ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.09.020
Differentiated Equality in Dialogue: Irigaray and the Traditional Chinese Gender Order from Pre-Qin to Han
Xinyan Zhang
Institute of Chinese Thought and Culture, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, Shaanxi, China.
*Corresponding author: Xinyan Zhang
Published: October 22, 2025
Abstract
Luce Irigaray, dissatisfied with the gender-biased construction of monistic subject theory, attempts to explore a whole constituted by both male and female sexes. On this basis, employing theories of psychoanalysis and linguistics, she criticizes the traditional monistic subject theory, proposes and establishes her own dualistic subject theory, and calls for female to recognize and discover their own subjectivity. Furthermore, Irigaray proposes a methodology to address the difficulties in female’s subjective cognition, namely, through achieving “love of self” as a means of returning to the real subject. These philosophical theories resonate strongly with the concepts of yin-yang balance and the spirit of “ren” (benevolence) in traditional Chinese ethics. The ancient traditions of the Qin and Han periods laid a theoretical foundation for female subjectivity in modern society, demonstrating the diverse, egalitarian, and inclusive value orientation of Chinese culture. Through a comparative perspective between Chinese and Western thought, we can understand at a more macro level how traditional Chinese ethical thought can be integrated with modern philosophy, thereby effectively promoting the development and progress of women in the new era.
Keyword
Subject; Love of self; Female subject; Gender politics; Confucian ethics
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Copyright
© 2025 by the author(s).
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How to cite this paper
Differentiated Equality in Dialogue: Irigaray and the Traditional Chinese Gender Order from Pre-Qin to Han
How to cite this paper: Xinyan Zhang. (2025) Differentiated Equality in Dialogue: Irigaray and the Traditional Chinese Gender Order from Pre-Qin to Han. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 9(9), 1818-1822.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.09.020