Gender relations as well as the social situation of Manchu women have long been ignored in studies of the cultural evolution of the Manchu. By setting the discussion of Manchu women in the context of cultural adaptation, this study reintroduces gender and women's problems into the research on the Manchu culture by outlining the social changes in Manchu society over 300 years, which in turn have affected the social position of Manchu women. A literature review provides a theoretical framework to the understanding of the interaction between the social system of Manchu society and environmental stress. An emphasis is laid on the role of the state in cultural evolution and its influence on Manchu women. Two factors significantly affecting Manchu women's lives are the introduction of the Banner system and the process of systematic sinification. Cultural assimilation and maintenance are also major topics covered in this study. The results of a field investigation at Outer Firearm Camp In Beijing reveal a pattern of a mixture of Han and Manchu customs, which serves as a good example of how a cultural system be partially destroyed and partially preserved in the process of adaptation, and how women's status remains higher among the Manchu than among the Han. The Manchu's basic cultural value system with its emphasis on women's equality has proven to be remarkably stable despite many social adaptations to extreme pressures from the outside world. / Graduation date: 1996 / Best scan available for p.53 and p.106.

Ding Lai-Ling. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-167). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction / Chapter 1 --- The Miao History of Guizhou in China --- p.P.4-8 / Chapter 1.1 --- The socio-economic background of the Miao rural community --- p.P.8-11 / Chapter 1.2 --- Femininity of the ' feminized other' ´ؤ the Portray of the Miao women / Chapter 2 --- The concept of agency --Literature Review --- p.P.13-20 / Chapter 3 --- Methodology --- p.P.20-22 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- The Miao women's agency over the traditional drinking custom / Chapter 1 --- The traditional drinking custom in the Miao community Of Guizhou in China --- p.P.23-47 / Chapter 2 --- The acquisition of drinking habit by the Miao men And the Miao women / Chapter 2.1 --- The Perception of drinking among the Miao men of different ages --- p.P.48-50 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Miao women's agency over the traditional drinking custom / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Among the unmarried girls --- p.P.50-53 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Among the married women --- p.P.53-58 / Chapter 3 --- Traditional drinking custom and wife battering / killing --- p.P.58-60 / Chapter 4 --- Concluding remark --- p.P.60-64 / Chapter Chapter Three : --- The Miao women's agency over the contraceptive technology / Chapter 1 --- The concepts of reproduction and body --- p.P.65-72 / Chapter 2 --- The Birth Planning Policy in the national minority regions --- p.P.72-74 / Chapter 2.1 --- Among the national minority groups in Guizhou --- p.P.74-75 / Chapter 2.2 --- Within the villages --- p.P.75-76 / Chapter 3 --- Norplant ´ؤ The contraceptive devise assigned to the Miao women --- p.P.77-81 / Chapter 4 --- The coercive use of Norplant ´ؤ a devastating challenge to the Miao women's agency --- p.P.81-86 / Chapter 4.1 --- As the economic burden levied on the Miao women --- p.P.86-90 / Chapter 4.2 --- As the health burden levied on the Miao women --- p.P.90-94 / Chapter 5 --- Concluding remark --- p.P.94-96 / Chapter Chapter Four - --- The Miao women's agency over the family violence / Chapter 1 --- Theoretical orientation of family violence-wife abuse --- p.P.97-102 / Chapter 2 --- Major dominant script of family violence and wife abuse by the Women Federation in China --- p.P.102-106 / Chapter 3 --- The gender relation within the Miao rural community of Guizhou in China --- p.P.106-113 / Chapter 3.1 --- The unequal sexual division of labor within the family --- p.P.113-121 / Chapter 3.2 --- Drinking and wife abuse in the Miao community --- p.P.121-124 / Chapter 3.3 --- Wife abuse in the Miao community - From scolding to killing --- p.P.124-130 / Chapter 3.4 --- Fro Passive to active - a coping strategies continuum --- p.P.131-139 / Chapter 4 --- Concluding remark --- p.P.139-140 / Conclusion --- p.P.141-149 / Interviewee's profile / Reference / Appendix

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences