Page 91 - Chinese Woman Living and Working

78 WANNING SUN
this sense, the baomu can be seen to have the opportunity to participate in modernity, but
her presence and participation in the modernisation process is conditional on her
willingness to accept modernity’s conditions and consequences.

Notes

1 Legend has it that only married women from Sanhe were allowed to go to Beijing to work as
maids. It is believed that Sanhe laomazi (old woman) had two motives for becoming maids in
Beijing: money and experience. Returned maids were usually perceived to be better
housewives since they had the experience of living in rich people’s houses. See Liu (1998).
2 For a detailed account of Anhui’s economic development and social change see Sun (2002a).
3‘Jingcheng baomu shu Anhui, Anhui baomu shu Wuwei.’
4 The interview with Zhang took place in Shanghai in April 2001.
5 The interview with Mr Mi took place in Shanghai in April 2001.
6 I interviewed Chen Caiyun and Chen Shuiying in April 2001 in Shanghai.
7 1 yuan is roughly the equivalent of US$0.12. Or, in reverse 1 US dollar is the equivalent of
more than 8 Chinese yuan.
8 I interviewed Xu in Shanghai in April and June 2001.

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