Women and the Chinese Revolution

Women and China's Revolutions

If we put women at the center of China's narrative over the past two centuries,
How does this change our existing understanding?

This book explores women's labor and "feminine symbols" chapter by chapter, following a conventional chronological sequence of Chinese history. Two main themes run through the book: the first explores the significance of women's visible and invisible labor, both at home and in public, and how it shaped the transformation of Chinese women from the imperial system, the Republic, socialism, to the rise of capitalist power; the second focuses on the symbolic role of gender itself and how it intertwines with women's lives and interests. Furthermore, the book explores how applying gender to organizing labor, illuminating power relations, and formulating reform agendas changes our understanding of the context of Chinese history.

Expert recommendation
This book, using the perspectives of "women's labor" and "gender as symbol," summarizes the changes in China since the 19th century and the relationship between women and gender. The content covers the collapse of the Qing Empire, the establishment of the Republic of China, external threats, various revolutions, capitalism, and globalization. It can be said to be a monograph that spans nearly two hundred years of Chinese women and political and social development. The book closely links women's history with the times and takes into account differences in class, region, and urban and rural areas. With a comprehensive outline and carefully selected materials, it is an important foundational monograph for teachers and students interested in exploring modern and contemporary China and the history of women and gender. ─── Yi Ruolan (Professor, Department of History, National Taiwan University)

Women and the Chinese Revolution raises one of the most important questions in gender studies: How does women's history permeate our understanding of big history, and how does it transform history? Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research, Hsiao integrates a wide range of literature and methods to answer this question. This book employs a provocative and unprecedented approach, integrating urban-rural development with social and cultural methodologies. Its insights are penetrating and engaging. —Joan Judge, Professor of History, York University, Canada

Drawing on a mastery of diverse references and a profound understanding of the history of women and gender in modern China, Xiao traces the lives of women over two centuries since 1800 through a narrative that focuses on women's labor and the image of "woman" as a symbol of national strength and social transformation. Xiao's insightful analysis reveals how the perspective of women and gender can raise new questions about the dominant narrative of modern Chinese history. This book is a must-read for all students of modern Chinese history, offering a brilliantly written and insightful approach that is unmatched. -- Harriet Evans (Professor of Chinese Cultural Studies at the University of Westminster, UK)

Writing this book requires rare scholarly courage and breadth of knowledge. By focusing on narratives about women and gender, Hsieh transforms modern Chinese history as we know it; her case, centered on women's labor in China, past and present, is gripping, compelling, and irrefutable. It is a textbook, a highly accessible book, and a critique of our current global turmoil. —Rebecca E. Karl (Professor of History, New York University)

This innovative and provocative book reexamines China since 1800 through the lens of gender. Clearly and thoroughly argued, it offers many fresh perspectives, making it a valuable core text for relevant courses. Its probing depths have forced renowned scholars to rethink long-held assumptions. From war to popular culture, from economics to literature, from family life to mass movements—a wide range of topics are at your disposal as Hsiao guides readers through this fascinating reconstructive of history. —Kenneth Pomeranz (Professor of History at the University of Chicago)

2024-01-09

國立臺灣大學出版中心

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