Transformation of China

China has undergone great changes in society since 1911 Revolution. A republic was proclaimed, and the story of three daughters of China, Yu-fang, her daughter De-hong, and her granddaughter Jung Chang reflects the changes of China. These three women experience the transformation of China, from the conventional society to nationalistic one, from a republic to a communist China , from anti-rightists to the re-opening of China. All these changes took place within sixty years. These make the Chinese women change as well as everyone in China. In this essay, I am going to examine the transformation of society in China that is described in the book Jung Chang’ s Wild Swans.

The conventional society still exists although the republic is proclaimed. After 1911 Revolution, a republic is established in China. But it brings no stability. First, President Yuan proclaims an empire, then is the warlord’s period. China is actually divided. “People still cite it to argue that democracy will not work in China.” (P.35) Undoubtedly, the 1911 Revolution cannot break the rigid convention of China. The superiority of men is still maintained. Yu-fang’s husband is a warlord. “But he hardly spoke to her about serious matters, in keeping with the traditional saying: ‘Women have long hair and short intelligence.’” (P.42) This shows that the patriarchal rule in China as in the Qing dynasty. Yu-fang suffers also because of her inferior concubine status. “The fact that my grandmother had been a concubine, plus the age gap, which meant they would have to do obeisance to someone with an inferior status and much younger then themselves, was too much for the sons.” (P.61) Why does a concubine get a low status? Why do the sons not welcome Yu-fang? Convention! The Chinese society at that time is also superstitious . “In those days, a woman whose husband had died was superstitiously held responsible for his death.” (P.58) This idea obviously reflects the conventional notion and the inferiority of women in China. “The woman was a widow who had remarried, and she was being sawed in half by her two husbands because she had been the property of both of them.” (P.82) Compared to the West, the society of China is really backward. This notion makes women suffer.

Nationalistic feeling is raised greatly after the defeat of Japan in 1945, which has never happened before. “My mother (De-hong) joined the large, high-spirited crowd of young people holding colorful triangle-shaped paper flags.” (P.103) We can see that all the Chinese are delighted in welcoming the Russians who are the heroes in their mind as they expel Japanese. The happiness of De-hong, as well as all Chinese, is obviously shown. This also shows the nationalistic feeling among Chinese. After the occupation of Japan, China is soon struggled between Kuomingtang and Communists. Kuomingtang rules China up to 1949. From 1945-49, Kuomingtang’s popularity is declining. The society of China is also changing.

The society under Kuomingtang is still a conventional one, and stability can still hardly be maintained. “In 1946 women could live on their own and find work, like teaching or medicines, although working was still regarded as the last resort by most family.” (P.113) The society of China is still conventional. However, instability provides opportunity for China to change. The poor condition forces many people to join communists. “Many people had died at the hands of Kuomingtang intelligence.” (P.128) Great purges are raised to beat communists down. On the other hand, economy of China is also declining. “The economic situation deteriorated steadily through the winter of 1947-48. Protests against food shortages and price gouging multiplied.” (P.129) The economy is too bad that signs of “[d]aughter for sale for 10 kilos of rice” (P.130) can be seen everywhere. But this poor situation only raises nationalistic feeling among Chinese. The popularity of communist is rising greatly. At last, Communists defeats Kuomingtang and dominates China. China is then under communism. A new face of Chinese society is brought, with no tradition.

After 1949, China idolize Mao, All Chinese have to be loyal to the central government led by Mao and they have to follow his instruction wholeheartedly. “Put family first” will be a great offense at that time. De-hong’s husband is a great example of the loyal communist. “He was obviously torn between concern for my mother’s (De-hong) health and his principles, according to which his wife’s interest must not override that of the ordinary people.” (P.233-234) He is a good man. But his loyalty to the party, sometimes, is too much. The communist party makes Chinese love the party, but no body else. This has never happened in China before. Furthermore, the breaking of tradition also marks the changes of China. “Communists regarded any extravagant ceremony as wasteful and feudal. Traditionally, only very lowly people were buried quietly.” (P.236) The conventional idea has been broken. Before the Cultural Revolution, the Communists do bring many new things to China, including the raised status of women. “My mother, at least, was all independent human being. Whatever her misery, she was sure it bore no comparison with the plight of her mother as a woman in old China.” (P.252) Although communism makes people lose love among others, it brings changes, which help for the growth of modern China.

Changes are good, but the Chinese, later become blind. They believe in Mao without their own thinking. First, the communists transmit the idea that all western societies are poor and bad. “As a child, my idea of the West was that it was a miasma of poverty and misery, like that of the homeless ‘Little Match Girl’ in the Hans Christian Anderson story.” (P.326) The western priests are bad too in their mind. “Priests also invariably appealed as imperialist spies and evil people who used baby from orphanages for medical experiences.” (P.327) The children of China are under such an education. How can the society not be blinded? Not only the foreigners, but also the “class enemies” are under struggling. Mao orders all students not to help class enemies. All people follow, making “I (Jung Chang) no longer {feels} sure about seizing bags from old bags.” (P.341) This shows the power of Mao and the ignorant of Chinese. China is no longer a country with courtesy. “Mao made himself more godlike by shrouding himself in mystery…and become a wise new emperor exercising absolute authority.” (P.347) One cannot deny, Mao is so powerful that he can change the whole social system and traditional ideas in China, and blind everyone.

Chinese become totally ignorant after the Cultural Revolution starts. Jung Chang is one of them. “How can children in the capitalist world go on living without being near Chairman Mao, and without the hope of ever seeing him in person? … I needed to work hard to be entitled to see Chairman Mao, too. That was the purpose of my life.” (P.361) There are not only Jung Chang who gets such a feeling, but all Chinese. The words of Mao are divine. No Chinese question him. They may get questions but they will never ask as they fully trust Mao. “I learned to suppress my sense of reason. Most Chinese had been doing that for a long time.” (P.383) In the conventional China, no one dares to challenge the tradition. The war with Japanese and the deterioration of Kuomingtang raise our nationalistic spirit and more importantly, our senses. However, Mao destroys them. China is blinded. Unable to meet Mao in person causes Jung Chang to think of committing suicide. Jung is poisoned, so are the Chinese. Even the ones being accused accept the nonsense uprising. Jung Chang’s father says, “It is good that you young people should rebel against us, the older generation.” (P.433) Mao is just like a god. “I thought of Mao and repledged my loyalty to him.” (P.356) This is all Chinese’s faith. Under the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese society is in chaos. China is actually closed and all Chinese are living under a small circle, without understand the rest of the world, and their hearts.

In the 1970’s, people begin to wake up, at least a small part of intellectual understands the poor situation, including Jung Chang. Study in the English Department in Chengdu University makes Jung expose to the West. “For years, the things to which I was neutrally inclined had been condemned as evils of the West…As I sometimes wondered to myself, how could anyone not desire the West?” (P.628) From the thinking of Jung Chang, we know that some Chinese begin to expel the influence of Mao, and trying to build up and open China. “I realized that this was the kind of society I wanted to live in: where people were allowed to hold different, even outrageous views. I began to see that it was the very tolerance of oppositions, of protesters that kept the West progressing.” (P.629) What the intellectuals need, is not the conventional China like the Qing dynasty, nor the suppressive China like in the Cultural Revolution, but the society which can listen to different opinions. The liberal political system is especially founded by Jung. Soon after the Cultural Revolution, China changes again, by these intellectuals. China is re-opened again, and Jung Chang is granted right to study in Britain. (P.670) Representing all Chinese intellectuals, and all Chinese in the next generation, Jung Chang proclaims, “I was eager to embrace the world.” (P.671) Absolutely, Chinese are enthusiastic over breaking the wall between the East and the West.

All in all, China is transforming continuously after 1911. The road is not straight . But the change is fast . In 1911, women still got low status. But in 1976, Jung Chang, as a woman, was the first student of Chengdu who could study abroad. This shows the status of women is rising rapidly. Improvement is making without intervals, and Chinese society is getting better. We enjoy the fruit of our predecessors.