The Labours of Men
'The Labours of Men'
Yangjiabu, Shandong
52 x 31 cm
modern reprint of early 20th century image
During late-imperial China, the Chinese state actively encouraged people to lead simple an honest lives practicing what was seen as the occupations that were essential to social and economic stability. Men were to plough and women were to weave. Of course economic life was much more complicated than that and people have always followed a diversity of occupations, but still the moral imperatives of the state were strong enough to overcome reality and convince such people as nianhua artists to make 'ploughing and weaving' an important part of their ideology. A closer inspection should reveal that these farmers are not just ploughing - what other farming activities are they engaged in? How many women are involved in the enterprise?
copyright 2003
