何謂「婦人媚道」？何種處境的女性較常使用「媚道」？「媚道」在 漢代方技知識的版圖占著何種位置？據錢鍾書考釋，「媚道」係一種可以使人失 寵遭殃，亦可以使己承恩致福的婦人厭魅方術。漢代「媚道」個案集中於王室后 妃的史料之中。後宮后妃競爭，妻妾「爭寵」、「求子」為當時家庭衝突之根源。 為求人主專寵、使己承恩致福，宮中女子便流行「媚道」之術。見諸史傳，使用 媚道方術的婦人，多是失寵、無子者。然用方術轉移丈夫情愛，操縱家庭人際關 係，化解自我失寵的困境，即是「妒婦」，連同其所用的求愛方術也被貶為「邪」 術。「媚道」大致包括媚術與媚藥兩部份。從《雜禁方》、〈相愛方〉的內容來看， 媚道是和合夫妻關係的實際技術，包括解決可能破壞夫妻關係的「淫」、「妒」等 問題。媚道在方技之學中殆屬房中術。按「房中」分兩系。簡言之，「養陽」與 「養陰」。婦人媚道為古房中之一支，可以定義為「御男子之術」。

　　　　　What is the "female art of charming"? In what kind of situations didwomen resort to the use of it? What role did the "art of charming" play inthe domain of knowledge contained in recipes and techniques of the Handynasty? According to Ch'ien Chung-shu, the "art of charming" is a practicethat women employed to cause someone else to fall out of favor, and to letthemselves receive the grace of their lord. During the Han dynasty, cases ofthe "art of charming" were often found in historical sources of the imperialharem. Competition for favor and the want of sons were two main causes of conflict in the imperial family. In order to obtain the favor of their lord, palace ladies used to resort to the "art of charming." Biographies in officialhistories show that those who practiced this "art of charming" tended to be women who were either out of favor or without sons. However, she who used the art to redirect the affection of her husband and to be out of disgrace would be considered a "jealous woman." The art used in its effect would also be condemned as "eviF practice. The "an of charming" constitutes mainly of techniques on the onehand and medicinal preparations on the other. The content oftsa chin-fang 1-1-7 and hsiang-aifang 相愛 方 reveal that the art of charming could be.