The Image of Chinese Woman Under Western Curiosity Psychology

Su Jing wen

【Abstract】Eunice Tietjens， subeditor of Poetry （the vital periodical of Imagism and Modern poetry），who has travelled Middle East and the Fast East. Her anthology Profiles From China pays attention to the the Chinese image in the eyes of Western people during the period of early 20th century. During this period， the description of China as cultural “other” is both formulaic and stereotyped. This paper， from the perspective of Imagology， focuses on the female image-building in the anthology Profiles From China and how to meet the curiosity psychology of western society.

【Key Words】 Curiosity Psychology; Chinas Image; Stereotype; Culture Other

【摘要】尤妮斯·蒂金斯，《詩刊》雜志（Poetry，意象派和現代詩歌的喉舌刊物）副主編，曾先后游歷中東及遠東地區，對各地的風土人情及社會生活有一定了解。她出版的詩集《中國剪影》聚焦于20世紀初期的西方人眼中的中國形象。西方作家對中國這個“他者”形象的描述偏向于臉譜化、模式化的。本文旨在從比較文學形象學的角度分析在西方社會的“獵奇心理”下，詩集《中國剪影》怎樣塑造中國女性形象。

【關鍵詞】獵奇心理;中國形象;套話;他者

【作者簡介】Su Jing wen，Graduate School， Harbin Normal University.

Ⅰ.Brief Introduction on Eunice Tietjens

As an American writer， Eunice Tietjens is one of the few female writers in the period of the first half of the 20th century who has traveled China and has introduced Chinese culture to America. In 1917， based on her own experience， Eunice Tietjens published her anthology Profiles From China， which has aroused great repercussion at the whole society， and further aroused the curiosity of Americans toward China. Profiles From China is an anthology written in free verses， and introduces Chinese custom and unique living circumstances of common people in China， in which The Drug Clerk and The Steam Shovel introduce contemporary， sociological subject matters.

Ⅱ.The Stereotype Image of Chinese Women

The Chinese image shaped by Eunice Tietjens， objectively embodies the appearances of China， meanwhile it caters to the expectations of American readers. In Western readers deep mind， at that time， China is a nation of weaklings with backward thinking and comprehensive national strength is poor. Strong culture views weak culture as inferior culture “other”， thats why Chinese culture has been viewed as the antithesis of developed countries， especially America. If foreigners want to focus their attention on China， the most direct way is to integrate into the life of common people from all walks of life and different occupations. Only by field trip， giving an insight into Chinese society can readers in West better know China as cultural “other”.

When Eunice Tietjens came to China， she had some contact with ordinary people who gave her some inspirations on writing. The anthology Profiles From China provides westerners some angles to know this country with years of civilization. Eunice Tietjens showed the real life of ordinary people who has been persecuted by feudal system.

When it comes to the image of women in the early years of 20th century， the image that immediately appears in the westerners mind is a stunted bent woman with tiny feet. It seems to be the only image of Chinese women. In western literature， a series of “cliches” which are used to introduce Chinese women and later become stereotyped. “The system of the social culture can play a vital reference role while writers create their figures. To a certain extent， each character has reflects some aspect of the culture.” In the anthology Profiles From China， the poem My Servant describes a foot-bending woman.

“ The feet of my servant thump on the floor. Thump，

they go， and thump-dully， deformedly.

My servant has shown me her feet.

The instep has been broken upward into a bony cushion.

The big toe is pointed as an awl. The small

toes are folded under the cushioned instep. Only

the heel is untouched.

The thing is white and bloodless with the pallor of dead flesh.”

Ⅲ.Conclusion

What western writers want to show is nothing more than Oriental exoticism， and the works of foreign scholars are aimed at introducing China to western readers. In order to cater to readers demands， writers inevitably choose some aspects which inspire the imaginations and curiosity of western readers. Eunice Tietjens is good at grasping the curiosity psychology of western readers and thus introduces the current situation of Chinese women at the beginning of the 20th century， which to a large extent meets the need of self-identity of westerners.

參考文獻：

[1]孟華.比較文學形象學[M].北京大學出版社，2001：159.