Feminist novel writing in (mainland) China is a phenomenon that emerged in the 1980s. By turning inward freed from male-centered literary concerns, a group of feminist writers have been trying to fight against patriarchal culture, and to acquire deep understandings of female experiences and feelings. This thesis tries to examine the achievements they have made and the dilemma they have been inevitably caught...[ Read more ]

Feminist novel writing in (mainland) China is a phenomenon that emerged in the 1980s. By turning inward freed from male-centered literary concerns, a group of feminist writers have been trying to fight against patriarchal culture, and to acquire deep understandings of female experiences and feelings. This thesis tries to examine the achievements they have made and the dilemma they have been inevitably caught

Following a discussion of women's marginalized position in the civilization, and feminism's aim of reconstructing this civilization, the introduction of this thesis examines the loss of female subjectivity in Chinese women's literary writing tradition, and points out the significance of the emergence of contemporary feminist writing. Chapter one is about writing as an effective medium to channel female life-forces which have been repressed by the male culture. Some aesthetic features by the feminist writers such as Can Xue, Chen Ran, Lin Bai and Hai Nan are discussed to show their endeavor to seek appropriate narrative techniques for the purpose of expressing female feelings and of fighting against masculine discourses. Chapter two deals with sexuality as a main issue of the Chinese feminist writing. Although women's position in the Chinese culture of sexuality has made this issue an immediate feminist concern, the excessive writing on female body not only shows the writers? inadequacy in overcoming male ideological influences, but also confines themselves in a narrow sphere designed for women by the patriarchy. Chapter three is about love as an essential concern of some writers. It argues that the obsession with spiritual communication between the two sexes in Chinese women writing shows actually women's willingness to accept male values and standards; and the feminists? writing on the imagined mutual understanding between the lovers, when in reality they are disappointed with men's loss of their idealistic pursuits, has revealed their deep-rooted psyche of dependency. The conclusion suggests that the topics of sexuality and love shall be weighed less than before, and a new step of outward turning for searching feminist writing territory in social issues might help feminist writing to walk out of its current paradoxical situation.