Finding “Asia” After Imperialism: Transnational Visions of the “Asian Woman” in China and India, 1949–1955

Abstract:This article examines a series of interactions between the All-China Women’s Federation (Fulian) and other women’s organizations in the Asian region, focusing particularly on the All-India Women’s Conference (AIWC). Despite their differences, women in these organizations shared what they described as “Asian” goals: overcoming the legacies of the feudal past at home and defeating imperialism abroad. The Fulian used interactions with the AIWC to imagine a community of “Asian women” as a “united front” for peaceful reconstruction and against imperialism and war. This curated image of the “Asian woman” helped the Fulian to educate its membership about the importance of their work to build up China’s strength. Without Chinese women guiding them, women in India and the rest of the region would be bereft of a road map to liberation. The Fulian thus promoted Chinese women as both the comrades and the leaders of all of the women of “Asia.”