| Chinese women were oppressed and fettered by feudal ethics and morals for a long time, especially in the countryside where feudal beliefs were the most deep-rooted. The rural culture is traditional in the Liberated Areas before the land reform.The principle of the parents’ order and matchmakers’ words is followed in the marriage,the consciousness of sons as better than daughters is strong in the act of birth, and men are superior to women among the members of the family relationship.However,the rural social structure and class had been changed radically by the movement of the land reform,which provides an opportunity for the majority of the rural women to gain independence and liberation.The Outline Land Law of China specified that land should be allocated collectively and averagely regardless of gender and age.Thus, poor peasants and farm laborers saw hope to throw off the oppressor and be master of their own fate, and to lead a secured life. What’s more, women, who had been dependent of men for lack of land property right, obtained land, which was fundamental to their independence.The Land Reform Movement fundamentally shook the economic foundation for the existence of Chinese feudal system, which has provided a broad space for the liberation of women. The CPC led the peasants to allocate land averagely in the Liberated Areas under the principle of “land to the tiller”. Thus, women obtained their own share of land. Hence their enthusiasm of producing was activated immensely. Mobilized by the CPC, rural women took an active part in the reform. They denounced the landlords and confiscated their movable property, divided the land, participated in agricultural production and political life, acquired education, supported the PLA and supplied front-line troops. They played a significant part in all aspects and their social status was improved greatly. Meanwhile, their right consciousness and subject consciousness kept strengthening. They began seeking to be better off. Their struggling consciousness and liberation consciousness emerged gradually. At the same time, favorable changes took place in their marriage and family life. They gained, to a certain extent, marital autonomy and land property right. Along with the marriage system reform and the Land Reform Movement, rural marriage customs changed obviously and local authorities began to protect women’s rights and interests. However, alongside this reformation of traditional beliefs and customs, problems and obstacles occurred. This is the focus of my paper. In spite of imperfections, the Land Reform Movement, on the whole, provoked women’s awakening, entitled them to equal status both in society and marriage, and led them to the road towards self-liberation.The cause of women’s liberation cannot succeed overnight, because the old institution of marriage is a legacy of a long-standing feudal society, and traditional beliefs and customs can not be changed overnight. It needs a buffer and a gradual process. This paper attempts to discuss how the shaking of feudal economic foundation gave tremendous impetus to this cause by discussing the impact that the Land Reform Movement had on rural women’s status in society, marriage and family. |
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