Dance as New Women Physical Education and the Embodied Modernity in Republican China, 1926–1934

From 1912 to 1949, the Republic of China (ROC) underwent a profound period of transformation and revitalization. Following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, the ROC era was characterized by significant social changes, including the emergence of new social classes, the expansion of modern education, and widespread political mobilization (Fairbank and Goldman 2006). Among these changes, the status of Chinese women saw remarkable progress. Because Chinese women were no longer confined to being merely the product and property of their families (Fairbank and Goldman 2006), they began to experience newfound freedoms. This included greater participation in the workforce, increased access to education, and enhanced autonomy in choosing their life partners. As traditional norms were challenged and new opportunities for social and economic participation emerged, these shifts marked a pivotal moment in the modernization of Chinese society. As Diana Lary highlights, this era represented a crucial shift towards gender equality and the broader renaissance of China within its society (Lary 2007). A key moment in this transformation was the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which called for the rejection of traditional Confucian values in favor of modernization, alongside political, social, and cultural reforms, including the advancement of women’s rights. A prominent platform for these ideals was New Youth ( 新青年 ), a journal founded by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, which championed Marxism, science, democracy, and women’s emancipation. Influential female political figures, such as Soong Ching-ling, the wife of Sun Yat-sen, utilized their power to advocate for gender equality and women’s education. These cultural and political shifts gave rise to the figure of the “New Woman” ( 新女性 ), symbolizing empowerment, independence, and modernity.