Huma review

Violence and society - >idealized image of China and the Chinese people: humane, peaceful, anti-violence, e.g.

韋政通, 中國文化概論 (Outlines of Chinese Culture) ( not true from historical facts)

Q1. A Chinese politician has once said: “In traditional Chinese orthodox culture (傳统中國

正統文化) and popular culture (普及文化), violence was strongly abhorred (被排斥). As

a result, Chinese people were largely non-violent and living in peace, and Chinese society

was harmonious for thousands of years”. Critically assess the historical accuracy of his

views, with special reference to China in the 1800s-1930s. Support your answer with

concrete historical evidence/examples.

Social and Cultural causes of violence in Chinese society:

a) family conflicts (patrilineal structure of society)

b) conflicts in local society (dominance of lineage organization)

c) ethnic violence (Han vs non-Han; Hakka 客家 vs Punti 本地)

d) class-conflict (new to China since early 20th century)

e) sectarian violence (e.g. White Lotus, Boxers, Red and Black Flags)

f) large-scale political rivalry (e.g. 1911 Revolution, warlords)

g) the importance of “face” (ego)

h) popular culture such as theatre, literature, martial art

Violence in orthodox culture:

1)conventional wisdom: “Chinese orthodox culture 正統文化 actively abhorred violence”? (Confucianism does not abhor violence)

adopt people punishment from legalism as form of social political control.

use torture to extract info from suspects(周朝)

a) filial piety 孝 (legitimize revenge) (棒下出孝子) (卧冰求鲤 -> self-inflicting harm)

b) judicial 刑 violence->display political power (body left on street) (intentionally show to public) (torture the bad)

(promote idea of heaven and hell):

References: Wells William, Middle Kingdom (1904); John Gray, China (1878) and

Walks in the City of Canton (1862); Thomas Meadows, The Chinese Rebellions (1856).

tortures; capital punishments (slicing, decapitation, strangling, e.g. Cheng-meng 鄭鄤

case); flogging; gong; cangue; cage; chains.

c) Violence = a justifiable means to an end, a public display of state power and warning

punish people who want to overthrow the king/ punish who does not follow order/done bad things(claim) (刘瑾 represent 宦官，they had too
much power, king had to 杀鸡儆猴)

鄭鄤: ，他被崇祯帝活剐了 3600 刀明面上的罪名是其政敌温体仁给他安上的，说他鞭打继母，大逆不道，还说他跟儿媳私通，给

a) cult of violent death; 鲁迅's "血饅頭" (Lu Xun’s “Blood Buns”) not fictitious; more

examples from One Day in China (1936) and news; long history of cannibalism (as

medicine, as symbolic power of ultimate victory and inflicting humiliation; Chong Keyray’s Cannibalism in China); postcards of execution.

spectacular enjoyment of executions + visualizing punishments ( connection with religion/mysterious power /练功)

b) concept of Hell (imperfect Sinicization of Buddhism); morality book 善書 "A Living

Soul tours Hell" + temple decorations (yan wang); violent punishments justified on wrong doers. (cock fight are believed to punish the bad,

They are the revitalisation of the bad)

(borrowed freely by secret societies), but who could judge?

c) morality books and folklores: e.g. "砒霜砵" (Bowl of Poison); ‘蛇郎’ (Snake Man).

（youngest daughter married to wealthy snake man, oldest is jealous ,killed youngest and pretend to be her. youngest was killed multiple time and
change to multiple things to warn snake man. finally youngest reincarnate /snake man found out and kill oldest ..）(widely acceptable and pursue
->violence as way to redeem justice is acceptable )

d) popular theatre and literature (props and stories)(depict /revitalise the scene of execution of bad guy(or violent fighting scene)(literature like 西
游记，水浒传 are full of violent element ,and is widely popular among peasants)(the pursuit of martial arts, becoming a 武侠 rooted in people
‘s mind and became their desired professional )(one is to protect themselves ,but another reason being 切磋/contribute the military-> constant
war -> not living in peace)

Other factors/example/Social Context:

Failure of legal system/local gov: County/gentry rules society (lobbying, communal violence) power lineage affect officials /military’s decision
(corrupted litigation process)

Lineage village -> political parties _> fight to gain political influence (affect official decision)

重文轻武 ：reviving dying state, restore passing glory.(inner sage outer kinship) (ideology affects how imperial court is architecturally structured.)

陈汤 highly praised after eliminating branches of Hungarians:郅友 (huge rewards from kings )

Ongoing feuding result in frequent violence

1) feuds reflected growth of lineage power because of the spread of extensive local

trading networks and the development of a more commercialized economy; feuds helped.

lead to formation of corporate communities; horizontal loyalty and social cohesion

2) feuding was customary practice (“normal”) > anomaly in this region

3) the important role of self-esteem and highly ostentatious competition among

communities

4) local militarization since late Ming (1550s); out of reach of state controls, both

coercive and spiritual; resistance to taxes and arrests prevailed.

5) failure of legal system in the sense that (a) powerful lineages with close link with local

military/civil officials were bullying ---> abused parties could only take matters into own

hands, (b) litigation between lineages fostered corruption in the form of bribery among
venal local officials, which, in turn, helped perpetuate feuding.

6) “adopted sons” were used; professional mercenaries were hired; local bullies were

pampered ---> gangster groups flourished.

7) expensiveness: to maintain a standing bands of armed men; to purchase modern

weapons; to award the death; litigation cost ---> lineages in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou

involved in salt and opium smuggling to finance feuding.

2.Why the ideals (理想) of ‘3 followings’ (三從) and ‘4 virtues’ (四德), ‘illiteracy is a

woman’s virtue’ (女子無才便是德), chastity (貞節), “blinded/arranged marriages” (盲

婚), concubinage (納妾), “keeping women inside their bedrooms” (三步不出閨門), and

the “evil customs” of female infanticide (殺女嬰) and foot-binding (纏足) are not.

unquestionably strong evidence of men’s oppression (壓迫) against women in traditional

China?

Woman

Chasity:

陳宏謀 : 教女遺規 / 班绍: manual/ girl in rich family receive relevant education soon before marriage .

Not goal for women

Prevalence of premarital sex Po Leung Kuk cases; folk practices of 露頭妻 (morning dew wife)

prevalence of adulterous behaviour; not always ended in death penalty (while men certainly has more serious punishment when found out cheating
(they are expected to be educated., fulfil the idea in Confucianism)

Hard to find chase woman (浙江南宁->rich province) few cases were recorded）

Widows are not discriminated against and encouraged to married again.

Woman took initiative ask men for 私奔.

Case of Ms. He-> Mr Lau died, live with son and mother-in-law, mother-in-law encourage her to marry again.

She refused. mother-in-law died; she served her son until he grows into a capable young man.

Abusive Family:

folk stories about ferocious wives => women did have an important role to play in domestic sphere

and public popular culture

Illicit Affairs:

Women was treated more leniently compared to men when found out having affairs.

Women encouraged to be a prostitute by husband to gain money (poverty, husband -> opium/gambling /prostitution)
Concubinage

Not common for men to have concubines (need wife approval) (women hard to live tgt)

Bind foot/chest:

erotic custom/beauty; status symbol; not universal; never officially promoted; women against women (out of love, believe this will

land their daughter a good man, since small feet means beautiful.) (erotic custom even exist in men, embed coins in lips/ear - >symbolise wealth)

(men never encouraged or prefer women with small feet) (decision dominated by women at home (mother).

Bind feet process not for all women but selective -> for who want to be beautiful- >to be married soon -> ideology (motive is not to oppress women
n, but pursue of beauty as women see)

Blind marriage:

Can move back with original family.

Delayed transfer marriage

Still wish match maker would find a good man for their daughter (multiple checking/selection) (ning lao tai tai)

Female Infanticide:

Child bride (check ning lao tai tai) (economic incentive)

Labor for family -> work in silk/factory/farming

Wealthy family tend to keep the daughter. Why? emotionally attached.

小喜 still 喜 (大喜小喜)

Oppression Imposed by men?

After the loss in jia wu war, opium war with Britain and French, Men found a good reason to reform and acknowledge the bad practise
treating women result in weak men and poor army, some of the educated promote the new altus movement, trying to modernizing China
and abolish practises such as foot binding, deprivation of women’ s education ..

It (the poor treatment) has always been taken note by men, but there hasn’t been a good reason or timing to introduce a reform to the
society structure and morals.

Counter: orthodox culture (Confucianism, 易经) did put men in privileged position regarding role allocation ,where men should handle
matters outside the home ,while women being the opposite ,result in the unpaid labour for women’s work ,which in turns put them in and
underprivileged position -> no financial independence can be gained.’

Prostitute :

types: