Abstract: The Lienü Zhuan sections in the four local chronicles of Baoding from the Ming and Qing Dynasties include numerous accounts of officially recognized women's deeds. This paper examines the criteria for women's inclusion in these biographies and summarizes the reasons and impacts. Generally, only women who exhibited chastity, filial piety, intelligence, longevity, or had many children were eligible for inclusion in the Lienü Zhuan. The variations in categories and numbers of women listed across different chronicles reflect changes in the standards for evaluating women and also indicate shifts in the historical context. Given the formulaic nature of the Lienü Zhuan in local chronicles, the deeds of the women included should be examined from multiple dimensions and not simply viewed as instances of coercion and oppression.

Key words: Lienü Zhuan, local chronicles, Baoding Prefecture(County)