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Tang Dynasty Divorce Agreement Unearthed in Dunhuang
In the conception of many people, women in ancient time had no social status at all. But after reading the Tang Dynasty divorce agreement unearthed from a cave of Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province, people will not only change their mind, but also admire Tang people's attitude toward the break-up of marriage.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Library Cave at the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The recent hottest topic of conversation in Beijing, apart from the publication of the result of the college entrance examination, is the visit paid to the "2000 Beijing Dunhuang Art Exhibition". The works of art displayed in the exhibition are so many that one's eyes cannot take in all of them. But what is most interesting is the Tang people's "Agreement on Letting the Wife Go" unearthed in the cave of Dunhuang.
It's reported that the main content of this ancient divorce agreement is as follows:
"The reason why man and woman today become husband and wife because they had been attached to each other in their pre-existence. If later the marriage proves to be inappropriate, the two become antagonistic to each other. Since the couple think differently, they can hardly have a lover's knot, under this circumstance, it'd be better for them to meet their respective relatives and return to their respective original way of life. The man said: I wish that you, my wife, after divorce, would comb your beautiful hair again and paint your pretty eyebrows, and thus present your gracefulness and marry a man of high social status. Then we put an end to our enmity, refrain from resenting each other. Henceforth, we will feel relaxed after separation and will enjoy happiness."
It is apparent from this agreement that the reason for the divorce of this couple of Tang Dynasty is due to disharmony in their feeling.
At the same time, the words "we will feel relaxed after separation and will enjoy happiness" show that they can come together and part from each other peacefully. In addition, the broadmindedness of the man who blessed his wife and wished her a happy marriage with a man of high social status astonished many visitors.
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