University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences / Department of Communication

“Shengnü” (“leftover women”) has become a popular discourse in China during recent years. In existing literature and media coverage, discussion on shengnü often draws on population gender imbalance, western individualization theories, and women’s “too picky” mating criteria. Seeing beyond these perspectives, this research aims to problematize the myth of shengnü by explicating how this social phenomenon indicates the changing gender landscape and emerging new femininity in modern China. The empirical study is based on in-depth interviews with 36 women regarding their lived experience of partner selection through xiangqin (matchmaking). Their experience of participating in commercial xiangqin (matchmaking websites, matchmaking fairs, high-end matchmaking clubs, marriage hunting, and matchmaking TV shows) and parents-arranged xiangqin are investigated. Findings in the research demonstrate that empowered by a series of social structural changes in reform-era China, modern women have rising expectations in partner selection and they possess greater control over intimate relationship. It is argued that xiangqin in contemporary China provides a stage for rising new Chinese femininity characterized by pragmatic idealism. To maximize their gain in the marriage market, from modern commercialized xiangqin to “old fashioned” parents-arranged xiangqin, modern Chinese women proactively seize every opportunity to approach potential partners. However, while engaging in xiangqin, the practice in which the purpose of partner selection is directly and pragmatically foregrounded, they have not given up the romantic pursuit in their relationship ideal. The central discourse of “gan jue (感觉feelings)” in their mating concerns suggests that they consciously avoid downgrading themselves as slaves of pragmatism and proudly distinguish themselves from women of pervious generations who satisfy with conventional pattern of intimacy that centers on “da huo guo ri zi (搭伙过日子making a mundane living together)”. When dealing with intergenerational dynamics in partner selection, although they make conditional compromise pertaining to intimacy and resource flows between generations, they also demarcate their non-negotiable territory. This research helps to problematize the indefinable essence and transcendental nature in Western theorization of love; it also contributes to question existing literature that pragmatism and materialism dominate contemporary Chinese love culture under the context of market economy. It reveals that constraining cultural and structural forces still limit single women’s bargaining power in current Chinese society; and modern Chinese women make different kinds of adjustments to expand their life opportunities. Through frankly articulating their materially grounded concerns in partner selection, they redefine romance in precarious social environment and stage new morality in post-socialist China. By sticking to a “bu cou huo (不凑合no compromise)” stance in their pursuit of love, they demonstrate their persistence and strength as modern Chinese women. Their relevant site-specific femininity performance also exemplifies the flexibility of modern women in achieving their life ambitions. / published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Ling, Qi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Philosophy

吳鳳儀. / 論文(哲學碩士) -- 香港中文大學硏究院人類學部, 1997. / 參考文獻: leaves 127-134. / Wu Fengyi. / 前頁圖片：自梳女在姑婆屋之生活 --- p.i / 致辭 --- p.ii / 圖表目錄 --- p.iv / Chapter 第一章 --- 導論 --- p.1 / Chapter 一、 --- 硏究緣起 --- p.1 / Chapter 二、 --- 硏究架構 --- p.5 / Chapter 三、 --- 硏究方法 --- p.7 / Chapter 1. --- 參與與觀察 --- p.7 / Chapter 2. --- 深入訪談 --- p.7 / Chapter 3. --- 官方及地方文獻資料的應用 --- p.8 / Chapter 4. --- 田野實際調查時間表 --- p.8 / Chapter 四、 --- 文獻回顧 --- p.9 / Chapter 第二章 --- 絲山村的地理及人文生態背景 --- p.16 / Chapter 一、 --- 地理環境 --- p.16 / Chapter 1. --- 絲山村的沙田 --- p.17 / Chapter 2. --- 水路運輸 --- p.18 / Chapter 二、 --- 人口 --- p.18 / Chapter 三、 --- 僑居港澳的情況 --- p.20 / Chapter 四、 --- 寺廟 --- p.21 / Chapter 五、 --- 宗教活動 --- p.25 / Chapter 1. --- 關帝出游 --- p.26 / Chapter 2. --- 舞火龍 --- p.26 / Chapter 3. --- 喪禮 --- p.26 / Chapter 六、 --- 墟市 --- p.28 / Chapter 七、 --- 敎育 --- p.30 / Chapter 八、 --- 桑基魚塘及農業的發展 --- p.31 / Chapter 九、 --- 住屋 --- p.34 / Chapter 十、 --- 衣食 --- p.37 / Chapter 第三章 --- 不落夫家的婚姻情況 --- p.40 / Chapter 一、 --- 何謂不落夫家 --- p.40 / Chapter 1. --- 順德市內的婚姻形態及過程 --- p.41 / Chapter (1) --- 不落夫家婚姻形態 --- p.41 / Chapter (2) --- 不落夫家結婚過程 --- p.43 / Chapter 2. --- 學者對不落夫家的誤解及回應 --- p.49 / Chapter 3. --- 「買門口」的婚俗 --- p.52 / Chapter (1) --- 形成買門口的原因 --- p.53 / Chapter 4. --- 絲山村的買門口婚俗中顯示不同的應對方式 --- p.56 / Chapter (1) --- 轎心姑婆 --- p.56 / Chapter (2) --- 冥婚的情況 --- p.58 / Chapter 二、 --- 不落夫家者婚後的生活 --- p.63 / Chapter 1. --- 經濟就業 --- p.63 / Chapter (1) --- 經濟支持 --- p.63 / Chapter (2) --- 姑婆屋內的生活 --- p.64 / Chapter 2. --- 不落夫家婦女的居住方式 --- p.65 / Chapter 3. --- 老病垂危的應對 --- p.67 / Chapter 第四章 --- 自梳女 --- p.71 / Chapter 一、 --- 何謂自梳女 --- p.71 / Chapter 二、 --- 自梳儀式 --- p.74 / Chapter 三、 --- 自梳女的形成原因 --- p.76 / Chapter 1. --- 家庭絲業經濟勞動力需要 --- p.76 / Chapter 2. --- 繅絲廠人力的需求 --- p.77 / Chapter 3. --- 養蠶習俗 --- p.79 / Chapter 4. --- 家庭及心理因素 --- p.81 / Chapter 四、 --- 姑婆屋一一自梳女的聚居 處 --- p.84 / Chapter 1. --- 姑婆屋的建立 --- p.85 / Chapter 2. --- 姑婆屋內的情形 --- p.86 / Chapter (1) --- 過時節令 --- p.90 / Chapter (2) --- 標會 --- p.95 / Chapter (3) --- 屋內成員（自梳女）去世 --- p.96 / Chapter 五、 --- 自梳女的收徒與祭祀繼承 --- p.101 / Chapter 1. --- 自梳女對遺產之安排 --- p.101 / Chapter 2. --- 自梳女收徒與承繼 --- p.102 / Chapter 3. --- 自梳女對承繼的看法 --- p.103 / Chapter 第五章 --- 金蘭契與貞節觀 --- p.104 / Chapter 一、 --- 金蘭契的締結 --- p.104 / Chapter 1. --- 何謂結拜金蘭 --- p.104 / Chapter 2. --- 締結金蘭的儀式 --- p.105 / Chapter 3. --- 結拜後的情況 --- p.106 / Chapter 4. --- 死後的處理 --- p.109 / Chapter 二、 --- 村人對貞節觀的看法 --- p.112 / Chapter 三、 --- 自梳女對貞節觀的看法 --- p.113 / Chapter 四、 --- 自梳女對不落夫家的看法 --- p.115 / Chapter 五、 --- 村內男女對兩婚俗及此群女子的看法 --- p.116 / Chapter 第六章 --- 結論 --- p.117 / Chapter 附錄： --- 主要報導人簡介 --- p.123 / 參考書目 --- p.127 / Chapter 一、 --- 中文參考書目 --- p.127 / Chapter 二、 --- 英文參考書目 --- p.131