Hong Mai’s Stories: Wang Balang’s Wife

Madelene Ho

Professor Goldstein

Hist 106g

9th October, 2015

Source 38: Hong Mai’s Stories: Wang Balang’s Wife

Ancient China was a very male-dominant society, and the stories in Source 38, “Women and the Problems They Create,” serve as evidence for the sexist culture that permeated the mentality of Chinese writers. As the author discusses in the introduction to this collection of stories, “not nearly as many historical records survive concerning women’s lives as men’s” (p. 164). But these stories also show at least some attempt by ancient Chinese writers and story tellers (in the oral tradition from folklore, most likely) to depict women somewhat sympathetically in some instances. While these stories reveal the male-dominant society of ancient Chinese culture, they also reveal efforts by women to escape from the bondage of sexism.

        In “Hong Mai’s Stories: Wang Balang’s Wife,” sympathy is cultivated for a wife whose husband cheats on her with a prostitute, only to return and try to force her to leave him through abuse. The wife is described as intelligent and strong enough to withstand the abusive strategy her husband directs at her. The husband hopes that his wife will leave him so he can marry the prostitute. When this initial strategy fails, the husband turns to another strategy. He shames his wife even more by moving the prostitute to their village and moving her into an inn across the street from his home.

        The story also tells of the broader social context in which the wife exists. The author states that all of her daughters are gone, and only a young daughter remains. The wife realizes that this family predicament leaves her vulnerable if her husband leaves her. The woman pleads with her husband: “’Our daughters are married and we have grandchildren. If you chase me out, where will I go?” Of course, daughters in China left their parents to live with their husband and his parents. The wife would not be able to rely on her daughters. Obviously, the couple has no sons, who would be living with them with their wives, in which case the wife would have strong family support. Clearly, the wife has no opportunities in terms of family support given her predicament. Ancient China is a sexist society in how it arranges family organization. But this does not mean that women are completely powerless, and the next phase of the story shows an empowered wife utilizing resources outside the family to improve her social and economic position.