A Study on the Changes of Gender Morality in China: Centered on the Male Experience in the "Love Letter" Incident (1900-1930)

Yan ZHANG; Yuhong LI

doi:10.55544/ijrah.4.2.5

Authors

Yan ZHANG The Institute of History, School of Humanities at China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, CHINA. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0876-1329
Yuhong LI School of International Studies at Nanjing University, Nanjing, CHINA.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.4.2.5

Keywords:

New gender morality, Free love, Modern China, Gender equality, Male Experience.

Abstract

In the 20th century, China was an era of significant social changes, experiencing the impact of abolishing old and establishing new in politics, economy, culture, and other aspects. In terms of sexual morality, traditional sexual morality was criticized by Chinese youth and intellectuals, while new sexual morality was disseminated among young people. The love letter incident that occurred in such a social context is a representative event of young men and women actively breaking traditional sexual morality and constructing new sexual morality. This article takes two love letter events that occurred in China in the early 20th century and the 1920s as research objects, focusing on the experiences of young men in the love letter events. Using the method of seeking differences, it first clarifies the thoughts and expressions of young men on the issue of love in the love letter text. Secondly, it analyzes the views and debates of public power and social elites on the events in the love letter events, thereby revealing the end of the old sexual morality and the development of new sexual morality in modern China. In the two love letter events, the content of the young man's love letters both demonstrated his longing for new sexual morality. Qu Jiang faced criticism, while Qiu Gongyi received sympathy. The different experiences of the male protagonist in the two love letter events reflect the progress of China's modernization process in terms of neutral moral concepts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Chung Kuo Hsin Nü ChiehTsa Chih (中国新女界杂志). (Feb 1907). Respectful to the students of the Sichuan Female School in the capital. Respectful to the secretary of the Chinese Women's Association (可敬哉京师四川女学堂之学生可敬哉中国妇人会之书记). Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Chin Pao (津报). (28 Feb 1907). The factors contributing to student attrition (革退学生之原因).Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Hu,W. (Dec 2019).“The analysis of the divorce case involving the last imperial concubine during the transitional period of Chinese modern marriage concept.” Journal of Anyang Normal University, No.6, pp.44-48.

Hao, Z. (Dec 2020). Revising the self-perception and ideological transformation of defectors -- A case study on Yao Zuobin, mayor of the pseudo-Qingdao city. Studies of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.No.03,pp.129-145.

Jiao, J. (April 2021)."A cultural analysis of divorce cases in Liaoning Province during the 1930s."History Teaching, No.04,pp.54–60.

Ke Ying. (7 Dec 1921). Obstacles to the Future of Anhui Women (安徽女子前途的障碍).Fu Nü P'ing Lun (妇女评论).Full-text database of periodicals in The Republic of China (民国期刊全文数据库).

Liang Qichao. (2002) Bian Fa Tong Yi（变法通议, Beijing, China:Huaxia Publishing House.

Li,R. (August 2019).Liang Zongdai's divorce case in the 1930s and his divergence of opinions with Hu Shi.Journal of Wuyi University (Social Science Edition)Vol.21.No.03,pp.11-14+93.

Pei Ching Jih Pao (北京日报). (27 Feb1907). Qu Jiang's letter. (屈疆原函). Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Qu Jiang. (5 March 1907). Letter to Female Student Du Chengshu (覆女学生杜成淑书).Shun T'ien Shih Pao (顺天时报).Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Sheng Ching Shih Pao (盛京时报). (3 March 1907). Strange Stories of Student Affairs (学生届之异闻). Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Shun T'ien Shih Pao (顺天时报). (26 February 1907). The letter from Duchengshu to Qujiang. (四川女学堂学生中国妇人会书记杜成淑答译学馆学生屈彊密书). Full-text database of periodicals in late Qing Dynasty (晚清期刊全文数据库).

Shao Lizi. (29 September 1921). Dandy and School autocracy (浮荡少年与学校专制).Min Kuo Jih Pao (民国日报).Full-text database of periodicals in The Republic of China (民国期刊全文数据库).

Tracy Ying Zhang (Feb 2019) Enchanted masculinities: gender, modern magic and nationalism in early twentieth century China,Early Popular Visual Culture, vol.16.NO.2,pp.172-187.

Wu Xi. (30 September 1921). Anger towards playboys (对于浮荡少年的愤慨).Min Kuo Jih Pao (民国日报).Full-text database of periodicals in The Republic of China (民国期刊全文数据库).

Xia,X.H. (2016).The perception of female intellectuals towards literary figures during the late Qing Dynasty. Beijing.China: Peking University Press.

Yang, J.L. (2021). The Retreat of the Gender Door: The Transformation of Gender Ideology in Modern China (1860-1925). Beijing.China: People's Publishing House.

Zhang, Y., & Li, Y. H. (Jan 2024). A Study on the Interaction between Gender Morality and Free Love in Early 20th Century China: Centered on Du Cheng Shu & Liu Jiang's Love Letter. Integrated Journal for Research in Arts and Humanities, Vol.4. No.1, pp.95–107.

Zhou, H. (January 2020) "Zhou Jianren and the Construction of New Feminist Discourse in Women's Magazine", Journal of Beijing Normal University (Social Science Edition), No.1, pp.148-155.

Zhou, N. (May 2015). “Social Openness, Coeducation, and Student-Teacher Romance: The Love Letter Incident of Peking University Professor Yang Donglin in 1924”. Women's Studies Review, No.3, pp. 66-85.