Chinese Beauty: Rooted in a Vibrant Tradition
Chinese Beauty has changed over time, yet has also remained the same in some ways. Chinese beauty in the past was not only defined by your inner beauty, but also had to do with your intelligence as well as beauty of the soul. Many ancient ideas such as Qi and beauty of the soul were also incorporated into overall beauty. In current times ideas such as Qi have faded some what, although some ideas from the past still persist and are considered a major part of beauty in China.
Beauty in Ancient Chinese Woman
Beauty
in ancient china was not purely based on looks, the women also had to be tested on
literature, math and arts to win favors from the emperor. If women did not meet the intellectual criteria they were expected to meet the ten criteria for
beauty:
1. Black lustrous hair
2. Loosely coiled up hair for the illusion of added height
3. Finely shaped eyebrows
4. Large bright expressive eyes
5. Rep lips
6. White teeth
7. Slim fingers
8. Tiny feet (Foot binding)
9. Dressing appropriately
10. Clean and Fragrant body
Along with these criteria of Beauty, a woman's hands were considered her second face as that was usually the only part of her body exposed other than her face. Along with intellectual and Physical beauty, it was also important for women to have beauty and purity in their souls. This was thought to be achieved by three things:
1. Re balancing the body's Qi
2. Using Herbs to rejuvenate the body and mind.
3. Nourishing the body with good food for good health
It was thought that a woman should fulfill all three criteria in order to be fertile and be a good wife, especially if the female was from an affluent family in China such as from the royal family.
Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20.
1. Black lustrous hair
2. Loosely coiled up hair for the illusion of added height
3. Finely shaped eyebrows
4. Large bright expressive eyes
5. Rep lips
6. White teeth
7. Slim fingers
8. Tiny feet (Foot binding)
9. Dressing appropriately
10. Clean and Fragrant body
Along with these criteria of Beauty, a woman's hands were considered her second face as that was usually the only part of her body exposed other than her face. Along with intellectual and Physical beauty, it was also important for women to have beauty and purity in their souls. This was thought to be achieved by three things:
1. Re balancing the body's Qi
2. Using Herbs to rejuvenate the body and mind.
3. Nourishing the body with good food for good health
It was thought that a woman should fulfill all three criteria in order to be fertile and be a good wife, especially if the female was from an affluent family in China such as from the royal family.
Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20.
Foot binding in Ancient China
A big part of Beauty in Ancient China was Foot-Binding. Small feet were considered something feminine and beautiful, while women with larger feet were considered to be from a poor family and worker-status. Girls from a young age were taught how to bind their feet, and were told to shrug of the pain. The initial bleeding and peeling of flesh was shrugged off by mothers and was called the process of "breaking in". If girls had larger feet, they were often teased and thought to be an outcast. Foot-binding often started with bandages being soaked in a mixture of herbs and animal blood, after this the toes were pushed down as far as possible and were bound by the bandages, the bandage continued until the heel, the heel was then broken and bound as well to fit in the lotus shoes. The bandages from the feet were often replaced and the bound feet were dealt with in the utmost delicate fashion. Foot-binding was an especially crucial part of being part of the royal family as it was considered delicate and erotic, although the men never wanted to see the bound feet and wanted them concealed within the lotus shoes at all times, they still found them attractive.
Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
Current Chinese Women and Changing Beauty
The meaning of Beauty has changed somewhat in China, but some of the qualities that were considered beautiful in ancient times still persist today. Although foot-binding has completely died down since the late 19th to the early 20th century, the idea of the soul being beautiful still persists. Beauty has changed from the past as more Chinese women in urban areas are adopting western ideas of body image and cosmetics.
Beauty in Current Chinese Women and Darwinism in the present century
Chinese women currently have adapted many western ideologies such as cosmetic surgery. They have also adapted the body image that the west considers beautiful. A study asked Chinese men and women to rank whether Chinese male and female models were more attractive then Caucasian males and females. Both the Caucasian males and females were cosmetically enhanced, the urban Chinese women found both Caucasian males and females more attractive. The rural Chinese women found Chinese males and females more attractive. This stems from Darwin's theory, familiar faces or individuals with similar phenotypes will be the most preferred in terms of mating. Darwin also stated that mating occurred when certain traits were present where the best offspring could be produced. In current times, it is seen that the traits that females and males find attractive and necessary to mate have changed due to western influence. The study shows that females are starting to find cosmetically enhanced surgeries more preferable as well as more attractive. In 2012, China spent $25 Billion on cosmetic products for the skin and hair, due to the media and social expectation the idea of beauty has changed a fair amount in current times. In rural areas however the idea of Qi and beauty of the soul still exists, as many home remedies are used to cure ailments and blemishes. They are also thought to be good for the soul and specific ideas such as acupuncture are still used for therapy.
Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84. http://cin.sagepub.com/content/13/2-3/59.extract
Gray, Jankowiak. "Globalizing Evolution Female Choice, Nationality, and Perception of Sexual Beauty in China." Cross-Cultural Research . no. 3 (2008): 248-269
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20.
Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84. http://cin.sagepub.com/content/13/2-3/59.extract
Gray, Jankowiak. "Globalizing Evolution Female Choice, Nationality, and Perception of Sexual Beauty in China." Cross-Cultural Research . no. 3 (2008): 248-269
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20.
Cosmetic Surgery and the Affects
Cosmetic surgery has become a big issue in China, especially one case which has even made world headlines. In 2013 a man sued his wife for giving him an "ugly baby" as well as not telling him she had cosmetic surgery before they married. The court ruled in favor of the husband as the woman had not told me she had major surgery in order to become "beautiful". The mans wife had gotten surgery due to the pressure of society as well as the standards of men when it came to being beautiful. This particular case shows how western influence and ideologies from different mediums has put forth a specific image of beauty in the society of China.
Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84. http://cin.sagepub.com/content/13/2-3/59.extract
Gordon, Robert. Elite Daily, "Man sues Wife over Ugly Children." Last modified 11 7, 2013. Accessed December 9, 2013. http://elitedaily.com/news/world/man-china-wrong-suing-wife-ugly/.
Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84. http://cin.sagepub.com/content/13/2-3/59.extract
Gordon, Robert. Elite Daily, "Man sues Wife over Ugly Children." Last modified 11 7, 2013. Accessed December 9, 2013. http://elitedaily.com/news/world/man-china-wrong-suing-wife-ugly/.
References:
1. Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
2. Gray, Jankowiak. "Globalizing Evolution Female Choice, Nationality, and Perception of Sexual Beauty in China." Cross-Cultural Research . no. 3 (2008): 248-269.
3. Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
4. Gordon, Robert. Elite Daily, "Man sues Wife over Ugly Children." Last modified 11 7, 2013. Accessed December 9, 2013. http://elitedaily.com/news/world/man-china-wrong-suing-wife-ugly/.
5. Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84.
6. Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20
1. Jhin, Marie. Asian Beauty Secrets. San Fransico: Bush Street Press, 2011.
2. Gray, Jankowiak. "Globalizing Evolution Female Choice, Nationality, and Perception of Sexual Beauty in China." Cross-Cultural Research . no. 3 (2008): 248-269.
3. Wang, Ping. Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in Ancient China. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Publishing, 2000.
4. Gordon, Robert. Elite Daily, "Man sues Wife over Ugly Children." Last modified 11 7, 2013. Accessed December 9, 2013. http://elitedaily.com/news/world/man-china-wrong-suing-wife-ugly/.
5. Johansson, Perry. "White Skin, Large Breasts: Chinese Beauty Product Advertising as Cultural Discourse." China Information. no. 2 (1998): 59-84.
6. Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. New York: Penguin Books, 2004. 1-20