THE MODERN GIRL

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3289, 8 March 1926, Page 5

THE MODERN GIRL

HER DAILY LIFE IN OHINA. SOME CURIOUS CONTRASTS. The life of Chinese girls and women to-day presents the most amazing- contrasts. In the same city where one may see thousands of young girls hobbling along on bound feet, other girls—favoured few who are in school —are playing netball and learning- country dancing. After a large sports meeting held recently in a provincial capital some of the boys made the criticism that the girls had not been allowed an equal share in the proceedings because they had not played football. When it was suggested to them that football is not universally considered a suitable game for girls, they said with an air of finality, "But China is now a democracy.”

In the same city where hospitals can be found with all modern equipment and where Chinese doctors trained in Western medical schools offered their services, thousands of poor folks still use the \old-age magic cures when their children fall sick, and Ignore the most elementary laws of hygiene every day of their lives, writes C.M. in the “Manchester Guardian.” Many a little boy still wears the ear-ring which is supposed to deceive the spirits info believing that ho is the much less valuable member of the family, the girl, or the silver ring round the neck which "locks him info life.” On the other hand, some modern educated fathers are quite noticeably fonder of their daughters than of their sons and quite as anxious for them to have a career if they want it

It has been estimated (all statistics relative to China are approximate) that still only one woman in eighty can read. The proportion in the cities is probably higher, but In the country illiteracy is almost the rule. At the other end. of the scale are the women who have taken degrees in English and American universities. There are doctors, scientists, philosophers, educators and journalists among them. " The number of girls in school is constantly on the increase, though they still form a small fraction, probably about one in ten, of China’s scholars. Educated Wives at ITomium.

The demand for educated girls as wives is enormous. Educated young - men naturally want educated wives. On the other hand, there is a great revolt against marriage on the part of the girls. From of old, marriage in .China has meant for the women subjection to the husband's family, and in particular to his mother. Cases are common now of girls breaking engagements made for them in childhood by their parents. Recently a girl of eighteen defended her righ tto break an engagement in the law Courts in Pekin, and was successful. Other girls have been known to use the money left them by their parents, or money they had saved themselves to contract out of undesirable engagements. This is a tremendous change from the time when betrothal arranged by the parents was regarded as being just as binding as marriage itself. There are Instances of lovematches and of happy homes founded on them, but these are all too few as yet, and far too many young Chinese know nothing of any ideal of marriage or home life. Film and Sex Relations. Recently a whole issue of one of the most popular magazinies for women was devoted to the subject of divorce, and in general the question of marriage receives a great deal of attention and is discussed from every point of view. The same magazine frequently publishes photographs of 1 newly-married couples after the best fashion of Western society papers. Young schoolgirls read novelettes of the most sentimental type, or worse. They get their ideas of Western sex relations from the least desirable kind of kinema film. As they know nothing of the normal equal kind of social intercourse that takes place between men and women in Western countries, they have nothing to counter-balance the impression made by the books and pictures. It is disturbing to think what their ideas of Western customs must be. The girls of China deserve to be offered a share in the best that Western women have achieved, and not only the less desirable 'elements. At this difficult period of adjustment to new conditions they need all the understanding and practical sympathy that Western women can give them.