Gendered Memories: An Imaginary Museum for Ding Ling and Chinese Female Revolutionary Martyrs (China Understandings Today) - Softcover

Wang, Xian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0472057197 ISBN 13: 9780472057191

Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 2025

Synopsis

Gendered Memories: An Imaginary Museum for Ding Ling and Chinese Female Revolutionary Martyrs takes readers on a journey through the lives and legacies of Chinese female revolutionary martyrs, revealing how their sacrifices have been remembered, commemorated, and manipulated throughout history. This innovative book blends historical narratives with personal narratives, creating an “imaginary museum” where the stories of these women are brought to life. Author Xian Wang employs this imaginary museum to create a conceptual space mirroring an actual museum that juxtaposes historical narratives with countermemories of Chinese female revolutionaries, such as the prominent writer Ding Ling. Exploring Ding’s experiences with martyrdom and the commemoration of female revolutionary martyrs associated with her, the book provides a compelling argument that female revolutionary martyrdom reinforces, rather than rejects, the traditional concept of female chastity martyrdom. Narratives that challenge established gender norms, particularly those surrounding female chastity, have often been silenced or overlooked in the collective memory of these female revolutionary martyrs. By delving into these countermemories, Wang provides fresh insights into gendered violence, memories, and politics in modern Chinese literature and culture.

About this title

About the Author

Xian Wang is Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Notre Dame.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0472057197
• ISBN 13: 9780472057191
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 308