SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHANGING STATUS OF CHINESE WOMAN IN THE ERA OF IMPLEMENTED MODERNIZATION
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394
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Information about authors: Ishutina Yuliya Aleksandrovna, PhD in Culturology, Associate Professor, Chinese Department Chair of the Oriental Institute, School of Regional and International Researches, Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russian Federation). E-mail: ishutina.yua@dvfu.ru
Annotation: The article is devoted to the transformation of the status of women in both parts of modern China. The science idea is that changes in the social status of a woman depend not only on the starting conditions: place of birth, available educational environment, personality and character features, will and desire to win over circumstances, but, to a large extent, family as the primary social institution of Chinese Confucius society. Social mobility allows the Chinese woman to feel herself a modern woman, to realize her creative potential and professional interests, both, significantly expand her duties related to the change in status acquired by internal freedom, limited by Confucian understanding the body affiliation. The most sensitive prohibitions arise where the nuclear family disintegrates, and the role of the outside observer is assigned to the woman, since the child born in the father’s clan often remains there after the divorce. This cultural phenomenon is normal, although the global culture considers such an outcome of women’s rights. The accelerating rhythm of life introduces significant changes concerning the gender relations within the Chinese family and, at first glance, it may seem that the spouses are not only equal, but the advantage is assigned to women who make their choice on their own based on reasons of benefit, personal interest and love. However, the more obvious the problem of gender misbalance in mainland China becomes, the more noticeable is the part of the Confucian essence of relationship: a traditional wealthy man is able to organize his living space on the basis of considerations of the usual polygamous way, although such behavior is considered a violation from the legal point of view. Hence the well-known limitation of a woman’s personal freedom, which is still defined as belonging to the family and clan.
Keywords: Confucianism, rituality, women’s rights, modernization, gender equality, tradition and modernity.
DOI:
Article ID in the RSCI:
Article file: Download
Information about authors: Ishutina Yuliya Aleksandrovna, PhD in Culturology, Associate Professor, Chinese Department Chair of the Oriental Institute, School of Regional and International Researches, Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok, Russian Federation). E-mail: ishutina.yua@dvfu.ru
Annotation: The article is devoted to the transformation of the status of women in both parts of modern China. The science idea is that changes in the social status of a woman depend not only on the starting conditions: place of birth, available educational environment, personality and character features, will and desire to win over circumstances, but, to a large extent, family as the primary social institution of Chinese Confucius society. Social mobility allows the Chinese woman to feel herself a modern woman, to realize her creative potential and professional interests, both, significantly expand her duties related to the change in status acquired by internal freedom, limited by Confucian understanding the body affiliation. The most sensitive prohibitions arise where the nuclear family disintegrates, and the role of the outside observer is assigned to the woman, since the child born in the father’s clan often remains there after the divorce. This cultural phenomenon is normal, although the global culture considers such an outcome of women’s rights. The accelerating rhythm of life introduces significant changes concerning the gender relations within the Chinese family and, at first glance, it may seem that the spouses are not only equal, but the advantage is assigned to women who make their choice on their own based on reasons of benefit, personal interest and love. However, the more obvious the problem of gender misbalance in mainland China becomes, the more noticeable is the part of the Confucian essence of relationship: a traditional wealthy man is able to organize his living space on the basis of considerations of the usual polygamous way, although such behavior is considered a violation from the legal point of view. Hence the well-known limitation of a woman’s personal freedom, which is still defined as belonging to the family and clan.
Keywords: Confucianism, rituality, women’s rights, modernization, gender equality, tradition and modernity.
