The Beijing Young Women's Christian Association, 1927-1937: Materializing a Gendered Modernity

This book explores how Chinese Christian women contributed to the modernization of Beijing during the Republican era by adapting Western models and creating new programs to meet the city's needs. The Beijing Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA) provided women- and child-oriented facilities, promoted recreational activities, and reformed home and family, demonstrating unique ideals of womanhood featuring practicality, social service, and cooperation. Their efforts pioneered modern social service in China and complemented the efforts of municipal authorities and other progressive groups.

Format: Hardback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 16 November 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

This book delves into the intricate interplay between gender, religion, and modernity, shedding light on the significant role played by Chinese Christian women in China's quest for a strong nation and Republican Beijing's modern transformation. By examining the Beijing Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the author explores how this organization, guided by the Christian principle of "to serve, not to be served," tailored its Western models and developed innovative programs to meet the city's evolving demands. The YWCA's endeavors spanned a wide range, including the establishment of women- and child-friendly facilities, the promotion of constructive recreational activities, and the reform of home and family life, all aimed at improving public health. Through a comprehensive analysis of these initiatives, the author argues that the Chinese YW women's contribution to the city's modernity was a creative embodiment of the then socially targeted missionary movement known as the Social Gospel. These women demonstrated their unique ideals of womanhood, characterized by practicality, social service, and broad cooperation, setting them apart from both traditional women and other brands of the New Woman. While some may criticize their efforts as trivial, their pioneering work in modern social service in China complemented the efforts of municipal authorities and other progressive groups in modernizing the city.

Weight: 354g
Dimension: 194 x 149 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793608147