Now I'm neither of Chinese ethnicity nor residing in China, but if Sun Yunxiao has written a book in order to "Save the Boys" from turning them into girly men, then I definitely see this as becoming a major issue for not just Chinese, but for all Asian males worldwide.
In his book Sun claims that,
- Chinese boys between the ages of 7 and 17 are 2.54 cm shorter than Japanese boys.
- Chinese boys are getting physically weaker.
- Chinese boys are now emotionally more vulnerable than girls.
First of all, I'll assume that the three bullets aren't some outlandish claims Sun pulled out of his ass, and he actually did his due diligence in researching and gathering legitimate data. With that, if all the stereotypes Asian men struggle with today aren't bad enough, then this definitely hammered the last nail in the coffin of a slow and painful death of the masculine Asian male image.
Sun argues what I have been griping about all along - Asians unhealthy overemphasis on education which stifles the growth in maturing from boys to men. Yes, as laudable as studying 24/7 and earning high marks on exams may be, too much of anything can result in dire and unwanted consequences.
They say that in order to address and resolve an issue, you must admit that one indeed exists. Fortunately, Sun along with many others including myself, recognize this cultural characteristic as a sociological, psychological and even physiological setback for Asian men,
"...traditional Chinese method of 'caged breeding' raises a child like a little emperor and doesn't encourage independence. Furthermore, “the frequent absence of a father figure and the overprotection of the mother is another factor that makes Chinese boys more feminine.”I have seen instances of this in other Asian countries as well, though I think there is less of this in Korea due to a law requiring every Korean male citizen to enlist in the military for almost two years. Sun argues the need for Chinese men to participate in sports as opposed to trying to imitate popular culture icons, since they "blur the man/woman divide". He points to Li Yuchun as a primary example of who Chinese boys try to imitate.
This dudette above may be a good singer and have some ambiguously captivating flavor, but it leaves me confused. At first glance, I actually thought Sun's reference to Li was illustrative of how guys in entertainment are beginning to reflect a girly behavioral display. I was going to say Li is nowhere in close proximity to Rain's level of masculinity and sex appeal or Jin's level of rawness until I found out...Li Yuchun is actually female! I think I'm beginning to understand Sun's conjecture.
So who is to blame for this developing trend? Is Sun's book a backlash against A) feminism in China, B) the lack of universally defined gender roles, C) Chinese boys stunted due to an overemphasis on smarts or D) all of the above?
My answer is D) all of the above. Final answer.
My answer is D) all of the above. Final answer.
The increasing feminization of Asian men in Asia, at least in the media, is a curious thing. Obviously they're responding to and echoing someone's tune -- Asian women. But you often hear Asian women complain that Asian men aren't as masculine as other men. It is strange...
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have a male cat who was neutered when we got him. Let me tell you, having no balls makes a difference in a cat's personality. Our cat's loveable, playful and a bit of mama's boy. He's also a bit scaredy cat (pun intended). We also foster cats, so one day we brought home a female cat. We didn't know it at the time, but this female was about to go into heat. A few days of having her in the house and that's what happened. She was following our boy around the house, sticking her ass in his face hoping he'd do her. Of course our ball-less son of a cat had no idea what was going on and wanted nothing to do with her.
ReplyDeleteWhen I compare him with the street cats who have their balls intact, it's like night and day. The street cats survey their territory, get into fights and have spawned bastard kittens all over the neighborhood.
I think our modern society, not just Chinese society, raises boys to be boys and not men. Culturally our boys are neutered.
Solution:
ReplyDeleteMore hardcore kung-fu academies. That way you get more Chinese kids like the villian in the new Karate Kid. (Until they get beat up by good ol' USA in the end. U!S!A!U!S!A!)
All jokes aside, I think Asian culture in general is shifting towards a less masculine male celebrity model. Compare YG Entertainment, Korea's most well-known hip hop talent agency, to Death Row. And China pretty much copies whatever they can, whether it's brand name handbags, toothpaste, or boy bands.
http://www.allkpop.com/2009/12/big_bang_copycats_in_china
The thing about Chinese masculinity is that it isnt based on a physical ideal, its more of a cultural ideal. A real man is someone who provides for his family, is loyal, cares for his children etc. Also while compared to non PRCs they might be skinnier/scrawnier its also environmental as well.
ReplyDeleteMost PRCS come from a poverty background, and often arent as physically developed as overseas people, due to lack of nutrition. Add to that , the traditional cultural role of education and the scholar as valued higher than the soldier.
Throughout Chinese History, scholars and those with education have always been more highly valued than people who can fight, especially during times of peace......
I don't know about this person's research, but you got to hate the way that CNN cocksuckers are gloating about this issue with their tabloid headline: "How China is emasculating its boys."
ReplyDeleteWTF?
More of America's sinophobic media swill masquerading as "journalism."
I wanna CNN's hyping a headline like this in the future: "Obesity: How America is nation of Freedom-Fry eating pigs!"
@ Hugo: Strange indeed. I'm confused about the whole situation myself. I can see why Sun and others are scared of China becoming "second only to Thailand in producing ladyboys". My friends who've visited other Asian countries say there are so many gays in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteI JUST DON'T GET IT.
@ James: True but the content Sun is referring to is really unique to Asia, specifically China - his home turf. That's not to say America isn't on the other extreme being a hyper-masculine society though.
@ Jeremy: YG Entertainment vs Death Row isn't a valid comparison. The era of Death Row reigning the pop charts is long gone. Strip away the size difference and a better comparison would be YG Entertainment vs Def Jam Records. I think YG still captures the essence of masculinity and exudes MALE sexuality to the listening and viewing audience. Take a look at Rain or 2PM for example. Teenie boppers and older women still go buck wild over these guys.
If China is copying, which they probably are, they shouldn't omit the sexual aspect of their male artists!
@ Anna: This is a great point I meant to touch upon but accidentally omitted so I'm glad your brought it up. However, I think this is exactly what Sun is trying to point out. The era of Chinese masculinity exclusively based on a cultural ideal is outdated and should be modified with modern times where men need to be more than just an intelligent scholar or an rich baller, but one who knows how to holler. Rhyme intended.
Scratch my last comment Jeremy. After watching OK-Bang it looks like they're doing a pretty good job of not leaving this crucial element out.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a carbon copy though. Koreans should be flattered. You know what they say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
...the content Sun is referring to is really unique to Asia, specifically China - his home turf. That's not to say America isn't on the other extreme being a hyper-masculine society though.
ReplyDeleteChina has had a problem of raising pussies for a 1,000 years. But is the US culture hyper-masculine?
Anna raised a very good point on another site that although the men of Western societies value the hypermasculine ideal, the reality is that most men of these Western societies are so far removed from this ideal.
I think all societies are having a backlash against the femininization of men:
Korea has its Flower Men
Japan has its Grass Eating Men
The US and Canada has its metrosexuals. Here's a blurb from a book called The Alpha Male Challenge:
Men are losing their masculinity. Guys are urged to get in touch with their "feminine" side at the expense of the traditional attributes that make men "male." Not only has "manliness" become a dirty word in a society of beta males and couch potatoes, but there's actually less and less of it in the blood of too many American men, with studies showing declines in average testosterone levels over the past 20 years.
Every society fears the feminization of its men, because it means less people procreating and perpetuating the existence of the society.
I think, though, that Sun Yunxiao is a bit of an alarmist:
Chinese boys between the ages of 7 and 17 are 2.54 cm shorter than Japanese boys.
Chinese boys are getting physically weaker.
Chinese boys are now emotionally more vulnerable than girls.
A difference of 2.54 cm is neglible. If you pull out a ruler, then you'll see that 2.54 cm is hardly any difference at all. This is not to say that China isn't raising mama's boys.
Anna123 said...
ReplyDelete"The thing about Chinese masculinity is that it isnt based on a physical ideal, its more of a cultural ideal. A real man is someone who provides for his family, is loyal, cares for his children etc. Also while compared to non PRCs they might be skinnier/scrawnier its also environmental as well."
I think this ideal is universal. But during wartime, the warrior ideal comes to the fore. During peacetime, the rawer aspects of male masculinity are expressed through sports, "play war". With the increasing empowerment of women, traditional cultural male ideals get pushed to the background. Women feel they can take care of themselves. The "provider" ideal diminishes in importance. Here, male masculinity become truly trivialized and end up being expressed through bodily beauty and other symbols of masculinity, like sports. But sports athleticism and symbols of physical masculinity through physical build should not be mistaken for "real" masculinity, which in the end, are the cultural ideals + actual ability to defend the home from enemies, and not merely the appearance that one can by having big muscles or shooting a ball through a hoop.
In contrast to China and Korea, Japan and the West have idealized the "warrior" for so long probably because they've continuously been at war for so long. In China and Korea, long periods of peace made warriors a defunct class. And in the end, this peace sowed the seeds of their own vulnerability and conquest by more belligerent civilizations.
@ James: I spoke to my friend about this and he too echoed your arguments. I'm convinced; the males of the world are becoming less masculine.
ReplyDeleteI took a gander at your links on the "Flower Man" and "Grass Eating Man". Turnbull's article has its merits. The funny thing is, that I've never heard of this term "Flower Man" while living here though I think I know what he is referring to.
What I do know is that Korean society is very image conscious for both females and males. Additionally, the entertainment industry is producing a lot of "pretty boys" which doesn't display the same notion of masculinity that we're use to. Many Korean companies see this trend, they are pushing products to cater to an untapped market which in essence, is another sign of the changing trend.
There was an advertisement for men I saw a while back that had some female saying something like, "I slept over at his place last night. I used his toner." The sucker that I am, I went out and immediately bought some. LOL.
As for Japan, I did see something like this on the news. Men are too focused on their careers or just not interested in women. Plus, with the country being in a never ending recession, men are less inclined to date because everything is just too damn expensive over there. This creates a shortage in the supply of available bachelors while inversely increasing the number of women seeking out husbands for financial stability. Funny phenomenon.
What really makes me wonder though is this. What kind of a male would a feminist want to date? Or would they even want to date a male at all?
@ Lxy: I too laugh at the ridiculous cocksuckery of CNN sometimes, though I'm sure someone might say the same about my blog titles.
"In China and Korea, long periods of peace made warriors a defunct class."
ReplyDeleteI don't believe this is true. And I don't know if you can directly attribute masculinity to war.
Both China and Korea have had more recent wars on their own lands than say the USA.
A little thing called the Korean War (1950s) and the Chinese Revolutionary/civil war (1940s) come to mind.
Of course, the USA leads the world in terms of waging war in someone else's country, by far.
Lxy,
ReplyDelete"I don't believe this is true. And I don't know if you can directly attribute masculinity to war."
Perhaps not a single war, but a history of wars, battles and fighting which goes on to shape a culture that values the warrior class.
Certainly, if culture is a combination of nature, environment and chance (and the feedback from culture again), then our environment obviously plays a not insignificant role.
I believe it's unsurprising Japan, for instance, put the samurai at the top of their social hierarchy up to their unification around the 17th century.
Korea, in contrast, enjoyed long period of piece with occasional disturbances since the unification by Silla.
Though the dynastic periods were shorter, the story is similar with China.
Contrast the situation in NE Asia with Europe. NE Asia consisted of a few large states. Europe was made up of many smaller kingdoms generally in constant competition with one another after the fall of Rome.
Of course, it could also be argued that culture creates environment. Confucian/Taoist/Buddhist mores probably had something to do with E Asia's desire for harmony and peace, generally. And this desire helped create the peace they sought.
In contrast, the West's more dualistic/antagonistic perception of the world probably also went on to create the kind of world they envisioned.
A major issue that is not discussed is the JEWISH
ReplyDeleteowned media plays a big role in promoting negative
images of Asian men in America. WAKE UP ASIANS!
Jews are our sworn enemy! Fuckin hook-nosed rat kike bastards. It's too bad Hitler didn't finish
cleansing the world of these rat-lookin kike vermin.
I don't know who you are Anonymous but I am asking you politely to tone down your racist derogatory rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteI HATED it when people used to call me chink or gook as a child. You are lowering yourself to their level of consciousness which makes you no better.
In a media-worshipping world. Its up to you and the power of the internet to change things.Focus on the positive, the negative will be what will be. It doesnt matter how confused you are, how sad you are, etc etc. Just stick to your guns. You are the change. Believe in yourself, you need noone else, and you need noone cheering you on. You have already won.
ReplyDeleteLooking past the offensive comments by the other Anonymous, the comment is spot on. Absolutely. The US media is in total possession and control of the minds of the population, and the population holds the negative images of the Asian male as depicted by the media. If you are an Asian man living in the US, the image that others have of you, including Asian girls, is the image exactly as depicted by the media. Whether you know it or not, whether it is obvious or not, you are treated according to the offensive image painted of you by the contemptible scum working in the media. This results in you living in a world where your station and stature in society is far below that of male criminals and drug-users of other races. You will struggle to find a girlfriend, Asian or not, and, unless you work at an Asian owned and managed company, you won't get promoted to any position of responsibility, let alone status. While it likely won't be obviously displayed to your face, you will be a joke to be ridiculed, mocked, and a target to be pushed around in accordance with the image that you have no control over. All this, thanks to the ugly people who are the US media.
ReplyDeleteLooking past the offensive comments by the other Anonymous, the comment is spot on. Absolutely. The US media is in total possession and control of the minds of the population, and the population holds the negative images of the Asian male as depicted by the media. If you are an Asian man living in the US, the image that others have of you, including Asian girls, is the image exactly as depicted by the media. Whether you know it or not, whether it is obvious or not, you are treated according to the offensive image painted of you by the contemptible scum working in the media. This results in you living in a world where your station and stature in society is far below that of male criminals and drug-users of other races. You will struggle to find a girlfriend, Asian or not, and, unless you work at an Asian owned and managed company, you won't get promoted to any position of responsibility, let alone status. While it likely won't be obviously displayed to your face, you will be a joke to be ridiculed, mocked, and a target to be pushed around in accordance with the image that you have no control over. All this, thanks to the ugly people who are the US media.
ReplyDeleteLike produces like. Asians are to blame for feminizing themselves. All this attention on media belies the fact that Asians are physically smaller and weaker than their white/black counterpart. The media can't change people anymore than it can make the sunshine. The incessant whining from bitchy little men isn't going to change the physical reality. Culture and genetics is mutually reinforcing, when you have a culture that forces young boys to sit down all day memorizing and sacrifice their physical health and well being for something so useless as test scores (without the actual learning) you get what you get. Is there a better way? there might not be if you're asian living in asia, if the only way to get ahead in life is to do well on a test, it's going to be tough to go against that. That's even before we take into account the lower nutritional intake (protein, dairy products) and high soy diet.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5887567/Tall-men-earn-more-than-shorter-colleagues-research-claims..html
Bigger is better: young boys who are physically bigger than their peers are more confident, have more energy and probably lead more successful fulfilling lives (added side effect: whine less than their smaller counterparts). There's no down side to being bigger/taller, you punch harder, have more energy and more confident and secure in yourself. There's a multitude of side effects from being stronger and having more energy that translate into cultural traits as well, all of it good things if you want a vibrant society.
The reality is that even a strong, well-built and sociable Asian guy faces a lot of discrimination because of his race.
ReplyDeleteAnd muscles and height aren't everything. American women think European men are very attractive, even though European men have a reputation for being more effeminate and less burly than American men. These women aren't fantasizing about Dolph Lundgren types; they're thinking about guys who are cultured, thin, romantic, etc.
There's no reason why Asian men can't be perceived like that. Most women aren't looking for bodybuilders, and even if Asian guys are a bit shorter, they're still taller than most women.