Panel: CAN NON-WESTERN CANONS AND TRADITIONS CONTRIBUTE TO MODERN FEMINIST DISCOURSE?



626.1 - SEXUAL PROWESS EMPOWERS WOMEN: A CLICHÉ IN CHINESE TRADITION AND A NEW ARGUMENT FOR FEMINISM?

AUTHORS:
Cai L. (University of Notre Dame ~ Notre Dame ~ United States of America)
Text:
Feminist critiques of the sexual subordination of women and the reduction of sex to male pleasure are relevant in every society. These critiques have played a crucial role in liberating women, particularly from sexual oppression. However, such phenomena do not represent the experiences of all men or women, nor do they reflect the normality of every society. Can we envision a more idealized norm of sexuality for future generations? Moreover, can non-Western traditions contribute to the discourse of Western feminism? In classical Confucian canons, romantic love and sexual desire are recognized as fundamental instincts and essential components of genuine human nature. Confucians argue that while uncontrolled sexual drives may lead to licentious and harmful behaviors, becoming a destructive force, they can also be elevated to something sublime. In fact, the sincerity of sexual desires can be celebrated as eternal. Additionally, classical Chinese literature and historiography often highlight the sexual prowess of women. These women were not only seen as possessing the monarch's body but also as presiding his empire. The sexual prowess of women was both acknowledged and found alluring by Chinese elites, yet they also feared its potency, offering serious warnings about its dangers to those in positions of authority.