Independence and Belonging

Adopting a spiritual history approach, this book traces the evolution of the concept of ‘New Women’, which first emerged in China during the 1920s and 1930s. It reveals the profound significance of this concept, as well as the inherent tensions and losses involved in the creation of a modern Chinese identity.

Taking ‘leaving home’ as its analytical starting point, the study examines the life histories and spiritual trajectories of ‘New Women’ in Republican China. Although leaving home initiated their quest for independence, the question of ‘belonging’ remained an ever-present shadow. Through a rigorous analysis of notable figures such as Ding Ling, Xie Bingying, and Xu Guangping, the book explores how this tension unfolded during significant historical events, including student movements, romantic relationships, revolutions, and material culture. The book argues that when ‘New Women’ left home to resist arranged marriages, they sought alternative emotional support in new social relationships yet confronted new challenges. Ultimately, their spiritual history often led to two typical trajectories: sublimation of the self through dedication to a ‘greater self’ or a collective, or a descent into material consumption and the ‘bodily utopia’ of self-decoration.

This volume will serve as an invaluable reference for scholars and students of modern Chinese history, Chinese feminism, and Chinese social history.