Abstract
Ideals of femininities and masculinities (to a lesser extent) are often used to mobilise citizens in testing socio-political times. Familial roles such as mother and wife are prime targets for politicians crafting ideals of nationalism. Comparing the political rhetoric of two of the most prominent female politicians in Chinese/Taiwanese modern history, Mme. Chiang Kai Shek (Mme. CKS, 1989–2003) and Annette Lu (b. 1944), I argue that ideal familial roles have always intersected with politics during social transitions. Moreover, in the developing China/Taiwan contexts, these ideals parallel changes from feudalistic to modern society, and from authoritarian to democratic rule. By looking into the argumentative strategies and familial metaphors, I offer a comprehensive view on how gender, nation, and family values have been articulated in times of transition in Taiwan in the 20th century.
Highlights
Taiwan is situated at the strategic centre of the Pacific Ocean
It experienced a 50-year period of authoritarianism as the ruling Nationalist Kuomintang Party (KMT) retreated to the island after it lost the civil war to the Chinese communists in the late 1940s
The importance of familial roles in Chinese contexts has their historical roots and has been proven pervasive even with and during periods of political transition. These points should serve as important pretexts to understand how and why familial roles along with other discursive practices are vital for our understanding of gender, nation, and family values in Chinese political discourses
Summary
Taiwan is situated at the strategic centre of the Pacific Ocean. It experienced a brief period of colonisation by the Dutch and the Spanish in the 16th century and was one of their destinations before landing at Fujian, one of the provinces of China during the Qing dynasty, the last Chinese dynasty. This paper uses modern China/Taiwan as a case study to demonstrate how ideals of femininity and masculinity and politics are mutually interconnected and how Chinese patriarchy and its impact on family values have been (re)positioned to meet national goals and personal ambitions in times of national crises at the turn of the 20th century. C.K.S. advances China’s status (from traditional to modern) by way of advancing the role of women (from monetary to intellectual investment) These goals are consistent with overall Chinese modernisation where educating women as important national investment and incorporating women’s production/reproduction into national projects were needed. The gendered metaphor with a feminised China and a masculinised West is intended to rally the necessary aid and attention needed for China under attack These political rhetorics and deeds are all synchronised for a nationalised and modernised China by advancing women’s status and incorporating their talents into various national projects aimed at survival and. These points should serve as important pretexts to understand how and why familial roles along with other discursive practices are vital for our understanding of gender, nation, and family values in Chinese political discourses
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