The Mao Suit, Women, and the Countryside

maosuit1

“Strive for an abundant harvest, amass grain”, 1973. Artist unknown, photo taken from: chineseposters.net

maosuit3 “The seeds have been well selected, the harvest is more bountiful every year”, 1964. Artist unknown, photo taken from: chineseposters.net

For this weeks Word Press, I decided to focus on women in the Mao suit during Maos reign. These two photos show two different women working in the countryside who look more than happy to be there. During this time Mao was shipping many soldiers in his Red Army out to the countryside, due to their actions destroying urban areas. The Red Guards had become too faithful, resulting in many acts of violence and destruction. Mao began sending his troops to the countryside and encouraging them to learn from peasantry. During these days the Red Army would live and work in the country as Mao ordered. Propaganda posters, like the ones above, encouraged the Red Army to head to the rural areas.

your analysis could start from here:

The two posters above both feature women working in the fields. The background of each shows more workers and the crop to which they are tending. The smile on these two women’s faces look natural and genuine, showcasing a feeling that they must be very happy there. Red can be noticed in both by Maos words printed somewhere on the poster as well as clothing and the slight edge of the little red book found in a pocket. Through these two poster, I hope to communicate that women, during this time, were meant to be seen as equal to the men. They were able to work the fields and participate in the Cultural Revolution, just as much as their male counterparts.

nice statement

The first poster shows a women smiling widely as she holds a barrel of hay, proud to be doing this work. She is dressed in a red suit with her hair tied back. I immediately noticed her broad shoulders and her strength. She has been masculinized by her strength and the work she is doing. She seems very simple. Depicted without makeup and hair pulled back, from the neck up she could easily be mistaken for a man. However, it is her torso and chest that showcase her femininity. The person in this poster is a women for a reason. It is meant to express her support for Mao and what she has learned from peasantry.

denotation 1) the peasant woman as the subject/connotation; 2) the red color/connotation; and 3) the basket on her shoulder/connotation; 4) the background/connotation

The second poster, depicts a bit of a different woman. Her slender frame easily gives way to her gender. Just as the other poster, she is smiley widely while doing her work, proud to be apart of Mao’s Red Army. The one thing I found most interesting about this poster was the slight peek of the little red book from the pocket of her Mao suit. This one reference can express a lot about this woman. It shows that she is apart of Mao’s Red Army, just like many people of her generation. She keeps the book close to her while she does her work so that she always has his words with her. Both posters depict Mao’s words somewhere on the poster, but the fact that this woman has it on her person, shows her faithfulness to her leader.

Overall, the two poster of women express the work that girls were doing during the Cultural Revolution. They were not simply sitting on the sidelines, but transported to the countryside along with men and boys to learn from the peasants as Mao wanted them to do. The posters show the idea of a genderless society and the equality for women that was uncovered during the Revolution.

try to make the writing more analytical.

The Red Guard Rides to the Countryside

“To villages we go, to the borders we go, to places in the fatherland where we are most needed we go”, 1970, artist unknown, photo taken from chineseposters.net

The image I chose to analyze this week is a propaganda poster from the cultural revolution taken from the year 1970 in China with text reading, “To villages we go, to the borders we go, to places in the fatherland where we are most needed we go.” During this time in China, Mao’s Red Guard had begun to wreak havoc in urban areas. Mao’s faithful agents had caused too many acts of violence, becoming too chaotic for Mao’s liking. Although the Red Guard played a huge role in the Cultural Revolution and had greatly helped propel Mao back up to an esteemed government status following the failure of his “Great Leap Forward,” Mao became frustrated with the guard’s violent nature, and began sending the Red Guard into the countryside, where they would live in rural areas and learn from the peasantry.

What I found extremely interesting was that this image depicts the trust and faith the Red Guard had in Mao’s plan, and their belief that it was their duty to go out to rural areas and learn from the peasantry, despite it being Mao’s interest to reduce violence in urban areas. First, though, we must look at the denotation of the poster. Pictured is a train shipping members of Mao’s Red Guard to the coastline. They are dressed to modern standards of the time, in Mao Suit, with simple hair, no makeup, and no distinct defining gender differences. Two are featured as the focal point holding Mao’s Little Red Book; however, there are many more of them who look the exact same in the background towards the back of the train. The background is very simple, with no bursts of color, and the national color red seems to dominate the picture.

As I dug deeper with the connotation, what my eyes first drew their attention to was the facial expression of the two member’s of the Red Guard. They were smiling intensely, seeming to send the message that they were proud to be doing Mao’s work, and they knew that it was their duty to go out to the country side and learn from the peasantry. I noted the enthusiasm of the younger generation to go out to rural areas and serve their leader, but it struck me as shocking how the picture sent the message that this generation could be so happily robbed by Mao of their educational opportunities, given the goal of the revolution was to industrialize China and surpass other countries. The lack of gender defining qualities made it harder to distinguish man from woman, which to me symbolized the exaggerated message that the two genders were completely equal in this society. Their outfits and the presence of the Little Red Book further show the enthusiasm and trust the guard places in their leader Mao, and their undying efforts to please him. This leaves me feeling very sad for the generation Mao sent to the countryside, seeing how much they trusted their leader, yet watching their leader rob them of educational opportunities and a normal lifestyle.

see what happens if you could pair the denotation/connotation together. for instance, the train/destination and its connotation; the military uniform and its connotation; the little red book and the connotation ….

The Varying Uniforms of the Red Army

Propaganda poster for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, with Red Army and Red Guard members charging forward holding Mao Zedong¬ís Little Red Book (color lithograph), 1971. (Photo by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images)

The Red Army emerged during the Cultural Revolution of Chairman’s Mao reign over China. This rebellion is marked by a time of violence, destruction and loyalty to the Communist ideology sparked by Mao. There is a strong sartorial influence during this time period when the Mao suit was popular and the Red Guard uniform was widely adopted. In this WordPress, I will analyze the dress of this propaganda picture and the symbolic meaning behind the surface layer. Finally, I will conclude that the author of this picture successfully creates an inviting propaganda poster through their intentional decisions with color choice, character expression and symbolic meaning.

Starting with my first observations, or denotations, I notice the dominate red color that is a typical representation of this time period. Also, in the foreground of the picture are four people, a woman and three men who are presumably part of Mao’s Red Army fighting for his cause. They each wear a different color: green, white, blue and brown. The woman in white is holding a weapon as well as the man in blue. The man in green holds out Mao’s Little Red Book. Behind them in the background we can see a crowd of people all rioting with weapons as well. The four in the front all have expressions of determination and look out into the distance heroically.

Looking deeper into the connotations of these observations, the dominant red color is a strong symbol of the Communist period. It is a powerful color and a good way to convey strength in a propaganda poster. Focusing on the four front members, each once represents a different variety of uniform. The man in green wears a military uniform, the woman wears white, a color of privilege and high status as she probably works in a lab. The man in blue is a worker, typically a factory worker and the man in brown represents the peasant population. By having all these people working together it shows the unity of the Revolution. Mao’s plan was to unite all the people of China regardless of gender or class. Their expressions are very telling as well. They look aggressive and determined to fight. By looking off into the distance they create a sense of heroism and make this propaganda poster appealing. It is successful in inviting people to want to join the movement.

how about pair the denotation with the connotation. for instance, the four figures (denotation) as the leading social-political subject (connotation); the uniform (denotation) that defines its social-political identity (connotation) ….

Gendered Authority in the Imperial Qipao

Although Western powers were able to secure enormous concessions from the Qing emperor during the latter part of the 19th century, there was no doubt among the Chinese people in the preceding years that absolute authority rested with the imperial state. For much of the Qing dynasty, power rested in the hands of an emperor, not an empress. His clothing, the dragon robe, was replete with cultural symbols that signified his absolute sovereignty over the state. However, power shifted from men to women during the reign of the Tongzhi and Guangxu emperors because both of them ascended while still children. Real authority rested with their mother and aunt respectively: Empress Dowager Cixi. This paper will compare the robes of earlier emperors and empresses with the qipao worn by Cixi to reveal how cultural symbols reserved for the male emperors came to be incorporated in Cixi’s robes.

Emperor’s Dragon Robe
Artist/maker unknown, Daoguang Period (1821-1850), c. 1840, reproduced from ArtStor.

This first image is a picture of the emperor’s dragon robes. When comparing them with the empress’s dragon robes below, one can immediately note the color difference. Culturally, yellow is associated with the earth and symbolizes the center of everything. It is fitting, therefore, that the male emperor of China be clad predominately in yellow. His dragon in the center of his chest is one of nine that harken back to the Huangdi Emperor, also known as the Yellow Emperor, who brought order to China through literacy. While the individual characters may say longevity or judgment, together they refer to the imperial literary tradition of enlightened rule inherited from Huangdi. The prominent number of clouds, as well as the sun, stars and moon symbolize his connection to the heavens as the Son of Heaven, tianzi.

Women’s dragon robe.
Artist/maker unknown, Qianlong Period (1736-1795), c. 1740, reproduced from ArtStor.

In contrast to the emperor’s dragon robe seen above, the female dragon robe makes limited use of imperial symbology. Most prominent is the limited use of the color yellow, which underscores that it was a color out of reach of even the most powerful woman in China. Furthermore, her dragons are brown rather than yellow. This underscores that men, not women, were the only ones who could claim affiliation with the great Huangdi. She has far fewer clouds on her robes than a male emperor, which signifies her distance from the heavens as only men can hold the Mandate of Heaven. Lastly, her robes lack the writing seen on the emperor’s robes. Recalling that this writing had three connotations – judgment, longevity and enlightenment – their total absence suggests imperial disregard for those three virtues even for an empress.

Oil painting of Express Dowager Cixi by Hubert Vos, 1906.

Oil painting of Empress Dowager Cixi by Hubert Vos, 1906.

As this painting of Empress Dowager Cixi by Hubert Vos in 1906 demonstrates, Cixi’s robe is a dramatic departure from those of preceding centuries, which symbolizes her transcending traditional gender norms. It is important to note that Hubert Vos was tasked with making official portraits of Cixi, one of which still hangs in the palace. Therefore, his paintings are intended to be faithful portrayals of her likeness. It is also worth emphasizing why it is more appropriate to refer to her garment as a qipao rather than a dragon robe: there is not a dragon on it. Furthermore, it lacks the many of the traditional symbols – clouds, stars, mountains, sacrificial cups, among others – that characterized centuries of imperial robes. Wearing a qipao in this style rather than the dragon robes appropriate to an empress during the Qianlong era symbolized her autonomy over her clothing and China by extension.

Nevertheless, Cixi did clearly appropriate elements of the male dragon robe for her qipao to underscore her authority. The most striking comparison with the dragon robe worn by most empresses is the enormous use of yellow in her qipao. Her symbolically appropriating the color of earth, over which a man normally reigned, illustrates her supremacy over the state. Furthermore, her robe prominently features characters symbolizing longevity. As illustrated in the previous dragon robes, writing – which connoted judgment, longevity and enlightenment – was reserved exclusively for men. By incorporating them on her robe, she stakes claim on those three connotations as though to say that her reign is one characterized by enlightenment, justice and stability. However, the sheer number of the symbols of longevity on every portion of her robe symbolizes her desire to reign as long as possible to ensure a stable, prosperous China.

Her renewing the traditional qipao rather than the dragon robe might also have historical significance when one considers the events during her reign. During this time, the dynasty was forced to make more and more concessions to foreign powers at gunpoint. They introduced opium to the population, which crippled their ability to resist. These foreigners secured extraterritoriality, allowing them to evade imperial justice for their crimes. In these times of weakness for the Chinese state, wearing a cheongsam might have been Cixi’s longing for the era where Manchu women were the foreigners who were conquering a weak Chinese empire rather than being the ones conquered by foreigners.

nice work, the claim is well supported.

Altering the Qipao In Order to Sell Products

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The image above is a calendar poster that is advertising Grande, Price, and Co. from 1934. This calendar poster shows a middle-aged woman sitting on a couch dressed in a white, sheer qipao. The woman also has a smile on her face, something rare during this time period especially when the woman would have to stay in a pose for a long period of time. The woman also is covered in fancy jewelry, from her diamond earrings to her bracelets and rings. Perhaps this represents high class.

introduce a thesis statement righter after the brief image description, which will lead both the writer and the reader for the reading of this poster

Focusing primarily on the nature of the specific qipao in this photo, you can see many features that stand out. To begin, you can see that the slit is very high, displaying a much more sexualized form of the qipao. This high slit shows much more skin and contradicts the usual lady-like nature of this Chinese dress.

Another feature of the qipao that contradicts its usual classy nature is it’s sheer quality. Because of this, the undergarments are all visible. This shows a very provocative form of the qipao that serves the purpose of sex.

The last feature that stands out is the woman’s pose. The female’s crossed legs and arm on her head looks like she is waiting for a sexual partner. As we learned in class, it is “improper for a lady to sit with her legs crossed” according to a 1930 article in the magazine, The Modern Lady. When learning about the history of the qipao in class, we were shown images of woman with emotionless faces in simple stances. For those examples, the qipao was the primary focus of the photos. However, in this image, the qipao is not the focal point and is just helping contribute to the sexualized message of the advertisement.

Digging deeper into this image, we can see how the female body is clearly being used to sell the product being sold, in this case alcohol. The sexually inviting pose, as discussed before, as well as the two empty glasses beside the woman further indicates the sexualized intention of this poster.

this idea could serve as the thesis: sexualized female body and sold commodities

This poster sparked a lot of thought when looking at how it connects to our society today. Even though this calendar poster was from 1934 in China, we still are using women’s bodies to sell products. How can our society shift from relying on female bodies to sell a company’s product? Furthermore, how can we go about doing this without tainting such a national figure as the qipao?

the post could center on the argument of “sexualized female body and advertisement of commodities” and find visual evidence to support it

Footbinding

This image, found in Professor Tsui’s foot binding presentation, embodies the social-cultural aspects that resulted in the start and continuation of the foot binding process in china. Foot binding originated in the Song dynasty (960-1279) with the dancer Yao Niang who would preform for the prince a top a “golden lotus pedestal”. She would bind her feet in silk. The prince enjoyed her performances so much he ordered others to start mimicking her. This was the start of the term “Golden Lotus” in reverence to the tightly bound feet. Foot binding originated in order to please Chinese men who saw tiny feet as the ultimate sexual attractor a women could have. This begs the question, why would women endure such pain and continue the tradition on to their daughters just to please a male sexual foot fetish? To put it simply, having bound feet would result in higher social status by being able to marry wealthy men who desired bound feet. In this picture we see a young girl dressed in ornate silk clothing. She is also relaxing next to some tea being served in fine china. The photo shows a lot, beginning with the young girl, we see the early commitment needed to begin the foot binding process and the progression of the tradition from mother to daughter. Next, we should focus on her attire and surroundings. She is wearing a beautiful ornate silk dress, has her hair done and is holding a fan, all these contribute to her high-class appeal. Furthermore, she is just sitting enjoying tea, not having to work like lower class citizens. This photograph displays the tradition and increased social standing that went along with having bound feet. On another note, we can also talk about how this picture is a picture inning of itself. When westerners started arriving in china they were unpleased with the boot binding tradition, thinking of the Chinese as barbaric for allowing this act upon women. For this reason, Chinese women would often keep their feet and their continuation of the practice to their daughters hidden. From the start, not many photographs were taken or shared by westerners to other westerners of this foot binding practice. This image is important because it signifies the start of the spread of knowledge about foot binding to the western world. Again, when westerners found out about this practice they were shocked, asking the question I raised before, why would women misshape their bodies in lure of men? Now let me ask, why would western women crack their rib cages with corsets to achieve the hourglass shape their men desired? These two processes are one in the same. In both cases women morph their bodies in order to please men and to fit into socially constructed views on female beauty. I choose this photograph because I believe it not only gives us insight on the traditions of the Chinese foot binding process but also makes us reflect on ourselves, how we subject women to painful beauty standards.

Liu Jianhua’s Game Series: A Social Commentary of the Consumption of the Qipao

Liu Jianhua’s Game Series calls the authenticity of the qipao, and ultimately its cultural meaning, into question. Initially, the qipao was sanctioned by the Chinese government in the early 1900’s as the official dress for women in China. The qipao upheld Chinese national pride by showcasing patterns and designs specific to the Chinese fashion industry while allowing women an increased range of motion.

Chinese women were empowered by the qipao because they could choose the design and cut to show as much of their body as they were comfortable. Affluent women were able to dabble in Western ideals of fashion (by experimenting with Western patterns and designs) without backlash from society because the shape and the cut of the qipao were distinctly Chinese; this distinction placed national identity above the individual appreciation for Western ideals.

The qipao fell out of favor in the 1950’s-1960’s due to Cultural Revolution and the Socialist period that followed under Mao Zedong. The qipao had come to represent over-extravagance and wealth, which was frowned upon during the socialist era. In the 1990’s, however, the qipao underwent a cultural emergence due in part to China’s growing economy and political stability. What truly brought relevance to the qipao was the renewed cultural pride that began in the fashion industry and was consumed by the general public and the West.

introduce an argument first before the detail. also there is no enough room for detailed historical description about qipao in a post

This is where Liu Jianhua’s Game Series becomes important in understanding the peculiar place of the qipao. Currently, the qipao is a cultural symbol but does not have national backing as it did from the 1920’s – 1950’s. As a result, the qipao has become less about empowering Chinese women and upholding national pride as much as it is about the qipao a commodity for mass consumption. While many fashion houses, Chinese and Western alike, are paying their respects to the traditional Chinese dress, they have left out the designs and cuts specific to Chinese culture. good point, are you going to support it?

katy-perry-122766413 (Katy Perry at the Grammy Awards in a Western interpretation of the qipao)

what does the photo of Katy Perry with Liu Jianhua’s work? I feel confused.

LIu Jianhua purposefully chose to remove the heads of the women he sculpted to show the audience that when we consume the qipao, we are not focused on the people wearing the dress but on the dress itself and its ability to be modernized. He has the women positioned with their legs spread open to show the viewer that the qipao has become a object with which to objectify women. Qipaos now, such as the one worn by Katy Perry at the Grammy Awards, do not provide as much covering for women as they used to. is it better to focus on one image?

women on blue rimmed plate Liu Jianhua, Color Ceramic Series – Game, Ceramic Sculpture 2000, 52 x 52 x 23 cm, LJH30

In addition, Liu Jianhua purposefully sculpted the women’s bodies without arms to indicate that they are powerless to the men that objectify them, and furthermore that the qipao is powerless against those that interpret it out of the Chinese context. Liu Jianhua chose to put the women on porcelain plates as an “offering” to the viewer. These women, who are headless and powerless, are up for the taking in terms of the male gaze. Their bodies and the designs of the qipao are also available for the fashion industry, both Chinese and Western, to have as much or as little as they want. raised number of good points here which need careful and analytical explanation.

While some might critique Liu Jianhua’s Games Series as extremist, I argue that he is providing a social commentary not only for men, but for Chinese and Western civilization. It is warning against the objectification of women’s bodies, and the dehumanization and dis-empowerment that results. It is a sign that the qipao is not authentically Chinese anymore; it has been interpreted through various lenses within the fashion industry and has lost its origin, at least, in eyes of the average western consumer.

if this is the argument, then introduce it at the beginning.

Liu Jianhua_twowomenonaplate (Liu Jianhua, Color Ceramic Series – Game ,Ceramic Sculpture 2000, 61 x 61 x 15 cm, LJH12)

Sources used:

http://china.shanghartgallery.com/artists/liujianhua/default-a.htm#BIO (photographs)

http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?1487 (the inspiration for Liu Jianhua’s Games Series)

http://www.liujianhua.net/entext_details.aspx?id=10 (Liu Jianhua’s biography)

https://blackboard.bowdoin.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-507079-dt-content-rid-1515700_1/courses/ASNS2076.GWS2076_2016S/qipao%20slides%281%29.pdf (Professor Tsui’s Qipao powerpoint slides)

Transformation of the Qipao

These three images were found in Professor Tsui slide show presentation. By displaying them together we can start to understand the transition from the traditional robe, to the qipao, to the westernized qipao. In the first picture we see cixi empress Dowager of china in a traditional Manchu robe, also in platform shoes, indicative of a Manchu women who wanted to emulate aspects of the bound foot. These traditional robes were loose, had baggy sleeves and were long. As time progressed and western fashion influence was brought forward through the port at shanghai there started to emerge the original qipao. The qipao had a high collar, slits, and knot buttons. As seen in the middle picture of the qipao, they resulted in a more sexualized view of the entire female body as compared to just the feet in earlier times. The qipao displayed in this picture is see-through, not the case for all qipao at the time, however this further sexualized the garment. The qipao was shown to the western world through calendars, ads and movies. Westerners were intrigued by the design and emulated it in their high fashion runways. We see in the 3^rd picture a white woman wearing a qipao looking dress. The dress she is wearing has the same high neck and buttons of the qipao but its bright colors and pattern relate more to the 70s fashion style of the time. The Qipao has greatly changed over time and shows china’s connection to west through its transitions. Now matter what, the qipao is a beautiful garment that shows the great

culture of china.

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the idea of transition sounds, but the question of how the transition is made in terms of qipao denotations are not sufficient, persuasive enough.

Western Perspective of Qipao

world-of-suzie-wong-2

This photo is a screenshot from the 1960’s American film, “The World of Suzie Wong.” This film tells the story of an American artist, Robert, and a Chinese prostitute, Suzie, who fall in love. The photo above features Suzie in Robert’s bed, posing for him as he paints her. This movie envelopes and further perpetuates the stereotype of a hyper-sexualized Chinese woman who needs to be saved by a Western man. In the 1960’s the qipao shifted from a Chinese symbol of national pride into an article of clothing that enveloped Western stereotypes of Chinese sexuality and femininity.

In this photo Suzie is dressed and positioned to invite a Western male gaze. She is being filmed from the perspective of a Western male who is painting her. This invites the audience, who is primarily a Western audience, to also observe her and prescribe our own interpretation of who she is onto her. Her body is turned to the audience and she is positioned in a way that exposes her womanly shape, furthering the invitation to stare, fantasize and orientalize Suzie. This photo exemplifies how in the 1960’s the qiapo began to be viewed in a Western world. This photo invites Westerners to gaze upon Suzie as an Oriental woman, and it also invites Westerners to prescribe sexual stereotypes unto the Oriental women. good point which needs explanation of how qipao generates invitation of gaze?

Throughout this film, Suzie and all Chinese woman are hyper-sexualized and exist only in relation to a Western man’s sexual desires. This photo demonstrates the sexualization of the qipao in Western culture. This qipao is extremely form-fitting with a high slit that exposes most of Suzie’s leg. This sexualizes Suzie by placing the importance of her worth on her body. She is also positioned in a sexual manner on a bed, furthering the pairing of sexuality with the qipao. Her leg is completely exposed and both her breasts and and hips are facing the camera. This photo sexualizes both Chinese women and the qipao. refine writing

This film also focuses on the femininity of Asian woman. Although Suzie is portrayed as hyper-sexualized, she is also feminized. Suzie is portrayed as weak and as needing the intervention of an American men and this can be seen in the photo. The qipao is lavender colored, a color that represents subdued femininity. Although she is positioned in a sexual manner on a bed, she also covers some of herself with her arm. This shows that although she is a sexual being, there is also an aspect of innocence here. Her face appears worried or scared invoking feelings of her helplessness. As an audience we are meant to pity her, and therefore want her to be saved from this life absent of Western morals.

focus on the color

This photo symbolizes the Western view of a sexualized and feminized Chinese woman and it connects these stereotypes with the qipao. In the 1960’s the qipao began to become popular in Western culture. However, in China the qipao declined in popularity in 1960’s. This demonstrates how Western perspective can take aspects of other cultures and use them to develop false notions of these cultures.

focus on the relation between female body and qipao in terms of design, color, and significance

Qipao and Over-Sexualization of Women

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Liu Jianhua: Game Series (image taken from Qipao PowerPoint slides)

This photo, taken from artist Liu Jianua’s “Game Series” shows a woman’s body, dressed in qipao, on a plate. From this image, we can see that the woman is on a plate, with no arms or head. She is only wearing one shoe, and her body language appears to be sexually inviting, but helpless because of her inability to move without a head or arms. Her dress is very revealing and shows the entirety of both of her legs, and she is placed in the middle of the plate. She also appears to be slightly cross legged, however, not in the way one would expect to see a woman sitting cross legged. This image, created by a man, shows how the sexualization of women in qipao can become a disturbing obsession by men, where the focus becomes less about the woman’s identity and more about her body, in order to please men regardless of her will to.

sound thesis statement

The qipao was representative of the modern woman, the opposite of foot binding, where concealment was the thing most valued. The qipao was much more revealing in that it had slits in the legs, was tight to the body, and was sometimes sheer, showing off women’s bodies, almost as if to tease. This artist, however, takes this sexualized style to an extreme, almost as if he is exploiting the woman, leaving her helpless as if she was attacked. The first thing that leads the observer to think this is the woman’s body position. She is on her back, but without arms and a head there is no way for her to move herself from that position. She also only has one shoe on, which can imply a sign of a struggle. Additionally, she the way she is placed is in a sexual position, very inviting to men who find the feminine body attractive.

Another reason that this image could be indicative of a disturbing, sexual obsession of men is the fact that the woman does not have any distinctive characteristics that show her identity. Her face is not present, which shows that the artist and some of the observers do not necessarily care about the woman, herself, but rather only care about her body. This creates a selfish ideal where the woman is not valued for anything other than the pleasuring of men. The other important part of this image to recognize, as well, is that the artist does not indicate a specific man for whom this woman is to pleasure. She is placed on a plate as if she is food for any man to consume, regardless of if they know her or not. Her legs are also slightly cross-legged, which was usually associated with the modern woman, however, these women’s legs were usually tight together and while a woman was sitting in a chair. This woman’s legs, however, are somewhat crossed, potentially representing the modern, but they are also open and inviting, overly sexualizing her, especially with the way she is laying.

The way that the dress falls on the woman leaves her exposed and helpless in this picture. It appears as though she had been attacked from the way she is laying to the helplessness caused by her immobility and her lacking of one shoe. Although the qipao was a way for women to express themselves sexually and embrace their femininity, it is unfortunate that artists like this take this sexuality that comes from the qipao fashion and disempower women by exploiting them for a man’s pleasure.

nice work and could even be stronger should you reorganize the analysis in terms of denotation-connotation structure, focusing on one element at a time.

Fashion and Gender in China

Asian Studies / Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies 2076 – Spring 2016 – Professor Shu-chin Tsui