Essays on Asian Culture TextThe content of the course focuses on american culture and issues facing new immigrants. Origins of chinese writing january 12th a the oracle bones inscription of the last shang dynasty xia gt shang gt zhou traditional accounts of early china present the shang as the second historical dynasty 1554 1044 bc succeeding to the xia and succeeded from. As one of the largest continent on earth, asia boast approximately 4 billion people with 47 countries wikipedia, 2009. From india to china, the derivation of differences across borders creates a unique and perplexing culture of its own. Putting ethnicity, religion and borders aside, the asian culture shares similar values such as filial piety, honor, and collectivism. On a more negative note, the female group is deemed less validated from their male counterparts across the asian borders. For the sake of narrowing my topic of feminism in the asian culture, i will solely focus on the oriental culture derived from confucianism that ignited the patriarchal dominance. Gender roles in the oriental culture have always been prominently double standard. The inherent patriarchal oriental culture strives men to be authoritative, domineering and repressive figurine whilst the women are expected to be docile, submissive and subservient of nature. Perhaps it was derived from its traditional cultural norms where the men were sole breadwinners of the family whilst women stayed at home. Since then, the discourse of expectations from each gender was severely divided thus causing a rift of roles between both sexes. The sexual division of power in the oriental culture is viewed as naturally intrinsic â for men to hold more substantial power than women archer, 2001. This particular form of sexism from a mainstream perspective is only considered wholly cultural in the asian community where solid gender roles are deemed appropriate. However, in this new age of time where the world is globally influenced through endless outlets, the rise of feminism has now posed a challenged as of what was long considered acceptable and only righteous of its culture to women claiming a more respected position in society. No doubt, the sexual division of power has usurped into the landscapes of beauty, sexual politics, education and her value in the asian society. Our writers can help get your essay back on track, take a look at our services to learn more about how we can help. Essay writing service essay marking service place an order the oriental culture perception of beauty is seemingly distant from the western's cultural standard of beauty. While western women relish the idea of exuding sex with tan skin, bigger breasts, curvier bodies, asian women prefers whiter skin, smaller features and body figure. The idea of whiteness in the oriental culture is associated with the underlying concept of the historical myth of distinction and an imperialist, racialized value of superiority. As the desire for white skin is routed for a higher status in society, the underlying myth distinction of white skin created the beginning of a gender disparity subtly requiring women to not only feel the need to be accepted and regarded but also noting the importance of being docile and subservient li, hyun, belk, kimura and bahl. Unknowingly, the oriental culture thus created a standard of beauty which aptly, designed women to be submissive albeit the argument that western women are also part of the submissive virtue in the iron maiden culture. However, the oriental culture sees a sexual division to be appropriate and actually ingrained into the root of the culture. Fences By August Wilson EssayIt is a custom practiced for approximately a thousand years on young women before it was banned in the early 20th century. The origin of foot binding began from the southern tang dynasty where tiny feet were viewed to be favorable. It translated to the fact that at the same time, it showcased the ability for men to afford their wives and also as a mean of sexual desirability wikipedia, 2009. Women were subjugated to immense pain at very young age in hopes to be marriage marketable. In pursuit of beauty as claimed, the tiny feet culture obstructed women from working which in turn, short handed women of their freedom. Unknowingly, this deformity subsequently created not only a deformed perception of beauty but also a deformed disparity in gender roles where men triumphed the weakness of women. The connotation of white purity as a sexual symbol works defiantly in men's favor to view women as properties instead as equal partners. Relationships in the oriental culture are perceived through the lens of sexual politics where such relationships are seen in terms of power. Subsequently, this exploded the marriage industry with the ubiquitous asian brides â in many western countries. Perhaps, this may be viewed as a business than exploitation per se, however, the concept beneath mail order â brides is enough to exemplify an asian woman's worth. In a bride catalogue, asian women were more desirable because they are unspoiled and submissive, thus, making them more manageable for men. Their oriental flavor â and less sexual nature distinguished them from being rude â and demanding â nakamatsu, 2005. Case and point, an asian woman needs to be soft, demure, docile, agreeable and subservient if they want to be marriage marketable. The culture was an obedient, and submissive wife is a good wife and a good wife does not retaliate her husband. She has to be less expressive and more suppressive to her own desires and needs be it physically, emotionally and sexually. The opinionated, boisterous, and energetic woman was viewed as a deviant who was disrespectful to her culture. Arranged marriage in the oriental begs no difference either when a father relegates his daughter's position in this institution reasoning that it is her duty to fulfill and not to be considered as a revolutionary affair croll, 1978, p108. According to croll, the reevaluation of women's position did not just affect her status in society but also towards her self belief, obligations and expectations. In china, the means of educating a woman was far distinguished from her male counterparts. For example, books such as books of rites of acceptable norms stated that tilde to be a woman meant to submit'. The book of changes noted that both men and women have their own certain places in the world. Ban zhao, a famous woman scholar wrote a book called nu jie explicitly stating the utmost importance of an obedient, unyielding and unassuming woman. But with the fast growing feminist movement in the west, more asian women were questioning their position in society. New scholars such as chen duxiu and other medias encouraging women's rights were surfacing rapidly. Women begin to take up the pen as a source of emancipation thus arousing materials such as girls' daily of canton, new youth and women's bell croll, p85. Who wrote this essay request removal example essays although it seems that this new emergence movement was on its way to a newer redeemed mindset, female individuals were not able to placate their own family members outrage. Therefore, creating conflicts especially within the domestic spheres such as the notable event of may 4th where students applauded li jun, a female who ran away from an arranged marriage whom later joined the work and study program croll, p107. An educated woman, then, finds herself caught in the middle as she finds herself in a more delicate position. Instead, she is now accused of going against her parents wishes and labeled as the ungrateful and disrespectful child which is heavily frown upon in the culture croll, p108 there, the asian woman is torn between her new revelation and traditional parents. The culture so heavily influenced by confucian made patriarchy seemed completely natural. The contemporary feminist thinking that encourages independence, autonomy and separation would only break the chain of inter relatedness of a collectivist culture. Hence, it is no wonder why asian women find themselves in a harsh predicament perceived to be deviants the same way heretics are viewed in religion. From the landscapes of beauty, sexual politics and education, the elements of women suppression and oppression can be clearly identified. The asian women, nonetheless, are forced into the spheres of obedience, dependency, timidity and subservience.
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