Examining the representation of modern women in 20th century modern Chinese fiction: the search for self in comparison of works by women authors Ding Ling and Eileen Chang

UnrestrictedWomen authors played an important role in the construction of modern Chinese literature. Through their enlightened views of gender relations, a new image of women emerged as a tool for discussion on modernity. Narrative genres created by women writers, new concepts of the female identity are being created that challenge the inherited traditional gender assumptions. In the early 20th century, modern Chinese literary thought was produced under tremendous political turmoil and historical crisis. This study presents the search for self-independence in the construction of the female identity by women writers. Specifically, my insights are based on analyze and discussions of two women writers, Ding Ling and Eileen Chang. Through their works, the question of the female body with regards to her identity, physical body, and sexuality is constantly being challenged in order to present a new way to represent their perspectives on gender inequalities in society