Chinese History Wild Swans Jung

¶ … Chinese History

Wild Swans

Jung Chang sources the lives of her grandmother, mother, and herself in her book, Wild Swans. Yu-fang is Jung's grandmother born in 1909; De-hong is her mother, born in 1931. This book is banned in Chang's native country of China. This would be a book that would provide interesting results if examined from a feminist theoretical perspective. The treatment and status of women in China during the 20th century is a central theme running through the narrative. There are marked differences in how women are treated, in what realms they are allowed, and what freedoms they may exercise. The central female characters in the novel marry more than once, marry "abnormal" partners, and also live without husbands. These are actions taken by American women in the 21st century on a daily basis. Many women in America marry early in life or later in life; they divorce whenever they choose and when possible; they marry men older than themselves and marry men younger. American women can procure prenuptial agreements, separation, retain custody over children, invoke restraining orders, and whatever else they can afford that can be provided by the legal system. These actions and rights came to American women as they came to Chinese women. The novel provides an intriguing contrast not just between cultures, politics, and countries, but also contrast between the lives of women of varying cultures at the same historical moment.

This book is notably about China. It is about China the country, but also about the development and shifts in Chinese culture and society during most of the 20th century. This is yet another story of a Chinese family heavily influenced by the rule of Mao Zedong. Yu-fang joins the communist party directly and works within a cell in Jinzhou. This also shows how women became more active in the national political process, no matter their stance or beliefs. While the more traditional facts about communist China under Mao Zedong are explicated, there are some less horrific details about communist life of which the average American may not be aware. Sexual equality did grow. Food was distributed fairly. These are not the typical details of communist China we learn about in America.