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Important Dates in the History of the Women’s Studies Movement in China

1966-1978Cultural Revolution
1976Mao Zedong’s death
1979One Child Campaign begins
1981All China Women’s Federation (ACWF) establishes the Chinese Association for Research on Marriage and the Family
1982Phrase “Women’s Studies” first introduced into China via Studies of Social Sciences Abroad (per Wan Shanping)
1983ACWF announces “Four Selfs” slogan: “Self-respect, self-love, self-possession, and self-improvement
Aug. 31 – Sept. 6, 1984ACWF sponsored First National Conference on Theoretical Studies of Women’s Issues (no Tibet or Inner Mongolia participants)
1984Programs begin to train ACWF caders in Women’s Studies
1984Rong Tiesheng, a professor in the History Department of Henan University, offers an elective course titled “History of the Modern Chinese Women’s Movement”
1985Law for Marriage Registration
1985Society of Women’s Studies founded (established under the Henan Future Society) and sponsored the first Women’s Studies symposium in Zhengzhou (August)
1985Li Xiaojiang begins teaching a course on household management (Women in Home Economics) at the Henan Provincial Institute for Women Cadres; teaches “Women’s Literature;” and lectures on “Chinese Women’s Self-Understanding”
1986Women of China publishes Li Xiaojiang’s proposal for the establishment of a Women’s Studies Curriculum
Oct. 7-11, 1986ACWF Second National Conference on Theoretical Research on Women
1987Founding of first Women’s Studies Center: Zhengzhou University (May) which sponsored a “Founding Conference” for Women’s Studies
1988“A Way Out for Women” year long discussion in the official women magazine Zhongguo Funü, which was mostly about the encouragement to return to the home
1988A college for women cadres was formally set up in Beijing
1988ACWF held a workshop on “Social Security for Women,” led push for social reimbursement programs for child-bearing which were introduced in multiple provinces and municipalities
1989ACWF modifies “Four Selfs” Slogan: “Self-respect, self-support, self-confidence and self-strengthening”
1990ACWF established the Institute of Women’s Studies
1990ACWF Investigations on the Social Status of Women in China (also called Chinese Women’s Social Status Survey–over 2000 interviewers participated)
1990Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women
1990Research on women’s development in contemporary China undertaken by the Institute of Demography, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
1990Studies on Ethnic Women in China, Institute of Ethnology, CASS
March, 1990Workshop on Women’s Participation and Development, sponsored by Women’s Studies Center at Zhengzhou University
1990Workshop for Information Exchange on Theoretical Studies of Beijing Women organized by Women’s Federation of Beijing
Oct., 1990Women’s Studies Center formally recognized at Peking University
1991Conference held jointly by ACWF and Global Interactions, Inc.
Feb., 1992Conference “Engendering China: Women, Culture, and the State” took place at Harvard University, Wellesley College, and MIT with Women’s Studies faculty from the U.S. and China.
1993Tianjin feminist seminar where “gender” was introduced into Chinese (“shehui xingbie” or “social sex”)
1995UN Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing and NGO forum held in Huairou
1996Chinese Women’s Research and Information Center in Beijing established