Girls inspired by Professor Zheng lecture on the position of women in China

On 16 May, we were fortunate enough to have Professor Zheng, from the University of Manchester, attend the School to give a talk on how the position of women in China has changed.  The talk provided an overview of the development of modern China into the country it is today, through the perspective of Chinese women.

Professor Zheng took us through the years, from when foot binding was common place – with families selling the ‘three-inch golden lotus’ to advance their positions within society, to the communists ‘liberation’ of women. She questioned to what extent women effectively led the revolution moving towards a modern-day China, where women are a driving force in the country – becoming self-made leaders in numerous fields. Professor Zheng encouraged us to challenge different interpretations of how we perceive the role of women to have changed in Chinese society over time.

It was a truly enjoyable evening with the audience leaving inspired by Professor Zheng’s passionate talk and insight into such an interesting period of history.

Chloe, LVI