Ruiyi (Rae) Yuan
2017/5
Professor Kristin Lindgren
Critical Disability Studies: Theories and Practice
A Discussion in Disability, Social Support, Propaganda and History of China
Introduction
The idea for this project started from reading A Disability History of the United States. While reading the book, I was always wondering, where were all the disabled people in China’s history, literature and revolution, how have the disabled people in China been represented, what has changed and not changed for disabled people in China throughout history? The more I learned about the disability culture and theories in the United States, the more I want to know about the situation in the land and culture that I come from.
In this project, I looked into the history of China since 500B.C. (the beginning of Confucianism), and picked out events related to disability and important disabled figures that I learned about in my 12-year public-school education in China. By comparing the disabled figures across time and examining how they were represented under certain political context, I wanted to tell a story of social care for disabled people throughout history, and the relationship between disability and propaganda in the cultural context of China.
I decided to present this project as a timeline. In the timeline, besides the events and characters related to disability, I will also present the major events happened in the history of China to provide background information. Among all the events related to disability and disability figures, I focused on the work and life experience of three people who either had a disability or wrote about disability: Sima Qian, Lu Xun, and Haidi Zhang. The reason that I picked these three people is that these people are the people that I have learned the most about in my past education, and since the majority of Chinese students attend public schools as I did, and the education followed a similar guideline throughout the country, I believe that these three people were still very influential in today’s China. I made the timeline bilingual in both English and Chinese so that more people can read the description. All the translations in this project, if not noted specifically, were made by myself based on my own interpretation of the works.
I wouldn’t say that this project is a Disability History of China since there is way way way more work and research needed to be done for the five-thousand-year history of China. The title "Dao 道" means road, lines, and the law of nature. I hope through this project, more people can start to think about disability and disabled figures that we have omitted in our past education, the situation of disabled people in China, and the disability culture in a distinct cultural context. Maybe this can become the first baby step toward a real Disability History of China.
Nicolas Lowe - Web & Graphic Designer
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
The Timeline
-
Since the earliest time the timeline can represent is year 100, the time of the events happened before year 100 were included in the description.
-
On the left side of the line are the major events that happened in the history of China, while on the right side of the line are the events related to disability and disabled figures. More detailed description for some of the events can be viewed by clicking the arrow on the right.
-
The descriptions were made in both English and Chinese (except for sensitive issue).
-
“论中国文学作品中残疾人形象的流变.” 2017. Accessed May 12. http://www.docin.com/p-1164798721.html.
-
“中国古代残疾人保障思想探析.” 2017. 爱学术. Accessed May 12. /document/8f83ac044836a00c318947a18e7f9386.html.
Conclusion
“大道之行也，天下为公，选贤与能，讲信修睦，故人不独亲其亲，不独子其子，使老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长，鳏寡孤独废疾者皆有所养；男有分，女有归，货恶其弃于地也不必藏于己，力恶其不出于身也不必为己，是故谋闭而不兴，盗窃乱贼而不作，故外户而不闭，是谓大同。 ”《礼记》
When the perfect world is reached, the world is owned by every person on earth; people with talent and moral would be picked out; everyone would be honest and embrace harmony; thus, people not only care for their own parents and children, so that the elderlies can die naturally, men can contribute to the society, children can grow up, but also provide care for the old people without spouse, children without fathers, elderlies with no son, and people with disability; Men would have work to do and women would be married at the right time; people would hate the act of throwing away properties but would not need to steal; people would want to contribute to public affairs, but do not think much about their own benefits; people would not trick others or steal from others, and all houses would not need to close their doors. This is called Da Tong (greatest harmony).
---- Book of Rites
The definition and social status of disability have been changing with the political regime and the propaganda strategies throughout the history of China.
-
In ancient China, disability was not uncommon because of the diseases, natural disasters, and the wars, so the social status of disabled people was relatively neutral. Disability was often considered together with disease, weakness and elderlies in ancient China. The social support for the disabled, diseased and elderlies started very early along with the beginning of large wars.
-
As the feudal government developed to be more sophisticated, people with disability was put into a relatively inferior position in political careers, but the minds and thoughts were not restricted. Disabled figures were very well respected and were used to distribute the basic moral standards.
-
When the feudal dynasties came to an end, the stereotype of figures with intellectual disability was used to imply the problematic government and traditions.
-
When the war ended and a new era started, the new government struggled to find a right position for people with disability in the society with brand new ideologies, so a role model was selected.
As time flows by, the timeline will continue enriching and elongating, in new contexts and new era. Although the future is unexpected, our past is always affecting the way we define disability and the way we represent disability today, and Dao 道 will always be affecting the way we are.
Da Tong 大同 (greatest harmony) the scene of the perfect society pictured in Confucianism, is the ultimate goal of ancient China. Hopefully one day, we can lead the line and the road to the greatest harmony.
-
Book of Rites 《礼记》；200.B.C.