That’s an interesting parallel! The archetype of the ‘fatal woman‘ seems to be a universal motif across cultures. It’s a fascinating coincidence that both Macbeth and The Investiture of the Gods (封神演义) reached their final forms around the early 1600s. I suspect folklore scholars would find a lot of overlap here. It feels like a rich area for comparative study.
Thanks, learning so much from you. Also interesting take on feminism in China. No culture or society seems to have successfully addressed the position of women in society. On the one hand, conservative religion (in Christianity and Islam) assigns gender roles while emphasising the weak are equally valued as the strong. On the other hand, Western feminism (also it seems in China?) purport to dissolve gender distinctions at least in social roles. Each approach seems to have its own merits and shortcomings.
I find the Mosuo people (摩梭人) in Yunnan fascinating, as they still maintain a matrilineal social structure. I definitely plan to explore this direction further in my future writing.
There are societies where land passes from mother to daughter. But that does not mean the women dominate in the way that men do in patriarchal societies. These matriarchal societies still have to contend with gender discrimination. Just my understanding.
Really appreciate this piece. The re-creation of cultural symbols is in fact constantly taking place. What's most interesting is that in the past, 狐狸精 was used as an insult against women. Women used it against each other, and men used it to shift blame. But now, more and more people (especially young women) are starting to ask: why should a woman be blamed for the fall of a dynasty when she didn’t even have real power? Why should women bear the consequences of male desire? This feels bigger than just rehabilitating Daji. It’s part of a broader shift in how we think about gender and responsibility.
Fascinating evolution of the Fox archetype and interesting links to the empowerment of women, or the historical suppression. Particularly how it kinda matches the development of womanity's western cultural path.
I hadn't considered this parallel while writing, but the trajectories definitely align in some ways. It makes me wonder if these narrative similarities exist because one culture inspired the other, and subconsciously inheriting motifs. Or if they represent a true 'universal' in human society. Is it a shared human experience, or just a fascinating 'human accident'?
Many thanks for this window into Chinese society across time.
I wonder how this intersects somehow with Macbeth, in my mind I visualize the recreation of Macbeth in the Spider Castle, from Kurusowa.
That’s an interesting parallel! The archetype of the ‘fatal woman‘ seems to be a universal motif across cultures. It’s a fascinating coincidence that both Macbeth and The Investiture of the Gods (封神演义) reached their final forms around the early 1600s. I suspect folklore scholars would find a lot of overlap here. It feels like a rich area for comparative study.
Thanks, learning so much from you. Also interesting take on feminism in China. No culture or society seems to have successfully addressed the position of women in society. On the one hand, conservative religion (in Christianity and Islam) assigns gender roles while emphasising the weak are equally valued as the strong. On the other hand, Western feminism (also it seems in China?) purport to dissolve gender distinctions at least in social roles. Each approach seems to have its own merits and shortcomings.
I find the Mosuo people (摩梭人) in Yunnan fascinating, as they still maintain a matrilineal social structure. I definitely plan to explore this direction further in my future writing.
There are societies where land passes from mother to daughter. But that does not mean the women dominate in the way that men do in patriarchal societies. These matriarchal societies still have to contend with gender discrimination. Just my understanding.
Really appreciate this piece. The re-creation of cultural symbols is in fact constantly taking place. What's most interesting is that in the past, 狐狸精 was used as an insult against women. Women used it against each other, and men used it to shift blame. But now, more and more people (especially young women) are starting to ask: why should a woman be blamed for the fall of a dynasty when she didn’t even have real power? Why should women bear the consequences of male desire? This feels bigger than just rehabilitating Daji. It’s part of a broader shift in how we think about gender and responsibility.
Fascinating evolution of the Fox archetype and interesting links to the empowerment of women, or the historical suppression. Particularly how it kinda matches the development of womanity's western cultural path.
I hadn't considered this parallel while writing, but the trajectories definitely align in some ways. It makes me wonder if these narrative similarities exist because one culture inspired the other, and subconsciously inheriting motifs. Or if they represent a true 'universal' in human society. Is it a shared human experience, or just a fascinating 'human accident'?
Interesting! Such a creative way to introduce this subject of 狐狸精!
foxes are the best 🦊
"I can fix her."
The true evil was always King Zhou's 野心
看到过真实的把狐狸当宠物的，狐狸能发出20多种叫声，许多听起来像在尖叫。非常吵闹，而且有味道，表情嫉妒猥琐谄媚~
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ps: 最近发现很多关于对减肥失败的女性的网暴来源于女性，或者有女性气质的男性，她们其实都把对方减肥的失败归咎于对方的人生的失败，以此来凸显自己女性气质的积极向上，真善美。