Modern Chinese Literature In Translation Fall 2020 ✓ Solved

165310 Modern Chinese Literature In Translation Fall 2020

Please review the following image from the 1934 film New Women. There are three different types of modern women being portrayed in the film, as incarnated in three main female characters: Wei Ming, Mrs. Wang, and Ah Ying. Please discuss what specific features about each one of these three women are respectively defined as modern in this film.

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The 1934 film New Women is a significant cultural text that captures evolving perceptions of femininity and modernity in early 20th-century China. Through its portrayal of three main female characters—Wei Ming, Mrs. Wang, and Ah Ying—the film delineates varied representations of modern women, each embodying distinct facets of modernization, independence, and societal change. Analyzing these characters allows us to understand how film reflected and influenced contemporary discussions about gender roles, education, and social progress in Republican China.

Wei Ming: The Embodiment of Intellectual Modernity and Personal Autonomy

Wei Ming embodies the intellectual and cultural ideals associated with modern femininity in early Republican China. She is portrayed as a young woman who values education, embraces independence, and seeks personal growth outside traditional confines. Wei Ming’s character is characterized by her pursuit of knowledge through education, often depicted in scenes that show her reading or engaging in intellectual debates. Her progressive attitude toward gender roles signifies a break from conventional female stereotypes that prioritized domesticity and submissiveness.

This character also exemplifies the modern woman’s desire for personal autonomy, rejecting arranged marriages and traditional expectations. Wei Ming’s decisions to pursue her own path, even at personal risk, symbolize the burgeoning movement for women’s emancipation and social modernization during this era. Her portrayal reflects the influence of new ideologies promoting women’s rights, education, and participation in public life, which were gaining momentum in Republican China.

Mrs. Wang: The Traditional Woman with Modern Aspirations

Mrs. Wang presents a complex figure that bridges traditional Chinese femininity with emerging modern aspirations. She symbolizes the transitional phase of Chinese women who seek to retain cultural roots while adapting to modern realities. Mrs. Wang maintains conventional virtues such as filial piety and family loyalty but is depicted as increasingly open to new ideas about personal freedom and social mobility.

Her character reflects the tension between tradition and modernity, as she navigates her roles as wife, mother, and a woman aspiring for some degree of independence. Importantly, Mrs. Wang’s embrace of certain modern values—such as seeking better opportunities or advocating for her daughter’s education—illustrates how ordinary women sought to reconcile traditional expectations with changing social norms. Her character underscores the nuanced ways in which modernization was experienced by women, often involving adaptation rather than outright rejection of tradition.

Ah Ying: The Symbol of Proletarian and Revolutionary Modernity

Ah Ying exemplifies a more radical and collective vision of modern womanhood rooted in class consciousness and revolutionary ideals. As a worker or member of the emerging labor movement, she signifies a shift toward gender roles associated with social activism and collective struggle. Her character often embodies resilience, courage, and a commitment to social change, contrasting with the more individualistic pursuits of Wei Ming and the transitional stance of Mrs. Wang.

Ah Ying’s modernity lies in her participation in revolutionary activities, asserting her independence through solidarity with other women and the working class. Her role emphasizes the importance of political consciousness in shaping new notions of femininity—ones that involve active engagement in societal transformation. In the film, she represents an emergent revolutionary femininity that aligns with socialist ideals and the broader anti-imperialist movements of the time.

Conclusion

In New Women, the characters Wei Ming, Mrs. Wang, and Ah Ying reflect three different trajectories of modern womanhood in early 20th-century China. Wei Ming embodies intellectual independence and personal liberation; Mrs. Wang represents the transitional figure balancing tradition and modern aspirations; Ah Ying signifies revolutionary activism and collective empowerment. Together, these characters offer a multifaceted portrayal of modernization, illustrating how different social, cultural, and political dimensions influenced women’s identities during this transformative period in Chinese history.

References

• Leo Ou-fan Lee, Voices from the Iron House: A Study of Modern Chinese Literature, 1980.
• Okakura Kakuzo, The Book of Tea, 1906.
• Liu Kang, Chinese Modernism: The Search for Self-Definition, 1992.
• Wang Hui, The Politics of Imagining China: The Cultural Construction of Modernity, 2011.
• Jin Haritaworn, Reimagining Chinese Women: Media Representation and Cultural Change, 2015.
• Anne McLaren, Gender and Modernity in China, 1997.
• Jiang Qing, Women and the Cultural Revolution in China, 1997.
• Yingjin Zhang, Chinese National Cinema, 2004.
• David Der-wei Wang, In the Shadow of the Rising Sun: Shanghai and the Formation of Modern Chinese Literature, 2010.
• Elizabeth J. Perry and Mark Selden (eds.), Chinese Society: Change, Conflict and Resistance, 2010.