Should Nandan Be Abolished?: The Debate over Female Impersonation in Early Republican China and Its Underlying Cultural Logic

2013/03/01 by Guanda Wu · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #China #Chinese history and philosophy #History #Japanese History and Culture #Law #Political science #Vietnamese History and Culture Studies

paper · doi:10.1353/atj.2013.0008

openalex publication_date 2013/03/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21

Abstract

This essay examines the debate over female impersonation in theatre in early Republican China (1912-1937). The adversaries of nandan (female impersonators) saw the social equity between the sexes and the normalcy of gender, sex, and sexuality as integral parts of the process of building a modern nation and contended that theatre should contribute to this endeavor. Supporters of female impersonation saw female actors as hedonistic, underscored women's inferiority in xiqu performance, and emphasized that female impersonation was essential to the artistry of xiqu 's distinct aesthetic.

Citations

• Striking Their Own Poses: The History of Cross-Dressing on the Chinese Stage
• Male Dan: The Paradox of Sex, Acting, and Perception of Female Impersonation in Traditional Chinese Theatre

Cited by

• Dan role [wikipedia]

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