The influence of family and school education on Chinese American women in mid-20th century

Abstract：Based on existing literal studies on Chinese American female writers books as well as selected original works such as Jade Snow Wangs The Fifth Chinese Daughter，Women Warrior of Maxine Hong Kingston and The Joy Luck Club of Amy Tan，this research analyzed how family and school education influenced Chinese American women in mid-20th century. It firstly investigated the mainstream of available studies and found out that the contrast and function of family and school education valuable for further analysis. Then through reading materials that were chosen，the research found that research objects suffered from bi-cultural background and differences between family and school education because the more they learned，the more difficulties they felt in identifying themselves and keeping balance between two cultures. This also led to their strong eagerness to split mother culture in order to be recognized by the society. However，the maturity and the changing in the society contributed to their compromising with mother culture and even returning to it when they got older.

Introduction

At present，it is widely claimed that Chinese American women born in the mid-20th century grew up in the conflict between the enfranchised right of voting，being educated as an American citizen and racial discrimination by the major ethics（Aprile & Benner & Kim，2009;Cheung，2005;Guan，2002;Liu & Yang，2005;Voce & Allen，2008）. On the other hand，those young girls suffered from gender discrimination at home but what they have learned at school and their religion encouraged them to make their own choices on education，work and marriage（Bolaki，2015;Chen，2014;Dona & Ferguson，2004;Fu，2012;Yung，1995;Xue，2010;Yang，2007）. Also，they struggled between two cultures and found it very difficult to identify themselves.（Heller，1995;Cleland，2012;Kim & Hou，2016）. However，previous studies rarely talked about the family education and differences among different family background. To verify this finding，it is also needed to add more about the influence of education they gained at school and their changing in their religious beliefs. The study will talk more on family and school education as well as religious aspects based on existed studies.

Since the foundation of the US，most white people have been persisting preeminent position in almost every social aspect. One study（Liu & Yang，2005）pointed out that the white held absolute privilege in political field and economy at that time and they discriminated the culture and social status of minor races. Voce & Allen（2008）also observed severe violent campaigns against Chinese immigrants. The suffering of racial discrimination not only put Chinese Americans in the disadvantaged social status but also had bad effect on their health（Aprile & Benner & Kim，2009）. Under this condition，many Chinese American female writers of that time always appealed to racial equality and criticized colonialism in their books such as Maxine Hong Kinstons Chinese warrior（Guan，2002）. The stimulation of their fight for equal rights and social status also came from China. Chueng（2005）has suggested that the Anti-Japanese War also strengthened Chinese Americans braveness in fighting for their ethic both in China and USA. Since those Chinese women were excluded from the whole society as minor ethic and women of minor group，it is suggested by Yang（2007）that their works appealing to gender equality was on the basis of racial equality. Preference to boys over girls is still prevailed in those migrant families which resulted in many girls growing up with little attention and care from parents. Bolaki（2015）found that Maxine Hone Kingston even questioned her parents love to her. She even expressed angrily at the end of her book against the gender discrimination within the family and her hate towards patriarchal traditions（Xue，2010）. Yung（1995）mentioned that compared to their mothers who changed themselves to fit in new environment，Chinese American women in the mid-20th century made selective choices in the bi-cultural background. In the study made by Dona and Ferguson（2004），womens own jobs freed them from the bound and dependence on their husbands and they gradually made their own choices，which also represented the feminism. They also dropped their insane preference on footbinding in order to win love from men.（Chen，2014）. Fu（2012）also believe that the value of women is proved by mothers who passed down traditional Chinese culture to their daughters. On the other hand，Heller（1995）argued that those women defined feminism as freedom but that concept made it hard for them to return to their own culture. Cleland（2012）suspected that the characters in their books were also ‘duel-identity ones just like those writers. Kim and Hou（2016）observed that the bi-cultural choice was because Chinese culture emphasized on family connection.

The purpose of this study is to give deeper insight into what influences the family and school education have on Chinese American women of the mid-20th century and how they influence their lives. It will focus on the situation of Chinese American women living in the mid-20th century especially on their attitudes and reaction towards their family and school education. It will also explore the reason that made them choose to live as their parents did，which was severely discriminated at their young age. The result will help fans of those writers and people who are interested in Chinese Americans of that typical period view the issue from a different aspect and special combination of previous ideas.

In order to extend the exist theories of Chinese American women in the mid-20th century，the present study will ask 3 questions about family and school education as well as changing in religion. Firstly，what are influences of the family education and school education on the Chinese American women in the mid-20th century？ Secondly，what is the relationship between family education and school education in this aspect？ And finally，why there was a return to the mother culture and their parents life style as they get aged？

Methodology

The present study uses literal study and makes investigation on ordinary immigrant women by reading documentary writings named Unbound Feet：A Social History of Chinese Women in San Francisco，Chinese Women of America and Chinese Historical Society of America to find more about their growing up experiences and family environment of normal people. At the same time，since there are less materials about ordinary immigrant Chinese American Women，I will also make use of the autobiographic work of Jade Snow Wang named The Fifth Chinese Daughter，Women Warrior of Maxine Hong Kingston and The Joy Luck Club of Amy Tan. These two kinds of materials will become certifications and supplements of each other.

Expected Results

It is expected that the documentary writings and autobiographies I have chosen to use will help me know more about the objects feeling towards two education resources and how they formed their characters under such influence. Also，I will understand the religious influence on them and why they have contradictory attitude towards it at different age.

Discussion and Conclusion

Family education on those women presents as a reminder，keeping telling them where they come from and how they are related to their mother culture. Family education is conducted by their parents，the first generation of Chinese immigrants，who have few chances to take part in society mainstream because of their poor English，poverty and race. This can also explain why they display more traditional Chinese customs and characters than their children. Obverted ideas are preferring sons to daughters，wife being subordinated to husbands and so forth. Cultivated in such family，children naturally interact with traditional Chinese concepts and identify themselves firstly within the race. Even though they would feel disappointed when they were neglected by their parents due to their gender and indignant about racial discrimination，they can hardly figure out real reasons behind and make change.

However，when the second generation with fluent English go to school they find themselves exposed to complete different education style and content. Education in school gives them more freedom and accesses to reflect themselves. And here in school，indeed，they can have a broader world compared to their family and immigrant community. Teachers tell them all man are created equal. Children also realize that some custom in mother culture is not scientific at all by taking various classes. They realize that they prefer education in school but differences between school and family education make them feel struggled. For instance，they learn what gender equality means while they cannot change their own situation in their own family. They also feel that no matter how proficient they are in English or behave like native people，they are still trapped in apathy and anger resulting from racial discrimination.

In this case，the obvious contrast between family and school education cultivated their special characters，loathing their parents and family as well as mother culture while strongly wishing to be a completed America. They also find it difficult to identify themselves. These women are born in the foreign land，smattering of China and Chinese culture is by their parents. It is also quite an obvious but cruel fact that being born and growing up in America is not always equated as completed America. They tend to ascribe the unfairness and loss to their race and mother culture，trying hard to cut off the relation with their mother culture in the early age.

Nevertheless，as they grow older，they realized that their mother culture is rooted in their heart and the most intelligent way is to compromise with it. In my opinion，this change，on the one hand，comes from maturity of their mind based on more understanding of their mother culture and the American culture. On the other hand，the society also pay more attention to minor races，which gives them chances to express themselves or even wrote books about themselves. Plus，women as a whole gradually have more chances to participate in the society during this time. Many female Chinese American writers，just as Maxine Hong Kingston and Jade Snow Wang，also find their bi-cultural background a blessing because it served them a trans-cultural stage to investigate two different culture.

It is important to consider those womens growing up experience under the bi-cultural family background because they represent universality by expressing different cultural concepts and their views towards family，society and race. This is also of great importance to global society where different ethics need more understanding towards each other. On the other hand，as feminism gets more and more followers around the whole world，those literature works accelerate the awakening of gender equality. Also，the research can enrich the study of Chinese Americans immigrant history and serve as a contrast between western education methods and eastern education methods. It will also help bi-cultural family reflect their family education and find methods to cultivate children that feel less struggled when face up with different culture backgrounds. In my opinion，children who grow up in bi-cultural or even multicultural are more talented and effective in trans-cultural communication than those with mono-cultural background.

However，as minor ethic in the US，Chinese Americans lack attention and respect from the society and thus interview and documentary writing materials are far from enough. Besides，the autobiographical literature is closely connected to individual background and values. Therefore，it is difficult to have completely fair and comprehensive reflection of the whole generation.

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作者簡介：

杜伊哲，1997年5月，女，漢，遼寧省沈陽人，碩士學歷，新加坡南洋理工大學中國與全球治理專業。學校：南洋理工大學。