还是先解读女生的歌词试试吧。倒不是说女儿国国王唱的这段没有深度，但感觉可能比较容易懂。要说女声这一段，最突出的应该就是那几句“x什么... ...”

说什么王权富贵 怕什么戒律清规 ... ... 念什么善恶慈悲 等什么望穿秋水

咱要往细了抠，光是每一句前面的动词都挺讲究的。两句点唐僧的话，一个用“怕”，一个用“念”。就好像她在说：或是你根本就不想西行，而是在害怕你那如来佛。你念的佛经，能渡世人，可渡不了你我。而前后两句又好似在说自己：我一身的王权富贵，到头来不还是困在这里苦等？与其等待望穿秋水的那一天，何不此时此刻，在一起？这也正映照了“远走高飞”和“换今生与你相随”那两句话。管他来时怎么样，我现在就要在一起。

（插句题外话，我估摸着这可以算chiastic structure吧？）

其实女儿国国王从来不是我想象中的强取豪夺。她早就看清自己的心，更看懂唐僧的情。两人也成了完美的对照：唐僧一心望成佛、渡世人，而国王甘愿放下已有的权利和来世的德行，追求当下的情欲。唐僧谨慎念佛，国王大胆追爱。二人没有对错，也注定不能长久。

3）唐僧的词

要说最让我对女儿国这个故事改观的词，那就是唐僧唱的这一段了。在我的脑海里，一直都是女儿国国王硬要留住唐僧，唐僧不情不愿。她好像跟那些想吃唐僧肉的妖魔鬼怪没什么区别，只是八十一难中的一难罢了。

世上安得两全法 不负如来不负卿

歌一开头就袒露了唐僧的纠结——再深一层，是不是也能读出一丝唐僧在心里把爱人和如来看得一样重的感觉？

反省凡心损梵行 从来如此莫聪明

这句可太厉害了。三重谐音看似没深度，其实是点破唐僧感情的关键。我得反省自己啊，我这肉体凡胎做不到放下七情六欲，达不到所谓的梵行，Brahmacharya。歌词通过谐音达成反差，刨开了唐僧即为凡人又为修行着的两难。第二句更是让这个人物彻底落地：唐僧又如何？不还是和你我一样？世上本就如此，金蝉转世也改变不了。

既生苦难我西行 何生红颜你倾城？ 如何抹去你身影？ 如同忘却我姓名

最后这四句真的是妙啊，可谓整首歌的核心。前两句引用了经典名言“既生瑜，何生亮”，也变相把国王与唐僧放在平等的台面上。这里的对句多少又有点古诗词的韵律——苦难对红颜、西行对倾城、抹去对忘却、身影对姓名。他们不是追求者与被追求者，而是可以面对面，势均力敌的知己。

唐僧的最后一句也狠狠的呼应了国王的最后一句：她愿今生相随，而他永世难忘。他们两个一样重情，只不过理念不同，对情的处理方式也不同。

一些总结

突然想到马东在《喜人奇妙夜》上说的一句话：“真正的经典就是经得起一遍又一遍的改编。”当时他点评的是四士同堂的sketch《八十一难》。在小品的最后，在为了帮沙僧而没能取到真经后，三藏道：“终一生渡世人，和终一世渡一人，为师觉得是一样的。”也正是这一句让整个作品升华。

以前我总觉得唐僧在西游记里是最没用的主角，不会打妖精还乱跑，动不动还爱念紧箍咒。可随着这些改编，也随着自己慢慢长大，我好像重新认识他了。他不是不懂情爱，而是为了求佛舍弃了自己的凡心。

顺便引用《鹤唳华亭》里的一句话：“相濡以沫，是佳事；相忘于江湖，是幸事”。可能唐僧也是这么想的吧。毕竟，世界上又有几个齐天大圣呢？大多数不还是在世间徘徊、自问“世上安得两全法”的我们吗？

其实自从听了《大王叫我来巡山》我就知道，赵英俊是个妙人。说起来又好笑又感伤，我这个人不怎么上微博，有一天却莫名其妙打开了页面，正好看到赵英俊当天去世的消息。赵英俊生前被质疑写口水歌，他却说，能让大家共鸣的口水歌才最难写，也是他追求的。我一直以为《女儿国》是首老歌，类似《天竺少女》一样的86版插曲。他在2017年写了一首放在86版西游记里都不违和的歌，句句是精华，更是以一己之力颠覆了我对女儿国和唐三藏的认知。

最后，赵英俊说他从小就喜欢下雨，在某个傍晚狂风暴雨，便是他来看咱们了。那就在下一个雨天，跟他唱一首口水歌吧。

[novelcain]

ill take that as a yes <3 /p

anyways, jumping way ahead into the vague future again because silly things like time and continuity are irrelevant when youre neurospicy /j. anyways kingdom of women because for some reason my brain wants to think about the happenings there and who am i to say no, and also at this point i will be projecting onto reader now because its too late, theyre already on the kin list also what is proper sentence structuring, i dont know her, anyways back to the important and slightly less nonsensical part of this ramble

OKAY SO the whole thing where the empress wants to marry tripitaka, the reader just being "dude. just tell her the truth, it aint that deep", because seriously why dance around the issue this much? like she's not just gonna shatter if he rejects her lol,

🎵

Like fr he acts like it'd be the end of the world for her. She's an empress. She'll move on.

And SPEAKING of the Kingdom of Women~

I rewatched Monkey King 3 (as one does) and I really wanna make an x reader specifically for this one scene I have in mind.

⚠️SPOILERS⚠️

Basically, whenever the gang gets taken into custody by the Kingdom of Women and they're in the main hall of the palace and are accusing all of them of being terrible despicable men they also accuse the guys of kidnapping reader to use her as a servant and reader (who just had an argument with Wukong or Bajie) sees an opportunity to not only get back at them but to not be thrown in jail with them (and help break them out when no ones looking) and is like "YES YES THEY DID KIDNAP ME! Thank you kind women for saving me from these terrible men." I clearly don't know sentence structure either babe

[the-monkey-ruler]

Journey to the West: Daughter Country's Odd Pregnancy (2030) 西游记之女儿国奇孕记

Country/Region of Production: Mainland China Also known as: Kingdom of Women / 女儿国奇孕记 Type: Retelling

Summary:

The core of the story of "The Wonderful Pregnancy of the Daughter's Kingdom" comes from the "The Daughter's Kingdom" chapter in "Journey to the West". Around the four masters and apprentices passing through the Daughter Kingdom, Tang Monk and Bajie accidentally drank water from the mother river and became pregnant. The story unfolds when the Queen of the daughter country falls in love with Tang Monk and wants to marry him. On the concept poster exposed this time by ysgou.cc, the silhouette of a beautiful woman and the retreating figures of the four masters and apprentices are shown as the main images, leaving room for unlimited imagination.

Source: https://movie.douban.com/subject/26797853/

Link: N/A

[suzannahnatters]

all RIGHT:

Why You're Writing Medieval (and Medieval-Coded) Women Wrong: A RANT

(Or, For the Love of God, People, Stop Pretending Victorian Style Gender Roles Applied to All of History)

This is a problem I see alllll over the place - I'll be reading a medieval-coded book and the women will be told they aren't allowed to fight or learn or work, that they are only supposed to get married, keep house and have babies, &c &c.

If I point this out ppl will be like "yes but there was misogyny back then! women were treated terribly!" and OK. Stop right there.

By & large, what we as a culture think of as misogyny & patriarchy is the expression prevalent in Victorian times - not medieval. (And NO, this is not me blaming Victorians for their theme park version of "medieval history". This is me blaming 21st century people for being ignorant & refusing to do their homework).

Yes, there was misogyny in medieval times, but 1) in many ways it was actually markedly less severe than Victorian misogyny, tyvm - and 2) it was of a quite different type. (Disclaimer: I am speaking specifically of Frankish, Western European medieval women rather than those in other parts of the world. This applies to a lesser extent in Byzantium and I am still learning about women in the medieval Islamic world.)

So, here are the 2 vital things to remember about women when writing medieval or medieval-coded societies

FIRST. Where in Victorian times the primary axes of prejudice were gender and race - so that a male labourer had more rights than a female of the higher classes, and a middle class white man would be treated with more respect than an African or Indian dignitary - In medieval times, the primary axis of prejudice was, overwhelmingly, class. Thus, Frankish crusader knights arguably felt more solidarity with their Muslim opponents of knightly status, than they did their own peasants. Faith and age were also medieval axes of prejudice - children and young people were exploited ruthlessly, sent into war or marriage at 15 (boys) or 12 (girls). Gender was less important.

What this meant was that a medieval woman could expect - indeed demand - to be treated more or less the same way the men of her class were. Where no ancient legal obstacle existed, such as Salic law, a king's daughter could and did expect to rule, even after marriage.

Women of the knightly class could & did arm & fight - something that required a MASSIVE outlay of money, which was obviously at their discretion & disposal. See: Sichelgaita, Isabel de Conches, the unnamed women fighting in armour as knights during the Third Crusade, as recorded by Muslim chroniclers.

Tolkien's Eowyn is a great example of this medieval attitude to class trumping race: complaining that she's being told not to fight, she stresses her class: "I am of the house of Eorl & not a serving woman". She claims her rights, not as a woman, but as a member of the warrior class and the ruling family. Similarly in Renaissance Venice a doge protested the practice which saw 80% of noble women locked into convents for life: if these had been men they would have been "born to command & govern the world". Their class ought to have exempted them from discrimination on the basis of sex.

So, tip #1 for writing medieval women: remember that their class always outweighed their gender. They might be subordinate to the men within their own class, but not to those below.

SECOND. Whereas Victorians saw women's highest calling as marriage & children - the "angel in the house" ennobling & improving their men on a spiritual but rarely practical level - Medievals by contrast prized virginity/celibacy above marriage, seeing it as a way for women to transcend their sex. Often as nuns, saints, mystics; sometimes as warriors, queens, & ladies; always as businesswomen & merchants, women could & did forge their own paths in life

When Elizabeth I claimed to have "the heart & stomach of a king" & adopted the persona of the virgin queen, this was the norm she appealed to. Women could do things; they just had to prove they were Not Like Other Girls. By Elizabeth's time things were already changing: it was the Reformation that switched the ideal to marriage, & the Enlightenment that divorced femininity from reason, aggression & public life.

For more on this topic, read Katherine Hager's article "Endowed With Manly Courage: Medieval Perceptions of Women in Combat" on women who transcended gender to occupy a liminal space as warrior/virgin/saint.

So, tip #2: remember that for medieval women, wife and mother wasn't the ideal, virgin saint was the ideal. By proving yourself "not like other girls" you could gain significant autonomy & freedom.

Finally a bonus tip: if writing about medieval women, be sure to read writing on women's issues from the time so as to understand the terms in which these women spoke about & defended their ambitions. Start with Christine de Pisan.

I learned all this doing the reading for WATCHERS OF OUTREMER, my series of historical fantasy novels set in the medieval crusader states, which were dominated by strong medieval women! Book 5, THE HOUSE OF MOURNING (forthcoming 2023) will focus, to a greater extent than any other novel I've ever yet read or written, on the experience of women during the crusades - as warriors, captives, and political leaders. I can't wait to share it with you all!

[intersectionalpraxis]

Defend and Protect Black Women!!

Misogynoir medical bias is KILLING Black women disproportionately. If you know even a little history of how Black women have been systematically dehumanized and objectified in the medical industrial complex -you'd know this is FAR too common and it's despicable. These medical professionals should be losing their licenses to practice medicine.

"Black women are three to four times more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and childbirth and die from these complications compared with white women. Additionally, infants born to Black women are two times more likely to be born premature (<37 weeks of gestation) compared with infants born to white women."

"In the 19th century, J. Marion Sims performed experimental surgery on enslaved Black women without their consent to develop a cure for vesicovaginal fistula. These experiments facilitated the generations of two key health care scripts about Black women in the context of reproductive health care: (1) it is acceptable to perform procedures on Black women without their consent; and (2) Black women have a high tolerance for pain."

"Although there is a plethora of research documenting Black women's experiences of racism and discrimination while navigating perinatal care, much less has been reported regarding the relationship between racism and clinical care through the lens of clinicians' caring for Black women during pregnancy and childbirth."

[demaparbat-hp]

Oh, Aang, you're really in it now...

This is Zu—I mean, Jian Li and Katara's second meeting in the Kyoshi Warriors AU. The first proper one, anyway.

Once they get through a minor difference of opinion or two (“I can carry my own basket!” “Never said you—” “I'm not weak!” “I didn't—” “Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean—” “Would you listen for once, woman?!” ) they'll become nearly inseparable.

For now Jian Li will carry Katara's basket all the way to the Kyoshi Warriors' dojo and, once there, they'll mercilessly tease Sokka when they see him in uniform.

[soysaucetime]

We all pretend to be the heroes on the good side

does anyone remember that one trailer for KH3 where they showed a quick shot of Aqua (evil) in the realm of darkness........... I lost my mind back then over 3 seconds of content

[cosmiccolours-art]

WOMEN IN STEM~!!!! 💖💚💗💙

line art:

Again, sharing this here cuz' I liked how it came out

[emily-e-draws]

Sonia 💛

[98chao]

(smacks roof of white lily cookie) This cookie can fit so much guilt inside her

[mysharona1987]

[fangrurin]

Fashion of the Great Houses of Westeros: House Tully of Riverrun

[fantastic-nonsense]

you think Kaz Brekker's most iconic kill is the guy he threw overboard because he nearly killed Inej

I think Kaz Brekker's most iconic kill is the law clerk he dropped off a lighthouse because he was blackmailing a sex worker

we are not the same

[parksrway]

Queen Sonia ☀️