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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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Growing up in a patriarchal society
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Growing up in a patriarchal society
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Content
Copyright 2022 Jiapin Fei
GROWING UP IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY
By
Jiapin Fei
Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSKI SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of
the Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE ARTS DESIGN
December 2022
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iii
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 2
Western Feminism................................................................................................................... 2
Feminism in China................................................................................................................... 4
Western Feminist Art .............................................................................................................. 9
Feminist Art in China ............................................................................................................ 14
CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 17
Family Ties-Hun and Jia in the Chinese Marriage ................................................................ 17
A Personal Story.................................................................................................................... 18
Qingjie’s Story-An Outcast................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 24
The Book as a Platform......................................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 39
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 39
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 40
iii
List of Figures
Figure 1. A Poster of One-Child Policy (1992) ........................................................................... 9
Figure 2. Guerrilla Girls Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. (1985) ........... 10
Figure 3. Dinner Party by Judy Chicago (1974:)....................................................................... 11
Figure 4. Untitled (We Don’t Need Another Hero) (1986) ....................................................... 11
Figure 5. “Eurydice” acrylic and collage (1972) ....................................................................... 12
Figure 6. Family Portrait, II (1915) ........................................................................................... 13
Figure 7. Angel by Cui Xiuwen (2004) ..................................................................................... 14
Figure 8. Angel 2.0 by Cui Xiuwen (2004) ............................................................................... 15
Figure 9. Me Too… by Li Xinmo ............................................................................................. 16
Figure 10. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 21
Figure 11. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 23
Figure 12. Design works Created by Jiapin Fei......................................................................... 25
Figure 13. Mix media artwork Created by Jiapin Fei ................................................................ 26
Figure 14. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 27
Figure 15. Acrylic on canvas. Created by Jiapin Fei ................................................................. 28
Figure 16. Poster Design. Created by Jiapin Fei ....................................................................... 30
Figure 17. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei ............................................................... 31
Figure 18. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei ............................................................... 31
Figure 19. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei ............................................................... 32
Figure 20. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 33
Figure 21. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 34
Figure 22. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 35
Figure 23. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 35
Figure 24. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 36
Figure 25. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei .............................................................. 37
iv
Abstract
In today’s world, there is still an enormous amount of gender inequality. Whether in
developed countries or developing countries, women experience gender discrimination in their
lives. The society remains male-dominated, and it affects us all today. This is an issue that is
highly relevant in China where women are still in an inferior position. Therefore, I designed a
book that probes into gender inequality in China, which I hope will shed some light and draw
more attention to this issue. My book covers family stories, history, and personal narratives.
The illustrations in this book are inspired by the damages inflicted by patriarchal traditions on
me and the women in my life. I have compiled my experiences into this book that reflect how
the culture I grew up in has affected numerous generations economically as well as it has led to
the loss of women’s equal rights.
1
Introduction
As a woman raised in China, Chinese history and traditions have shaped my life. I have
experienced both physical and verbal abuse along with many other struggles because of the
culture I was raised in. One evening, after an argument between my father and mother, my father
hit both my mother and me. The officers at the police station were familiar with my family and
knew our family history of domestic abuse. Family, friends, and close relatives convinced my
mother and me, that my dad’s actions were due to his alcohol consumption. They all refused to
act and everyone blamed my mother and me for not being able to keep the house in order, not
being understanding, not being tolerant. I knew it was unfair for us to face such gaslighting,
brainwashing, and suppression by those who surrounded us. This personal experience inspired
me to explore and research the subject of gender inequality and gender discrimination against
women in this thesis and in my design work.
Although progress has gradually improved in women’s social status, many bad habits still
pass from one generation to another. Through my work, I hope to break my culture’s chain of
abuse and trauma, as well as the old traditions of suppressing women. My design practice
explores personal narratives and traditions to better understand stereotypes, patriarchal control,
and the unfair treatment of women.
2
CHAPTER ONE
Western Feminism
Mary Wollstonecraft is regarded as the founding feminist philosopher whose works have
influenced the feminist movements thereafter. Feminism is the term which refers to “the
advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes”
1
(McDowell 1996, 29). As
a term, feminism was coined by Charles Fourier, a French philosopher in as early as 1937
2
(Goldstein 1982, 106). Feminist movements developed in different stages in the history. The first
wave (1848-1920) started when women’s suffrage movements broke out in many parts of the
world. Simultaneously, many artistic innovations occurred such as the art works that highlight
women’s power and independence or works that were inspired by women’s body. Many films
that record and examine the subject of feminism and its development were also created. For
example, the British film, Suffragette, staring Carey Mulligan, tells the story of the first wave of
feminism in Britain in early 20
th
century
3
(Bradshaw 2015). The film documents the tireless
efforts of women who had been treated unfairly and disrespectfully, leading to success in
claiming their rights.
4
(Bradshaw 2015). This film represents one prime example of the
movement towards women’s rights in the late 19
th
century and early 20
th
century. These activities
inspired many feminist artists and paved the way for the following waves of feminism.
1
McDowell, Linda. "Spatializing feminism." BodySpace: destabilizing geographies of gender and sexuality,
London: Routledge (1996): 28-44.
2
Goldstein, Leslie F. "Early feminist themes in French utopian socialism: The St.-Simonians and Fourier." Journal
of the History of Ideas 43, no. 1 (1982): 91-108.
3
Bradshaw, Peter. “Suffragette review – a valuable, vital film about how human rights are won.” The Guardian.
October 7, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/07/suffragette-review-votes-women-carey-mulligan-
abi-morgan-bonham-carter
4
Bradshaw, “Suffragette review.”
3
From the first wave to the mid-20
th
century (1963-1980), more and more people started to
realize the unfair treatment of women, but still hesitated to take real actions. Therefore, till the
mid-20
th
century, women still did not enjoy equal rights in the society (Baxandall and Linda
2002, 424)
5
. For example, married French women could not go to work without their husbands’
permission till 1965
6
(Meltzer 1994, 88). Many feminists continued the efforts made by pioneer
feminists. They started to call for equal marital status, and reform of the existing family laws that
guaranteed men full control over house properties, including their children and wives.
The second wave of the feminist movement (1960s to 1970s) brought change as to how
women’s roles were perceived, making it better for women to be defined less narrowly. More
women joined the workforce, and they gained more support from their family and the entire
society. Nonetheless, for those working women, they still faced a series of challenges. They were
paid less even though they did the same jobs as men did. Women had to work twice as hard to
gain more power in the workplace. Besides, they were far less likely to be promoted to higher
positions in the workplace.
These unfair treatments resulted in the third wave of feminism in the 1990s. During this
movement, feminists tried to use social constructivism
7
to redefine femininity. They argued that
women should not be judged by their appearance or their beauty
8
(Ridout 2007, 208). Moreover,
they argued that both men and women should not be held to the long-standing gender
5
Baxandall, Rosalyn, and Linda Gordon. "Second-wave feminism." A companion to American women’s
history (2002): 414-432.
6
Meltzer, Françoise. Hot Property: The Stakes and Claims of Literary Originality. University of Chicago Press,
1994.
7
Social constructivism is a theory in sociology which indicates that human development is socially situated and
knowledge is constructed through interaction with others.
8
Ridout, Alice. "Third Wave Feminism: A Critical Exploration, Expanded Second Edition. Stacy Gillis, Gillian
Howie, and Rebecca Munford (Eds.)." (2007): 208-209.
4
stereotypes. They promoted the concept that men can be feminine, and women can also be
masculine if they desire.
The fourth wave of feminism is regarded as an extension to the third, and is characterized
by technologies, especially social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
9
(Parry et al
2018, 7). These social media give women platforms to share their personal stories, and support
other women who have experienced gender inequality. All in all, the fourth wave of feminism
focuses on the conundrums facing working women, i.e., sexual harassment in the workplace.
Feminism in China
Compared with feminism in the West, feminism in China started relatively late. Chinese
women had suffered from gender inequality and gender discrimination far more than women in
the West. Nonetheless, Chinese women enjoyed a long time of relatively high social status
before the Han Dynasty (220 AD.). In that period, women could keep their surname after they
got married and they could even name their children after their own family name. At that time
society also had less restrictions on women. Women could wear the clothes of their own
choosing, and they would not be judged by others. However, things started to change for the
worse for women after the Han Dynasty. As Confucianism started to have more influence in
China, its ideologies and moral codes that were tilted in favor of men became influential. Men
started to dominate their families and also the society as a whole. As a result, women were
subject to a series of stringent moral rules which limited their freedom. For example, according
to these moral rules, women were not supposed to talk back to their husbands and their in-laws.
9
Parry, Diana C., Corey W. Johnson, and Faith-Anne Wagler. "Fourth wave feminism: Theoretical underpinnings
and future directions for leisure research." In Feminisms in Leisure Studies, pp. 1-12. Routledge, 2018.
5
Instead, they were expected to be obedient and always follow the orders of their husbands.
Before a woman married she was supposed to stay at home most of the time, and she should not
be seen often out on the street, Otherwise she would be judged as being frivolous. After
marriage, the woman was also expected to stay at home to take care of all the family chores and
the entire family. Such a tradition can still be seen in some rural areas in the western part of
China.
It was not until the late 1890s and early 1900s that feminist ideologies started to be
introduced from Western countries to China. As China was going through a special period of
time
10
, a small group of Chinese scholars who had been exposed to Western ideologies started to
fight for social reforms, one of which was the liberation of Chinese women. For example, the
tradition of foot-binding was abolished in this period. Most of the efforts made by these pioneers
went nowhere because of their lack of social and political clout. It was not until the 1980s, three
decades after the founding of People’s Republic of China that women’s social status started to
rise and gender equality started to gain momentum. Yet, Chinese women still are still subject to
gender stereotypes and discrimination even till today.
Feminism was only introduced to China in the early 20th century, but now in 21st-
century Chinese society, everyone is familiar with feminism. The promotion of the feminist
movement is inseparable from people’s pursuit of gender equality. The Chinese tradition holds
that a women’s primary job is to maintain the family, and the main job of men is to make money
to support the family. Still, with the changes and progress of the times, the social status of
women has also gradually improved with the reform and opening
11
. This is because a lot of
10
Western imperialist invasion in that period.
11
Reform and Opening up is a Chinese policy put forward in 1978. It has great influence on the fast development of China
because it basically opened China to the world, and it made it possible for Western ideologies such as feminism to get into China.
6
advanced ideologies were introduced to China, one of which was feminism. After China was
open to the world, many books and films which delve into feminism such as Gone With The
Wind became popular in China. These artworks had great influence on Chinese women, and at
least let Chinese women see more possibilities in their lives, as well as more freedom and equal
rights that they should have. At that time, women were also taking on more responsibilities
because men were participating in the ongoing war. Especially in the early 20th century, with the
popularization of feminist ideology and the promotion of gender equality, art creations featuring
independent women have been widely popularized, which helped increase exposure to women’s
freedom, women’s independence, and women’s power. That in turn, also helped improve
women’s social status.
With the reform and development of a new China and the influence of Western culture at
the turn of the century, the social status and value of contemporary Chinese women began to
significantly improve; however, at a deeper level, many ideas and traditions remained
unchanged. Throughout China’s history, women have been subject to discrimination in their
career opportunities and access to education. Even though the idea of equality between men and
women is promoted, gender inequality and discrimination still prevail in China. As recently as
2019, China’s society still demonstrates favoritism of men
12
. For example, when there is a big
project that needs to be done in a company, and both a male and a female employee are qualified
foe being in charge of the project, the board would be most likely to pick the man to be the
leader. This is because the Chinese society still perceives men as more competent and more
decisive and is more likely to trust men with important tasks and big decisions.
12
A typical example for this is the preference of male employees in the workplace, and also higher job participation rate of men
than that of women.
7
When it comes to feminism in China, a policy should be brought into the discussion, that
is, China’s One-Child Policy. China’s One-Child Policy started in the 1980s when China was
going through a national economic crisis when the national economy could not support the
increasing population. Therefore, the Chinese government implemented this policy to control the
population. It was not until 2016 that this policy ended. As Sudbeck states, “Since this policy’s
implementation, China has experienced dramatic changes in filial piety and patrilineality.” In a
land where sons have been highly cherished for thousands of years, daughters are now
experiencing greater parental investment and consequently enjoying greater gender equality in
their society. Because of the implementation of this policy in China, Chinese families could not
choose how many children they have. Moreover, given that China has a long tradition of male
preference, the one child policy has even caused infanticide of baby girls. This is because every
family could only have one child, and if their first child was a girl, families would become
desperate. In some extreme cases, families would even kill the first baby girl and expect the
second “only child” would then be a boy. In addition, for those families who secretly chose to
keep their first girls, these girls only brought resentment to the family because their parents
would have to raise them up and arrange a marriage, which would cost the family a fortune. This
is the reason why the economic factor has been an important reason for gender discrimination
against women in China.
During the period when the One-Child policy was implemented, there were a lot of
illustrations promoting this ideology in China nationwide. For example, Figure 8 shows a young
woman with a boy on her shoulder. Why a boy instead of a girl on the shoulder? This shows that
even the Chinese government expected families to have a boy as the only child in the family.
There is also the question of why it is the woman who is carrying the child on the shoulder? This
8
poster also shows that the society expects women to take care of children. This is the gender
stereotype that is still prevalent in China today.
Before implementing the one-child policy, low-income families may not have been able
to raise children. The number of abandoned girls was often more than the number of the boys.
The article titled, “Son preference and sex-selective abortion in China: Informing policy options”
highlights this. According to the article by Amartya Sen
13
. “Over centuries, son preference has
led to female infanticide and neglect of girl children, leading to high early female mortality. (Sen
2003)”
14
And with the progress of civilization, and the protection of women in policy, and the
idea of equality between men and women that we advocate, as Professor of Economics and
Philosophy Amartya Sen said would eventually prevail.
There have been two opposite movements: female disadvantage in mortality has typically
been reduced substantially, but this has been counterbalanced by a new female disadvantage—
that in natality—through sex specific abortions aimed against the female fetus
15
(Sen 2003).
The one-child policy also played a key role in this regard, and in 1995 the Chinese
government implemented Maternity protection, in which Article 32 clearly stated:
Medical and health institutions that in accordance with the provisions of this Law carry
out pre-marital medical examination, genetic disease diagnosis and pre-natal diagnosis,
ligation operations and operations for termination of gestation must meet the
requirements and technical standards set by the administrative department of public
13
Sen, Amartya. “Missing women--revisited.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 327,7427 (2003): 1297-8.
doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7427.1297
14
Zhou, Chi, Xiao Lei Wang, Xu Dong Zhou, and Therese Hesketh. "Son preference and sex-selective abortion in
China: informing policy options." International journal of public health 57, no. 3 (2012): 459-465.
15
Sen, “Missing women.”
9
health under the State Council and shall obtain the permission of the administrative
departments of public health under the local people’s governments at or above the county
level. Sex identification of the fetus by technical means is strictly forbidden unless it is
necessary on medical grounds.
Figure 1. A Poster of One-Child Policy (1992)
Western Feminist Art
In the world of films, television, and visual media, it was argued that women were being
seen as “vessels”. They were being seen as an object and as a commodity and through the
representation of classic gender roles between men and women, they were being given a lower
social status. Figure 1 is an example of resistance by feminist artists - the Guerilla Girls. By
hiding their identities and using masks, they used different forms of advertisement and posters to
criticize the male-dominated Society by commenting on the visual arts culture. As the poster
10
shows, “Less than 5% of the artists in the Modern Art Sections are women, but 85% of the nudes
are female.” This is an outcry against gender discrimination in the institutions.
Figure 2. Guerrilla Girls Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. (1985)
Judy Chicago is one of the most influential feminist artists in the last century. In her most
famous work, Dinner Party – she simulated vaginas on plates sitting upon a huge triangle-shaped
dinner table (see Figure. 3). With this work, she celebrated women’s bodies and demonstrated
her call for gender equality. Women’s bodies have long been rediculed and judged by men.
Therefore, in order to fight back agasint such ridicule and judgement, Judy Chicago skillfully
presented female organs in Dinner Party. In so doing, she tried to send a message to her
audience those female organs are not something that women should feel ashamed about, and
women should even celebrate their female body parts.
11
Figure 3. Dinner Party by Judy Chicago (1974:)
Figure 4. Untitled (We Don’t Need Another Hero) (1986)
Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist and collagist. Most of her works reflects
gender stereotypes and political issues facing women. For example, in Figure 5, the young child
on the left is showing off the muscle on the arm. Barbara Kruger deliberately made it difficult to
tell the gender of the child. This picture shows that the society expects boys to be strong and to
be the heroes. Nonetheless, if the child is a girl, this picture also shows that girls can also be
12
strong and this also dismisses the concept of heroism as it is traditionally associated with
masculinity. This echoes feminist ideologies. This is merely one of the many artworks of Barbara
Kruger that show resistance to gender stereotypes and gender-biased expectations.
Figure 5. “Eurydice” acrylic and collage (1972)
In Miriam Schapiro's work “Eurydice”, Shapiro breaks down formalist structures by
combining collage and spray-painted decorative elements. Her work is typical of the 70s,
feminine or patterned and decorative. Miriam Schapiro has been influenced by the previous
feminist artists and her works have also had a great impact on the history of feminist movements.
13
Figure 6. Family Portrait, II (1915)
Florine Stettheimer is also a feminist artist. A lot of her works use symbols to celebrate
gender fluidity and women’s freedom. For example, Figure 6 is her portrait of her own family.
What is noteworthy is that there is not a single man in the portrait. Besides, the two big bright
flowers in the center this portrait symbolize women’s sex. In addition, the woman on the left
wears black suits and pants which was supposed to be men’s clothing. However, the fact that she
wears a pair of high heels also shows Florine Stettheimer’s idea that there is not a straight line
between the gender of male and female.
All of these feminist artists used their work to celebrate women and call for more
attention to the issues facing women. Their works inspired me to use my artistry to tell women’s
stories, and to show the issue of gender inequality in China.
14
Feminist Art in China
Like in the West, there are also feminist artists in China. Most of these artists were either
inspired by their personal experiences or Western feminist ideologies. Cui Xiuwen was one of
the most representative Chinese feminist artists. In her earlier artistic career, she was dedicated to
oil painting (1990s). Angel is one of her most representative feminist works (see Figure 7). In
this work, a pregnant young woman was lying down on the ground with her hands on her belly.
Her eyes are shut and she seems trying to feel the little fetus inside her. In this oil painting, the
artist work deals with femininity and presents the idea that women have great power because
they can give birth to new lives. She was always at awe with the process by which a woman
gives birth to a baby. The protruding belly in Angel highlights women’s power, which, according
to Cui, has long been underestimated or under-appreciated in China.
Figure 7. Angel by Cui Xiuwen (2004)
Angel is a work series by Cui. Figure 8 is part two of the series. In this work, the angel
wearing a white dress is lying down on the ground, and it can be inferred from her face that she
15
is feeling a sense of loss. What is noteworthy of this work is the Tian’an Men square and the red
wall in the background. Cui added this background to metaphorize the government endowed
male power in China and the government inflicted oppression on Chinese women. The women
has fallen and is lying on the ground to demonstrate her vulnerability and hopelessness.
Figure 8. Angel 2.0 by Cui Xiuwen (2004)
Li Xinmo, a Chinese feminist artist works explored the themes of gender, sexual abuse,
and the patriarchal system. Me Too… is one of her most well-known works (see Figure 9). This
work shows a young girl’s horrid experience of sexual abuse by an old man. This issue is almost
a taboo in China because people do not want to admit that abuse exist, or to even speak about the
topic. Li said that she had heard many women sharing their experiences of sexual assault when
they were young. She also admitted that those who committed sexual assaults against young girls
oftentimes got away with it because these victims felt ashamed and did not want other people to
know about their sufferings. Therefore, she created the painting Me Too… in which we witness
an old man is groping a terrified young girl. This painting might be disturbing to many, but it
reflects the suffering of many young girls in China. Through such works as Me Too…, Li wanted
16
to send a message that girls and women who had been subject sexual abuse and assault should
speak up. Such incidents deserve more attention from the society.
Figure 9. Me Too… by Li Xinmo
All these artworks by Chinese feminist artists show certain aspects of gender inequality and
discrimination facing Chinese girls and women. Each of these artworks has a story behind it.
Storytelling is exactly what Chinese girls and women need to fight back against the oppression
they have been subject to. They need to share their stories, and they need to let those around
them know how they really feel about the way men such as their husbands treat them.
Storytelling is one of the most persuasive ways to force people to accept the facts that they
might not to face or know about otherwise. This is also the reason why I decided to create my
own book which probes the issue of gender inequality in China through family ties and marriage.
17
CHAPTER TWO
Family Ties-Hun and Jia in the Chinese Marriage
In China, marriage can be divided into hun and jia according to the resident location.
When a woman moves to live in a man’s house, their children in the future taking the surname of
the man, it is hun for the man and jia for the woman. On the contrary, when a man moves to live
in a woman’s house, their children taking the surname of the woman, it is hun for the woman and
jia for the man, which is often termed as zhaoniru, or daochamen. (Shi Qinghua and Gao Yan
2020)
16
Monogamy is the marriage tradition in a civilized society. It can be said that the marriage
system is constantly evolving, and the forms of marriage are also diverse. Therefore, taking in a
son-in-law to bear the bride’s family name is also a form of marriage, influenced by traditional
thinking. In this type of marriage, the woman is in a dominant position, and the man is in a
subordinate position. Their children will inherit the woman’s surname under this marriage.
Taking in a son-in-law marriage is not a common practice today, as a result many people
have stereotypical views of this type of marriage and is the source of enormous sociological
pressure for the son-in-law. In this form of marriage, men are like puppets making up for the lack
of a male heir in the family.
16
Shi Qinghua., Gao Yan. Sustainable Development of Rural Household Economy: Transition of Ten Villages in
Zhejiang, China, 1986-2002. Germany: Springer Singapore, 2020.
18
A Personal Story
My mother and aunt were both born in the 1970s when the Chinese government’s attitude
towards population changed, and the government gradually implemented family planning and the
one-child policy. My grandfather is very traditional and rooted in the “old ways” of family
structure and traditions. As an older Chinese man, he would have preferred to have a son – a son
that would carry on his special legacy. After my grandfather and grandmother had given birth to
my aunt, they wanted a boy to carry on the family name, but my grandmother gave birth to her
second child, my mother, who is also a girl. They were disappointed. In old Chinese society,
boys were offered more food than girls when most families were poor. Girls had much less
attention from their parents.
During the start of a bone-chilling morning, my mother, the second daughter of the
family, was born. Her arrival into this world was met with disgust rather that applause and she
was instantly despised. My grandfather was very disappointed when he found out that my
grandmother gave birth to yet another girl, and as a result my mother was considered a blight or
scar on the family’s reputation. My mother seldom received recognition from her father or any
elders in the family. My grandfather’s prejudice against my mother caused her to leave the
family as soon as she could even though she was very young. This explains her decision to marry
my father, who was 11 years older than her and early on appeared to possess greater maturity.
But her childhood experience also explains her strong personality and career-centric
mindset. At an early age, she realized she would need to fend for herself. She defensively
developed habits and positions to protect herself against her father’s cruel abuse and rejection of
her value as a human being based on her gender. Brutally, women were not to question but to
obey, support and show loyalty to the patriarch in Chinese society; the initiative, gumption, and
19
resourcefulness displayed by my mother were not considered qualities or options for women. She
never felt accepted or understood by our family members. My father could not tolerate nor
accept that my mother was a strong woman and that her difficult childhood had created a woman
who was now at the forefront of all business meetings.
After my parents got married, they had me. I remember when I was a child, my mother
told me the story of when I was just born. She said, “At that time before you were born, I did an
ultrasound, and the doctor said it was a boy, your grandfather was happy. The day you were
born, grandpa came to the hospital from the countryside; when you were born, the doctor came
out and said you were a girl. When grandpa heard it was a girl, he left without looking back and
went straight for a drink.” It did not make me feel bad when I was a kid, but when I think about it
now, I feel sad. My aunt also gave birth to a girl. My grandfather wanted both my aunt and
mother to give birth to boys, so my grandfather was particularly lost when I was born.
My parent’s marriage did not go well after I was born, which was partly because of my
mother’s outstanding talents as well as her fight against the suppression on her. Compared to
most marriages in China, where men work outside of the home, and the women stay at home, my
mother runs a business, this make her unusual. It is not easy for my mother to do business as a
woman, and people deliberately made things more difficult for her because of a traditional
stereotyped mindset. She has told me that sometimes when there was a dinner party, those men
would make her drink a lot or do something unspeakable to her.
Some women indeed find it difficult to adapt to society in many ways, except for bearing
and raising children. For example, when traveling for work, doing heavy work, or entertaining
clients, women are more likely to suffer than men. This is the rejection of female identity by the
patriarchal culture of the Chinese tradition. This leads many women to be housewives, unable to
20
form an identity separate from their work, and negative social feedback, which is the source of
many psychological problems.
Because my mother is more capable than my father in my family, people say that my
father relies on my mother, which accumulated over time has caused an imbalance in my father’s
mind. My father drank too much and acted violently towards my mother, because he thought that
men should be the masters of the outside world and women should be in charge of the house.
The reversal of order in our family caused an imbalance in his heart. Why is it a mistake for
women to be powerful?
When my father started to hit my mother, my grandparents also thought it was my
parent’s private matter. In their eyes beating was not their business and so they did nothing to
stop my father’s behavior. My parents often quarreled and fought over money. These disputes
often led to instances of abuse throughout the marriage. Finally, my mother couldn’t stand my
dad anymore, she went to the police. The police told her that minor injuries were not counted as
crime and criminal charges can only be imposed if there is a broken bone or more serious injury.
It is a disappointing system.
When I returned to China for summer vacation, my mother and father had another serious
quarrel. During that quarrel, my father hit my mother on the head with an ashtray. My mother’s
head was bleeding and was swollen, she went to the police station with her broken heart again.
The people in the police station persuaded my mom to go back home to my father and when she
did the abuse got worse. My dad got drunk, he hit me and said it was because I helped my mom
go to the police station. Then he proceeded to beat me.
Other people confronted me regarding my family’s situation, telling me not to care,
excusing my father and saying that he just drank too much. Shouldn’t people blame the abuser,
21
not the person being abused? Why do people who surround us let the victims bear the abuse
again and over again?
Qingjie’s Story-An Outcast
Qingjie is my friend’s nanny. She has been in the United States for about 10 years. She is
from Guangdong. Guangdong is a famous traditional province in China, and her life experience
also impressed me very much. Qingjie’s father is an old capitalist, her father married a total of
eight wives, so Qingjie has more than ten brothers and sisters. Her father prefers sons, so Qingjie
didn’t get her father’s attention as a child. When Qingjie grew up as an adult and got married to
her husband. Their marriage was not happy. Even after she gave birth to her children, they still
quarreled constantly. During the quarrels she would suffer violence. She wanted to give up
several times. One time she filed for divorce so that she could escape the confines of her
marriage (see Figure 10).
Figure 10. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
22
She returned to her mother’s home, but she was judged and persuaded by relatives “to not
wash dirty laundry” in public. In the face of public opinion, she found that after getting married,
she could not fit into her mother’s family. Faced with her husband’s fake confession, she chose
to forgive and compromise. Because she didn’t want her child to have an incomplete family, she
chose to sacrifice herself. In this way, she endured more than 30 years, she lost count of the
number of times her husband beat her. She just waited for her child to grow up and get married
and have a baby, so she could let go. Influenced by traditional beliefs, Chinese people tend to
maybe say that domestic shame should not be aired in public. Although neighbors have had
heard about the violence and fighting, they also consider it to be someone else’s “family matter”
and inconvenient to intervene.
There are still a lot of parents, with the traditional backward ideas of restraining their
children. Children’s marriage, misfortune, physical and spiritual misfortune, they do not
understand; even though they sympathize with their children. Also, parents tell them “Do not
wash your dirty linen in public” and advise them to keep bearing the suffering. Many abusers
lose control of their emotions in the moment, apologize sincerely after the violence is over, and
behave well after being forgiven. As a result, many victims of abuse will choose to forgive,
which is, in fact, the beginning of the next abuse. Women belonging to vulnerable groups,
especially those in rural areas, are susceptible to domestic violence. This is especially true in
China where traditional values and preference for sons are deeply rooted. (see Figure 11).
23
Figure 11. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
Qingjie is an example of millions of women who have been hurting, she can't stand the
violence in marriage, so Qingjie left her abuser. Many women suffer in their lives, and they stay
on their knees for family and children. They have experienced compromises again and again.
They are burdened with too many traditional thoughts, but they don’t know that tolerance can’t
stop those horrors. We must firmly reject those acts of violence and take persecution so that we
can effectively protect ourselves.
24
CHAPTER THREE
The Book as a Platform
I chose the book as a platform to express my most inner thoughts and emotions because I
have a lot of ideas that I want to share and only a book text, illustrations and photographic
images would suffice. This book expounds some of my experiences and views as a woman
growing up in the patriarchal society that I described earlier. I hope to empower other women
who have grown up with similar social backgrounds and some of the same problems and give
them courage to speak up for gender inequality. Each chapter is a reflection of my ideas and
story , however I leave open (white) space to allow the reader to reflect and interpret their
thoughts.
In this book, I used many photos combined with written descriptions to tell the stories of
some of my mother, my aunt and many other relatives. I used their personal stories to show the
magnitude of the gender issue facing Chinese women. The reason I decided to use photos is that
they are more direct and they are more visually compelling. Compelling and a single photo can
show the information that requires lengthy verbal description..
The book includes a cover page, mood board, illustrations, and written texts as well as
family photos and artifacts.
25
Figure 12. Design works Created by Jiapin Fei
When I was creating my artworks, I was so inspired by the random mix of colors and
different materials, which somehow helped me a lot in expressing the pain and helplessness that I
feel. When I started to have such feelings, I found a paint brush, dipped it into white pigment.
after mixing it with water, I let the watered-down pigment flow on the canvas guided by gravity,
I followed the flow of this mixture to create (see Figure 13). As you can see in the painting, there
are a lot of different shades of blue and yellow and gold. Besides, you can also clearly see the
random flows of the liquid pigments, which gives a sense of chaos and madness. These feelings
of chaos and madness, pain and hopelessness are shared by Chinese women who have been
victims of gender inequality.
26
Figure 13. Mix media artwork Created by Jiapin Fei
As a student from China, I was raised in Chinese culture. I used traditional Chinese
watercolor style painting (see Figure 14) to express abstract concepts, showing the desire for and
pursuit of equality between men and women. The traditional Chinese watercolor is also called
SHUIMO, which is similar to calligraphy. By using an executed brush, made of animal hair, I
dipped into black and other color’s ink; mixing these inks with water helped me to create my
artwork. I mainly used this form of art expression in the “Qingjie’s Story” chapter of my book, to
capture the power and impact of the story.
27
Figure 14. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
The secondary media used for my creations are collages; collage, comes from French,
meaning glue. As designer and artist, I use this technique a lot while illustrating or composing
my artwork by gluing multiple materials. The main materials used in my illustrations include
paper, newspaper, and fabrics, which are then glued to a surface, such as a canvas. I then import
my collage into Adobe Photoshop to change the overall color, which in-turn changes the vibe to
fit into my story chapter.
“Taking in a Son-in-Law’s” mood board is full of color. I chose the red images, because
in China, red is a popular color and symbolizing luck, joy, and happiness. This is especially true
for wedding events; my intentions are to congratulate these unions. Red color is also considered
offensive for mistakes and official seals. I portray that once man married into a woman’s family
in China, it is considered permanent, unlike in Western cultures.
28
I painted my canvas in black, with a large brush, using acrylic (see Figure 15). I then
chose a big round head paint brush and dug it into the other acrylic paint colors and spun the
brush while swinging my arm, throwing the paints onto the black canvas. My interpretation is the
freedom of movement, or light and dancing in the dark. The red represents a festive color in
Chinese traditional culture. The written content in this chapter, is about a special form of
marriage, and it is a sad story.
Figure 15. Acrylic on canvas. Created by Jiapin Fei
The photo looks joyful, in doing this I wanted to express a kind of reverse irony in the
problems regarding forced and unhappy marriages. In graphic design visuals are the first to
attract a person’s attention, thus creating interest in the content of the page, visuals are the first
thing which attracts people’s attention; creating interest in the content of the visual display. I
hope that these extreme contrasts in the painting, both in the visual and written displays, will lead
me to think deeply, not only about the image but also about social phenomena such as the
conundrums facing women. For example, while women can be experiencing romance when they
are in a relationship, which is the bright element of the painting. When women are married, they
29
would be facing a lot of changes to the dark side, e.g., they must be judged if they work too hard
and do not have enough time for the family. Therefore, I wanted to create a strong visual impact
in my artworks. The dark and gloomy tones of the story will hopefully portray my feelings
regarding the topics in my book.
In my thesis, I added figure 16, a digital painting which I painted with a software called
Pro-Create. It is a powerful tool for designers who wish to create digital art. The digital
watercolor brush helped me to paint figure 16 – a family tree. The tree represents family, as
heritage, each branch and leaves are inspired by Chinese characters. Shows the deep-rooted
connection between each family. This digital artwork is printed on mat paper (36” x 48”) and
was included along with my book as part of my final presentation.
30
Figure 16. Poster Design. Created by Jiapin Fei
My book uses many baby pictures, because babies represent the power of life, and the
purity of life. A pure life should not be left to government or politics to decide. For example,
when a boy is born in China, the whole family would then go to the ancestral temple and burn
incense to show gratitude to the blessing of ancestors. When there is a male successor the family
property can be inherited. Yet, if you do not have a son, then no one bears the family name, and
the property is not inherited. Since my grandfather preferred sons to daughters, he wanted to take
in a son-in-law. (see figure 17).
31
Figure 17. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei
Figure 18. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei
In the past all young men were unwilling to be taken in as a son-in-law, but my
grandfather insisted on taking in a son-in-law. Because of this my uncle was then looked down
32
upon by others because he had been taken in as a son-in-law. This dynamic caused my aunts’
unhappy marriage. (see Figure 19).
Figure 19. Screenshot of Book Created by Jiapin Fei
The second chapter of my book is also designed around the theme of taking in a son-in-
law. I express my opposition to the marriage status of taking in a son-in-law through my design
work and support the idea that both males and females need to be recognized and respected by
society. There is no need to compromise one’s marriage and sacrifice one’s marriage for the so-
called inheritance of the family name. With society’s progress, and the ever-more-open mindset,
wider inclusiveness, whether a male or female, the surname will not define anymore. The
inheritance of blood is more important than the surname.
Although it is forbidden by law, the tendency to prefer sons over women is still deeply
imprinted in many people’s minds. People desperately want to know the baby's gender, and they
will still try to test doctors or bribe doctors in various ways so that they would know which
gender the baby is. For example, when my cousin (aunt’s daughter) had a baby, she was
33
obsessed with having a son because of familial expectations, and she checked the gender of her
unborn baby many times before she gave birth. She was relieved when it turned out to be a boy.
(see Figure 20).
Figure 20. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
Determined sex of a fetus is a strong example of the oppression that affected the women
in my mother’s family. That is an unfortunate thing. As a young woman in the new era, my
cousin also realized that women were treated unequally in growing up, but this feudal thought
affected her when she gave birth to the next generation.
These childhood stories and family experiences, (see Figure 21). Along with the many
times I have seen and personally experienced gender unfairness, have empowered me to organize
and design my books. As my feminist statement in the book shows, feminist art is a mode of
artistic analysis and criticism that is fundamentally inspired by the ideas of the world of artistic
expression against female subjectivity and its different forms of expression. In feminist art, there
is the assumption that “the art world stifled female artists ‘creativity” (Sider 1972, 2). Women
34
need to be empowered. The society must be transformed and liberated from a male-dominated
society.
Figure 21. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
Even as recent as 2019, although society's prejudice against women is decreasing, China's
culture still favors men; sometimes, thinking back to childhood abuse is also very painful for me
now. I feared my parents’ quarrels as a kid, fearing my father would take his anger out on me. As
a kid, I could not understand much of their arguments. Still, as I grew up and received an
education, I slowly understood why my parents quarreled and knew the reason for their
arguments stemmed from the public perception that my mother was the more successful one in
the marriage. My father could not identify with my mother’s career success, which led to their
arguments (see Figure 22).
35
Figure 22. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
The most critical point is to understand that women should be respected. We have no way to
change the past, but we have the right to change the future. I hope that people can feel my desire
to be respected and to recognize the strength of women through my works and my stories.
Women are not just tools for reproduction; respect for women it is the recognition of women’s
self-worth and the recognition by society of women’s control over their own life and career.
Women should not be defined; gender should not be the criterion for evaluation (see Figure 23).
Figure 23. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
36
I have experienced and seen the pain of women myself, as a designer, I want to use my
power to tell these stories and show these pains visually. While resonating, it also makes readers
consider whether there are women around who compromise the so-called tradition and reputation
and do what they can to help those with the same experience. (see Figure 24)
Figure 24. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
If you encounter domestic violence for the first time, you should go to the law to stop the
violence and protect your dignity and rights. Standing up and speaking up is your best defense,
because there are countless cases of domestic violence.
Why are women judged for pursuing their own careers? Why is humanity in the face of
this injustice? Is it because of the traditional concept to let the weak to compromise? because a
traditional do not wash your dirty linen in public? (see Figure 25).
37
Figure 25. Screenshot of Book. Created by Jiapin Fei
My sorrow is not for the female identity, but for the traditional Chinese social cognition.
That’s why I want to discuss this topic of women’s rights. I want to tell others that you should
not be afraid to tell people, families and those who surround you, what hardships you have gone
through. Only by speaking out, do people see the changes that must be made.
So, we just must put up with it? A woman must be a good mother at home, be a good
housewife? Must have a son to be able to gain status in her husband’s house? In the face of
men’s infidelity, people’s acceptance is always greater than women’s, and women’s mistakes
will be magnified countless times.
I believe that gender differences are only biological differences, one gender is not
superior to the other. Biological components should not be the shackle that confines women to
the kitchen or of secondary status to men. Women are business leaders, entrepreneurs, engineers,
world leaders, etc., and should not be judged or looked down upon for their career choices. I
want to tell all women to never be afraid of what they experienced and to be vocal about
injustice. Rather than feeling sorrow for being a woman, I feel pity for the traditional Chinese
society’s low-level mindset towards females.
38
I believe that the thinking that artists can bring to society has powerful social
significance. There will be more and more artists who understand and pay attention to feminism.
There will be more and more artists with their own beliefs and positions because the true essence
of feminism coincides with the true meaning of art, which triggers humankind’s survival from
different angles. We need to think about the status quo, which triggers speculations and
predictions about the liberation of human nature.
39
CHAPTER FOUR
Conclusion
To summarize, I chose to design a book for my thesis project because I see books as one
of the strongest ways to communicate with people. By using typography, set structures, grids,
mood boards, collages, and analytical thinking I figured out what parts of the book and designs I
needed to emphasize. I want to find new spaces for creativity and ways to build subjectivity that
represent the power women hold.
The main goals and inspirations of my feminist art is to promote social change by
achieving symmetrical and equal power relations between men and women. Feminist art reveals
how women are stereotyped in work and life. My art reveals how the gender roles assigned to
men and women in the workplace are governed by stereotypes, that men see women as
fundamentally inferior creatures with strong emotions and emotional patterns. I also hope to
create contrasts with the cognitive and logical rigor of the human mind through the contrasts
within my artwork.
I hope that through design, I can help myself overcome the sense of powerlessness and
achieve inner freedom and the sublimation of self-worth. The importance of making my thesis
book is to create a compelling visual story to help Myself and those that read my book
understand what I’ve been through and my experiences in my earlier life. I want to leave a good
impression upon the audience and readers of my book, in turn, building a deep connection with
them. Eventually my goal is to make everyone aware of the importance of Feminism. Hopefully,
because of my book, the readers will stand up against inequalities, and speak up for those who
cannot speak for themselves.
40
Bibliography
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The Guardian. October 7, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/07/suffragette-
review-votes-women-carey-mulligan-abi-morgan-bonham-carter
Baxandall, Rosalyn, and Linda Gordon. "Second-wave feminism." A companion to American
women’s history (2002): 414-432.
Goldstein, Leslie F. "Early feminist themes in French utopian socialism: The St.-Simonians and
Fourier." Journal of the History of Ideas 43, no. 1 (1982): 91-108.
McDowell, Linda. "Spatializing feminism." BodySpace: destabilizing geographies of gender and
sexuality, London: Routledge (1996): 28-44.
Meltzer, Françoise. Hot Property: The Stakes and Claims of Literary Originality. University of
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Ridout, Alice. "Third Wave Feminism: A Critical Exploration, Expanded Second Edition. Stacy
Gillis, Gillian Howie, and Rebecca Munford (Eds.)." (2007): 208-209.
Parry, Diana C., Corey W. Johnson, and Faith-Anne Wagler. "Fourth wave feminism: Theoretical
underpinnings and future directions for leisure research." In Feminisms in Leisure Studies, pp.
1-12. Routledge, 2018.
Sudbeck, Kristine, “The Effects of China's One-Child Policy: The Significance for Chinese
Women” (2012).
Shi Qinghua., Gao Yan. Sustainable Development of Rural Household Economy: Transition of
Ten Villages in Zhejiang, China, 1986-2002. Germany: Springer Singapore, 2020.
Sen, Amartya. “Missing women--revisited.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 327,7427 (2003):
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Zhou, Chi, Xiao Lei Wang, Xu Dong Zhou, and Therese Hesketh. "Son preference and sex-
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Fei, Jiapin
(author)
Core Title
Growing up in a patriarchal society
School
Roski School of Art and Design
Degree
Master of Fine Arts
Degree Program
Design
Degree Conferral Date
2022-12
Publication Date
11/03/2022
Defense Date
11/02/2022
Publisher
University of Southern California
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Tags
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