Representing gender in Chinese children's literature (1920-2010)

This study investigates the representations and, indeed, the expectations of gender roles in Chinese children’s literature in various periods of the past century, focusing on the constructions of masculinity and femininity in different historical contexts. The paper attempts to demonstrate the continuation of, as well as the radical departure from, the traditional stereotypes concerning gender roles in China throughout the times. Although there is no definite evidence that children’s literature is a deciding factor in how gender roles are assigned to the young in China, the influence of the messages in literary works on how gender roles are stereotyped in society cannot be denied. Analysis of these texts offers us an insight for understanding the changing representations of gender roles in Chinese children’s literature in order to reflect the changes in society and social attitudes toward gender in mainland China.