Sun Shang Xiang

In lecture today I got on the topic of symbolism in China with a Chinese student. She was showing me her earrings and told me the meaning behind them was good luck and the color red represented China. I admire pieces of apparel that have specific meaning to the tradition of China, because it demonstrates their pride in history. It was stated in our lecture about Chinese culture that the Chinese use history to understand the present, because a lot can be learned from the past. Americans however look at history as a means to estimate future happenings. She went on to talk about a very dynamic woman in China called Sun Shang Xiang. She told me that she wasn't like most women of China, that's why she's so famous. I wanted to learn more about this powerful woman so I can understand more about the history surrounding China; which is important since tradition plays a big role in their culture.

According to cultural China: she stuck out during the Three Kingdoms era because of her tomboy appearance. She gathered this image by taking martial arts training and using weapons which was odd for the time. I can see how this woman became so famous, because boys have always been thought to be superior in Chinese culture so a woman taking on the manly trait of martial arts and using weapons was unique. This historical piece of information could have placed the idea that men aren't as superior to women, because a woman such as Sun Shang Xiang can participate in the same activities. If the image of superiority between males and females had been acknowledged in the past the currently high ratio of males to females may not exist. Every day here is a learning experience and I love being able to connect lectures to different conversations with Chinese students; it makes me appreciate the way things are here.