Barren Writing in the Construction of Nationality: Comparing the images of Barren Women in Hebrew Scriptures and Chinese Literature

Abstract

There are many images of barren women in Hebrew Scriptures and in Ancient Chinese Literary Texts. The identity of the barren hides in their names, plants, feasts, special words in scriptures, etc. Their barren images show complicated characters because of their tumultuous marriage life, express rich personalities and multi-dimention faces which are beyond typical figures. The writing on barren in Hebrew Scriptures shows a kind of writing strategy which helps constructing of nationality and exalting salvation, and breaks the limit of their own grieve and walks into Israelite painful memories, displays cultural meaning of salvation. Hebrew Barren writing emphasis the necessity of pregnant, and brings valuable paradox theology; Chinese barren writing focuses on the persecution of feudal ethical code to those barren ones, tells us the necessity of their tragedy, and plays the role of education and warning.