Chinese feudal women have long been identified as victims of the Chinese Confucian patriarchy and discussed in terms of notions of backwardness, dependency, female passivity, biological inferiority, intellectual inability, and social absence. This image of the victimized women, however, is a product of China’s modernization and Westernization processes since late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century. Its formation is inseparable from the appropriation of the colonialist categories of sex binarism by the May Fourth male “new intellectuals.” This binary, linear gender ideology, together with the social context of Confucianism’s long-term status as the official, orthodox ideology in premodern China, easily led to the conceptualization of women in terms of absence, marginalization, and ultimately victimization. In this process, Chinese women became Woman, the other of Man, which constitutes a monolithic, ahistorical entity that masks specificities and variations in different historical periods and concrete cultural contexts, and obscures the dynamics of gender relationships. Kunqu (Kun opera) and the literati culture of late Ming (1573-1644) and early Qing Dynasty (1644~1722) surrounding it could be of particular use to demonstrate the problem of this binary and static conceptualization of gender in premodern China. In this study, I will be examining the case of two distinguished kunqu, Mudan ting (The Peony Pavilion) and Taohua shan (The Peach Blossom Fan), whose text, music, and performance raise interesting questions about femininity and masculinity in the specific social and cultural context of the time. Through this study, I want to help illuminate the inadequacy of the modernist, rigid sex binarism in understanding traditional Chinese gender ideology which cannot be reduced to the Western sexual physiology and biology, and to refute the ahistorical construction of the victimized Chinese Woman. / text

This research is a pioneering longitudinal study of Chinese women entrepreneurs that focuses specifically on the government economic reform period of 1980 to the present. The study makes a significant contribution to entrepreneurship studies and it contributes to our knowledge of women entrepreneurship in transitional economies. The study investigates the drivers that influence and factors associated with Chinese women's entrepreneurial success in China. The research also explores the motivations of Chinese women entrepreneurs in starting-up their business in the reform periods across the last three decades. A total of nine Chinese women entrepreneurs in three groups who set up their own business in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s were investigated for an in-depth interview, using narrative approaches, in a qualitative research methodology. How Chinese culture, government policy and massive domestic market demand have influenced Chinese women’s entrepreneurial identity and motivation are the main outcomes of the project. Additionally, the barriers, family issues and effects of relationships were uncovered during this research.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 197-218).

During the period of economic expansion and openness to personal expression and individuality following Deng Xiaoping's reforms, the Chinese avant-garde women writers engaged in a project of resistance to the traditionally appropriated use of the female body, image, and voice. This resistance can be seen in the ways they consciously construct a private space in their fiction. In this dissertation, I argue that this space is created by presenting alternative forms of female sexuality, in contrast to the heterosexual wife and mother, and by adding details of their own personal histories in their writing. Key to this argument is the Chinese concept of si (privacy) and how the female avant-garde writers turn its traditionally negative associations into a positive tool for writing the self. While male appropriations of images of the female body for political or state-authored purposes are not new to the contemporary period or even the twentieth century, the female avant-garde writers are particularly conscious of the ways in which their bodies are not their own. Moreover, contemporary criticism that labels the works of the female avant-garde writers as self-exposing, titillating, and trite overlooks the difference between authorial intent and commercial or political appropriation, which has led to a profound misunderstanding of these works. In addition, it has also led to a conflation of the female avant-garde writers' works with those of the later body writers. Therefore the purpose of this dissertation is to provide a closer look at the concept of si-privacy and how it intersects with various forms of self-writing, as well as how it is used as a narrative strategy by three contemporary female authors, Xu Kun, Lin Bai, and Hai Nan. Specifically, I consider the similarities and differences in the ways that these authors create and orient themselves in both their memoirs and their self-referential fiction.

The dissertation examines the significant yet neglected career of Yamei Kin, a Chinese woman whose transnational career influenced medicine and women’s rights in the United States and China. Although men dominated medicine, female doctors and nurses played an important role serving the poor and reaching women in China and Japan, where social norms restricted contact between the sexes. Thus, female medical professionals, represented by Yamei Kin, promoted the general welfare of the people, spread medical knowledge, and inspired more women to independence and excellence by their medical work. Yamei Kin is the first Chinese woman who obtained a medical degree in the United States (1885). A trailblazing physician, Kin broke the Chinese and Japanese prejudice against Western medicine and opened the medical profession to women in these two countries. She gave public lectures around America and England on women’s issues such as suffrage and prison reforms. She served as China correspondent of international women’s congress and shuttled among China, U.S. and Europe to improve women’s social status and promote the importance of women’s education. During World War I, she headed the research on soy food of the department of agriculture of the United States to study the potential of protein in soy and overcome a meat shortage during the war, enabling the public to maintain the same nutrition in their bodies even without meat.

Thesis advisor: Janet E. Helms / As the first generation born after China introduced its "one-child policy," Chinese female students in the United States belong to a special population that is under the dual pressures of their parents' expectations to succeed and the conflicting traditional Chinese stereotypes of women as obedient to men, dependent, and home orientated. Previous research on Chinese female students' acculturative experiences indicates that these women face unique challenges in redefining their gender roles. However, no studies have explored whether womanist and acculturative processes are related to this psychological transition. The current study explored womanist identity and acculturation attitudes as processes influencing Chinese women's negotiations of their gender roles and redefinitions of themselves as women while living in the United States. Chinese female international students (N=192), enrolled in colleges or universities in the US, completed a demographic questionnaire; the Womanist Identity Attitude Scale (Helms, 1990), which assessed their manner of coping with traditional role expectations; and, the Acculturation Scale for Asian International Students (Gu, 2008), which measured acculturation attitudes. Their gender-role traits and stereotypical attitudes toward American women were examined by the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) (Bem, 1974) and Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS) (Spence, Helmrich, & Stapp, 1978). Canonical correlation analyses were used to investigate relationships among (a) womanist identity and acculturation attitudes, (b) womanist identity and gender-roles, and (c) acculturation attitudes and gender roles. Two identity-acculturation patterns, three identity-gender role patterns, and two acculturation-gender role patterns were identified. When the Chinese women were self-defining their gender-role identity, they were participating in U.S. culture and integrating traditional and non-traditional gender-role traits and attitudes. Traditional womanist attitudes were associated with increased levels of rejecting the U.S. culture, traditional gender roles, and perceived dissimilarities between themselves and U.S. women. The current study is the first to investigate gender-role and acculturation developmental issues of "One-Child" women from a psychological perspective. Obtained results suggest that their adaptive processes are more complex than anticipated. Methodological limitations of the study are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Abstract Background: Female entrepreneurship in China is a practice which scholars have explored severally in recent years. Just as many Asian countries, the role of Chinese women has been undermined for a longer period. However, the 20 th century marked a positive turn in Chinese culture. The rate of discrimination and seclusion of women from economic empowerment started reducing significantly. Today, Chinese women are struggling to compete effectively with their male counterparts in entrepreneurial sector. The purpose of having women empowerment on the market economy is to generate more income to the country. Also, the practice lessens the rate of unemployment and high rate of dependency in China. Hence, it is apparent that the entrepreneurial actions in China are motivated by a number of factors that are presented in the paper. Purpose: The primary aim of the study is to determine influential and motivational factors for female entrepreneurs in China. Methods: The research has employed a qualitative research approach to determine influential factors and motivating aspects of female entrepreneurship in China. Random sampling tactic has been chosen as the methodology to discover data of women that have succeeded in the country. This approach can help to analyze a broader population of women entrepreneurs in China. Meanwhile, a semi-structured interview was involved in collecting data so that first-hand and unbiased information is obtained from interviewees. Findings: From the study of the influential factors and motivation for female entrepreneurs in China, it has been noted that the process of entrepreneurship among the current female entrepreneurs in the country can be categorized as either passive or initiative. While looking at the passive entrepreneurship among the female entrepreneurs, it is noted that those people are driven by the daily needs of their families. On the other hand, initiative entrepreneurship relies much more on human capital and social capital. The zeal and motivation that they possess lead them to developing far-sighted enterprises, hence contributing to the economic development of the country.

霍玉英. / 稿本(電腦打印本) / Thesis (M.A.)--香港中文大學中國語言及文學學部. / Gao ben (dian nao da yin ben) / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 319-338). / Huo Yuying. / Thesis (M.A.)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue Zhongguo yu yan ji wen xue xue bu. / 提要 / 目錄 --- p.1-5 / 前言 --- p.1-4 / Chapter 一 --- 論文的研究目的 --- p.1-2 / Chapter 二 --- 論文的研究範圍與方法 --- p.2-4 / Chapter 1. --- 研究範圍 / Chapter 2. --- 研究方法 / Chapter 第一章 --- 緒言 --- p.5-29 / Chapter 第一節 --- 晚清「小說界革命」及小說中女性形象的描寫 --- p.5-12 / Chapter 一 --- 晚清「小說界革命」 / Chapter 二 --- 晚清小說中女性形象的描寫 / Chapter 第二節 --- 易卜生戲劇、易卜生主義的紹介及其對新文學的影響 --- p.12-20 / Chapter 一 --- 魯迅的〈摩羅詩力說〉 / Chapter 二 --- 《玩偶之家》的上演與洪深的〈嬌妻〉 / Chapter 三 --- 一九一八年《新青年》的「易卜生號」 / Chapter 1. --- 胡適的〈易卜生主義〉 / Chapter 2. --- 袁振英的〈易卜生傳〉 / Chapter 四 --- 早期新文學對易卜生作品思想的攝取 / Chapter 第三節 --- 中國女性的覺醒 --- p.20-28 / Chapter 一 --- 中國近代女子教育的發展 / Chapter 1. --- 梁啓超興辦女學與蔡元培開放大學女禁 / Chapter 2. --- 西方教會學校在中國女子教育所扮演的角色 / Chapter 二 --- 秋瑾與中國婦女解放 / Chapter 三 --- 「五四」時期的新女性 / Chapter 第四節 --- 小結 --- p.28-29 / Chapter 第二章 --- 新文學創作的拓荒者-陳衡哲 --- p.30-50 / Chapter 第一節 --- 埋沒了的「第一人」 --- p.30-38 / Chapter 一 --- 新文學小說創作第一人 / Chapter 二 --- 女作家第一人 / Chapter 三 --- 陳衡哲與婦女解放 / Chapter 1. --- 「個人人格」與「性別人格」 / Chapter 2. --- 婚姻觀念 / Chapter 第二節 --- 陳衡哲短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.38-50 / Chapter 一 --- 追求理想的知識女性 / Chapter 1. --- 理想的追求 / Chapter 2. --- 情感的昇華 / Chapter 3. --- 晚境的孤寂 / Chapter 二 --- 撫育子女為己任的賢惠婦女 / Chapter 三 --- 小結 / Chapter 第三章 --- 愛的禮讚者-冰心 --- p.51-90 / Chapter 第一節 --- 人生究竟 --- p.51-67 / Chapter 一 --- 「五四」驚雷來天地 / Chapter 二 --- 愛的哲學 / Chapter 三 --- 冰心的婦女觀 / Chapter 四 --- 冰心的創作觀 / Chapter 1. --- 「真」的抒發 / Chapter 2. --- 創作的陶冶與思想技巧的攝取 / Chapter 第二節 --- 冰心短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.67-90 / Chapter 一 --- 時代的犧牲者 / Chapter 二 --- 中外兼賅的理想新女性 / Chapter 三 --- 孤寂的落拓者 / Chapter 四 --- 小結 / Chapter 第四章 --- 「五四」思潮掀起的産兒-廬隠 --- p.91-137 / Chapter 第一節 --- 敢¨ёł窠臼的新女性 --- p.91-104 / Chapter 一 --- 「五四」的産兒 / Chapter 二 --- 廬隱的婦女觀 / Chapter 三 --- 廬隠隱的創作觀 / Chapter 1. --- 靈機說 / Chapter 2. --- 個性與生命的表現 / Chapter 3. --- 創作養份的攝取 / Chapter 四 --- 廬隱的「停滯」 / Chapter 第二節 --- 廬隱短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.104-137 / Chapter 一 --- 精神戀愛 / Chapter 1. --- 「憂讒畏譏」的弱者 / Chapter 2. --- 「不畏譏誚」的勇士 / Chapter 二 --- 同性愛戀 / Chapter 三 --- 情智夾缝的新女性 / Chapter 四 --- 擱淺的人 / Chapter 五 --- 革命的「娜拉」 / Chapter 六 --- 小結 / Chapter 第五章 --- 中國的「曼殊斐兒」---凌叔華 --- p.138-175 / Chapter 第一節 --- 高門的精魂 --- p.138-147 / Chapter 一 --- 酒後的一派？ / Chapter 二 --- 凌叔華小說創作的取向 / Chapter 1. --- 站在時代洪潮以外？ / Chapter 2. --- 溫婉嫻靜中見剛健 / Chapter 三 --- 凌叔華對婦女問題的見解 / Chapter 第二節 --- 凌叔華短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.147-175 / Chapter 一 --- 新舊時代交替的婦女 / Chapter 二 --- 時代新女性 / Chapter 1. --- 賢妻 / Chapter 2. --- 家庭束縛下的犧牲 / Chapter i --- 沉悶的家庭生活 / Chapter ii --- 家庭生活的煎迫 / Chapter 三 --- 規矩以外的變奏者 / Chapter 1. --- 同性愛戀 / Chapter 2. --- 「娜拉」的踵武者 / Chapter 3. --- 孤寂的人 / Chapter 四 --- 小結 / Chapter 第六章 --- 拔心不死的「卷葹」---馮沅君 --- p.176-197 / Chapter 第一節 --- 大膽無畏的代言者 --- p.176-183 / Chapter 一 --- 敢作敢言 / Chapter 二 --- 馮沅君的文學創作觀及其作品的時代意義 / Chapter 1. --- 文學創作觀 / Chapter i --- 「為人生而藝術」？為藝術而藝術」？ / Chapter ii --- 情感的抒發 / Chapter 2. --- 作品的時代意義 / Chapter 第二節 --- 馮沅君短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.183-197 / Chapter 一 --- 不得自由我寧死 / Chapter 二 --- 「靈」的追求 / Chapter 三 --- 親子之愛與男女之愛的掙扎者 / Chapter 四 --- 小結 / Chapter 第七章 --- 黑暗中摸索的「莎菲」---丁玲 --- p.198-231 / Chapter 第一節 --- 「近代女子」的姿態 --- p.198-208 / Chapter 一 --- 從ModernGirl到「革命女性」 / Chapter 1. --- 一顆炸彈 / Chapter 2. --- ModernGirl / Chapter 3. --- 走向革命？ / Chapter 二 --- 丁玲的文學創作觀 / Chapter 1. --- 一九三零年以前 / Chapter 2. --- 一九三零年以後 / Chapter 第二節 --- 丁玲短篇小說中的新女性形象 --- p.208-231 / Chapter 一 --- 都市的惶惑者 / Chapter 二 --- 同性愛戀 / Chapter 三 --- 「革命女性」 / Chapter 四 --- 新時代的落後者 / Chapter 五 --- 小結 / Chapter 第八章 --- 結論 --- p.232-248 / Chapter 一 --- 婦女觀的形成 / Chapter 1. --- 西風的衝擊 / Chapter 2. --- 家庭背景與學校教育 / Chapter 二 --- 新女性形象的類型 / Chapter 1. --- 精神戀愛的禮讚者 / Chapter 2. --- 時代的犧牲者 / Chapter 3. --- 賢妻良母 / Chapter 4. --- 娜拉的踵武者 / Chapter 5. --- 同性愛戀的追求者 / Chapter 6. --- 孤寂的落拓者 / Chapter 三 --- 結語 / 注釋（一至八章） --- p.249-307 / 附錄（一至六） --- p.308-318 / 中文參考書目及論文目錄 --- p.319-335 / 英文參考書目及論文目錄 --- p.336-338 / 後記 --- p.339

Mental health disorder is the leading cause of disease burden in women worldwide. Pregnant women with mental disorder are especially at risk of having offspring with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate risk factors of mental health disorder among Chinese pregnant women in the third trimester. A total of 462 pregnant women in their third trimester completed interviews at three hospitals in Shandong Province, China from July to December, 2010. The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) was used to evaluate mental health disorder, and was defined as total score ≥160, or scores of any symptom dimensions ≥3, or total of positive symptoms ≥43. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the risk factors of mental health disorder, and to adjust for covariates. The total score and scores of somatization, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, and phobic anxiety were higher than corresponding national norm by SCL-90-R assessment (all p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression showed family income, relationship with parents-in-law, concerns about child's health, fear of delivery, and pregnancy complications were negatively associated with mental health disorder (all p<0.05). More specifically, relationship with parents-in-law, fear of delivery, preference on mode of delivery (Caesarean section), and body image concerns were positively associated with anxiety (all p<0.05); Fear of delivery was positively associated with depression (p=0.023). Family income, relationship with parents-in-law, concern about child's health, fear of delivery, and pregnancy complications were identified as potential risk factors of mental health disorder in this Chinese pregnant women population. Strategies to reduce mental health disorder are needed among Chinese pregnant women.