The examination of the traditional femininity and women’s lives in ancient China

dc.check.date10000-01-01
dc.check.embargoformatHard bound copy in Library onlyen
dc.check.entireThesisEntire Thesis Restricted
dc.check.infoIndefiniteen
dc.check.opt-outYesen
dc.check.reasonThis thesis is due for publication or the author is actively seeking to publish this materialen
dc.contributor.advisorHong, Fanen
dc.contributor.authorCheng, Chen
dc.date.accessioned2015-06-03T15:53:39Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.submitted2014
dc.description.abstractThis thesis explores the evolution of the concept of traditional Chinese femininity in relation to women’s lives in ancient China (221 BCE – A.D.1840). It proposes that the traditional Chinese femininity had been trying to seek a balance between the permanent principles and contingency plans for the stability and development of the society, which caused women’s humiliation and freedom. In reality, politicians and thinkers in ancient China had been transforming the concept of femininity itself to make it more adaptable to the social conditions of that time. This may be discussed in terms of three aspects. Firstly, the traditional concept of Chinese human relationships, including the ethical order, always emphasised the influence of individual behaviour on others and the overall stability and linked development of family, society and nation. Thus, both men and women, must be placed within this interrelated, interacting and cooperating relationship. Secondly, the association of family and country created an overlap of family and public affairs, which, objectively, facilitated the movement of women from the inner to the public arena. Thirdly, the notions of political and ethical morality and of men’s virtues and women’s virtues were integrated because of the union of family and nation. Therefore, typically virtuous women could be a source of encouragement for men and, furthermore, men formulated their virtues in the public space by formulating women’s virtues in the private space. The shaping of the gender image and concept of women in ancient China reflected the country’s changing cultural and gender norms. Chinese femininity and lifestyles, like Chinese history, were a continuous presence in the society but were also constantly changing. Through this study, it could be noted that Chinese women were not hidden and that their subjectivity and the concepts motivating them were not merely devised by a male-dominated society and culture.en
dc.description.statusNot peer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Version
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationCheng, C. 2014. The examination of the traditional femininity and women’s lives in ancient China. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/1841
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherUniversity College Corken
dc.rights© 2014, Chen Cheng.en
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/en
dc.subjectTraditional Chinese femininityen
dc.thesis.opt-outtrue
dc.titleThe examination of the traditional femininity and women’s lives in ancient Chinaen
dc.typeDoctoral thesisen
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD (Arts)en
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
5.62 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Decision to withhold EThesis Summer 2014 Chen Cheng.pdf
Size:
24.79 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Opt-out