ABSTRACT
Mr Shen, in his mid-40s, was a public relations consultant working for an
American software company in Beijing. He spoke good English and had
lived overseas numerous times in his life, including a few stints as a visiting
fellow at universities in the US. Still single and considering himself an
infinitely eligible bachelor, he owned an up-market car and an expensive
spacious 150 square metre apartment in a new gated community in
Chaoyang District Beijing. When he found out my research interest in
domestic workers, he offered the information that he had a local baomu (maid) who came once a week for half a day to clean his apartment, do his
laundry and iron his shirts. Shen also mentioned that he did not know his
maid that well, as he was never home while she came to work in his apart-
ment. ‘I am not particularly interested in her private life’. Shen intended to
get married, although he still had not found the right woman – to his
mother’s disappointment. He said that he was ‘easy and relaxed’ about his
future – and imaginary – wife’s option to work or stay at home, but he was
firmly of the view that his wife should not engage in any dirty menial housework.
