Soph from the future- Made 5/20/22
READING: Liu, Fei-Wen. “From Being to Becoming: Nüshu and Sentiments in a Chinese Rural Community.” American Ethnologist 31, no. 3 (2004): 422-39.
- Questions to bear in mind: How does the women’s writing and singing (nüshu, nüge) differ from writings produced by men? What role do these forms of “knowing” and “sentiment” play in the world of these women? Try the 3-sentence summary: What is the author’s message for the reader?
Through Nüshu writings, women are able to reclaim their voice, feelings, and privacy. This writing style went unnoticed by the men around them, ignored simply for being women’s work. Through this neglect, a secret script was able to form that was passed down from generation to generation of Jiangyong women. A main difference between nüshu and nanshu (or mans writing) was it’s connections to song- the text only made sense when chanted in that regions dialect. In addition to song, the script was interwoven (pun intended) into the act of folk art and other crafts that were associated with women’s work. These writings were intended to be private or shared in inner circles, allowing women a platform to express the emotions they were pressured to hide. The sentiment of these writings is what gives the text it’s strength- to quote the Liu, ” In Jiangyong, sentiment was not merely a carrier of nushu women’s worldview or an embodiment of their existence as isolated and powerless beings in a Confucian – androcentric agrarian community. More importantly, it functioned as an energy flow that prompted inspiration and engagement-which these women needed to offset and transform their isolation and powerlessness.”
Three Sentence Summary: Liu explores the history Nüshu, a secret script used by the women of Jiangyong. While ignored by men, this script allowed these unheard women to express emotions safely and connect with each other of a deeper, more interpersonal level, that was untouched by the male eye. This is arguably the core of Nüshu, and its importance in empowering generations of Jiangyong women.
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TO DO LIST
- Week 14 5-15 Report
- Week 15 5-15 Report
- Reflection #3
- Final Project
TADA LIST
- Week 10 5-15 Report
- *SKIPPED OPTIONAL WEEK 11 5-15 REPORT*
- Week 12 5-15 Report
- Reflection #2
- Week 13 5-15 Report
