Wild Swans & Nu Shu Sisters
Another fascinating read about real-life experiences in China, this time by author Jung Chang (not Chan as the schedule and reading list says J) Her book, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, was an amazing story that chronicled three generations of women and their wild experiences in China. The most heart-wrenching story was that of the grandmother’s experience of being one of the concubines of General Xue.[1] Her horrendous experience of having her feet bound and being held in the compound without the freedom to leave and her harrowing escape had me captivated.[2] It also became something I was ironically familiar with due to the fact that my wife, Jennifer, started a non-profit a few years ago called Nu Shu Sisters based on the ancient Chinese language developed by these oppressed women with abusively bound feet called Nu Shu. I feel like the story taken from the website will explain better…
“Silencing women and their suffering has been an age-old issue that transcends into many times and lands. Women have combated their oppression in a variety of ways, but one of the most intriguing methods women have used to fight oppression is their ability to retain their voice. This was most extraordinarily expressed through the Hunan women in China. In feudal China, women were assigned to arranged marriages, which were often abusive and brutal in nature. Small feet were a sign of beauty, so they were made to wear bindings on their feet that often compressed their feet to lengths as small as five inches making it nearly impossible to walk. Not only were they crippled physically, but they were crippled socially when they were forbidden to learn Nan Shu which was “Man’s Writing”. In order to endure these harsh and oppressive situations, a group of women calling themselves the “sworn sisters” banded together and developed their own culture and language. This unique dialect of an argued 1,200-7,000 characters called “Nu Shu” which translates into “Women’s Writing” has been affectionately referred to as “The Language of the Heart.” The language is based on traditional Chinese characters but altered with a wispy and graceful slant as only a woman can create. Nu Shu was sung, written on paper fans, or woven into cloth for more than two centuries to over a millennium. The writings, or songs were highly secretive and guarded from men but were passed on to their daughters and granddaughters. With secrecy and beauty, they shared their woes, stories, and determination to hold onto their self-respect through: music, poetry, and artful embroideries. When the melody was sung, those who could hear it came and joined in. Eventually, the men found out about the secret language but they considered it insignificant, so they allowed it to survive. This shared language became a way for the women to share their burdens, avoid isolation, and prevent suicide. After the Chinese Revolution, literacy was accepted among women and Nu Shu was not needed or used. Many of the old manuscripts were destroyed due to fear of the language being discovered, a cultural tradition to burn the manuscripts on the author’s death, and the mission of the Red Guards to destroy old cultures. Today, only a handful of women can still read, sing, and understand it, but the Chinese government has agreed to preserve the ancient language, even though as few as 600-700 characters remain. In the spirit of survival as modeled from their ancestors, younger women are learning to write Nu Shu today in order to preserve its’ existence.”[3]
This is the story that inspired my wife to create a non-profit to help advocate and inspire women to walk in their strength and beauty and to speak a new language of collaboration instead of competition. The stories I read in the book for this week has this similar inspiration that made being a part of helping to create this movement with my wife so fulfilling. It also broke my heart to read about the immense suffering and oppression these women in China experienced that was fully endorsed by their culture. Similarly, women in our American culture experience a different kind of suffering and oppression that is also supported by our culture. The #metoo movement is bringing some of this into the light and helping to liberate some of the oppressed and abused women all over the country. Sometimes we can have more empathy for those suffering in other countries and ignore the suffering happening right under our noses. If more of us will stand up and advocate for women and speak out against this injustice, our country may experience the liberation and freedom it deserves, and the gender leadership gap just might begin to get a little smaller. I invite you to join the Nu Shu Sisters movement at www.NuShuSisters.com
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[1] Jung Chang, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, Kindle Edition, 25.
[3] http://www.nushusisters.com/about/
About the Author
Jake Dean-Hill
Currently a Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice. Ordained minister with 10 years of prior full-time church ministry experience and currently volunteering with a local church plant. Also working with companies as a Corporate Leadership Coach.8 responses to “Wild Swans & Nu Shu Sisters”
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Jake,
Thanks for the Chang-vs-Chan clarification!
I love the “Nu Shu” sidebar discussion and excellent integration into your dissertation topic of gender bias in leadership. I went to the website and see some friends of yours! Educate, advocate, and inspire are powerful strategic values and could be adopted into other successful contexts.
See you in HK.
Stand firm, 站立得住
M. Webb
Thanks Mike. Yes NuShu Sisters has been a great platform to advocate for women leaders all over the country. Look forward to seeing you in HK.
Standing Firm,
Jake
Jake,
Awesome connection between the text this week and the Nu Shu movement. I had no idea anything like that existed. It just amazes me the wealth of experience and understanding found in this cohort. The injustice experienced by women in this text was difficult for me to stomach at times, particularly as I was in Kenya and experiencing first hand oppression of women in other ways including FGM. At times I am not certain that any genuine headway is being made in regard to women’s rights and the injustices faced by them. Do you think there is any hope?
Thanks Dan for your encouraging words. I also share your struggle when I see the rampant gender discrimination all over the world, but I do feel like there is hope because I know there are men like you and me who will fight to see women treated as equals and valued for who they are. It starts with men like us in positions of power. Thanks bro!
Jake,
Hey brother I really appreciate the insight into the Nu Shu sisters. What really caught me was you statement that we often overlook our own problems while wanting to help others. As Christians, we need to make sure we are taking care of our Jerusalem as we go to the world. Thanks for your insight.
Jason
Thanks Jason! I do think we overlook our own backyard pretty often and miss the injustice happening right in front of us. It is up to us to advocate for our Jerusalem so a significant difference can be made.
Feet binding is one of the most painful things placed upon a women more than likely to keep them from running away. When my children were younger we read stories about those western women that came and were able to jump the cultural hurdles to help remove this practice from the culture. I do hope this nushu sister project will be a place where help is sought, stores are shared, and the beginnings of restoration is found.
Thanks Greg. Our hope is that NuShu Sisters will definitely be a liberating and empowering force for women and encourage them to be a sisterhood to each other.