Introduction

In her criticism of Julia Kristeva's critical perspectives in On the Women of China, G. C. Spivak argues that "a deliberate application of the doctrines of French High 'Feminism' to a different situation of political specificity might misfire. Kristeva's consideration of the Chinese social model as "other of the West", is highly problematic, particularly because feminist cultural theory is grounded upon the basic presumption that women are "absent" from history. Erasure is an alternative theoretical concept, explaining the historical role of women in Asian performances. What one sees in traditional Asian performance contexts, to a certain degree, is the systematic erasure of women, an act aimed at limiting any female involvement in public performances. Pollock and Turvey-Sauron also argue that the legislation in 1948 resulted in several women turning to prostitution because their exclusive right to prioritize arts over domestic chores no longer existed after 1948. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.