Laotong
Encyclopedia
Laotong or LaoTong is a type of relationship within Chinese culture, which was practised in Hunan
, that bonded two girls together for eternity as kindred sisters.
There were two cultural practises in Hunan
in past centuries that acknowledged women's social bonds. One was Laotong, the other was Laotang.
Chinese women commonly refer to each other as "Sisters." This is a recognition of the importance of women's supportive relationships, which helped them endure hardship over their lives. Preparation for marriage might involve a Laotang relationship between several young women; the sisterhood would be dissolved upon marriage. After marriage, new sisterhoods could be formed later between married or widowed women.
For Chinese women, the Laotong or "Old-Sames" relationship was the most precious friendship bond. This was a more rare and formal relationship between women. A woman could only have one Laotong, and the bond was for life.
Often a Laotong relationship would be formed when a marriage was contracted between families who were expecting babies. This was done before the babies were born. If both children turned out female against the hopes of their families, the daughters could be brought together as Laotong. An intermediary, in some places a matchmaker, would form a Laotong relationship between two girls, similar to an arranged marriage. The Chinese astrological profiles of the girls were considered during the matching process. It was unusual for a Laotong relationship to be broken.
The relationship was made formal by the signing of a contract, which would be done much like a legal contract, using a seal (East Asia). Laotong would frequently develop a language to use to communicate between them that only they could understand (a type of Nu shu
). They could send messages back and forth to one another, sometimes by writing on the folds of a fan. These elements of the Laotong practise are shown in Lisa See
's novel "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
", which was made into a 2011 movie directed by Wayne Wang
, also called "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (film)
".
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, that bonded two girls together for eternity as kindred sisters.
There were two cultural practises in Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
in past centuries that acknowledged women's social bonds. One was Laotong, the other was Laotang.
Chinese women commonly refer to each other as "Sisters." This is a recognition of the importance of women's supportive relationships, which helped them endure hardship over their lives. Preparation for marriage might involve a Laotang relationship between several young women; the sisterhood would be dissolved upon marriage. After marriage, new sisterhoods could be formed later between married or widowed women.
For Chinese women, the Laotong or "Old-Sames" relationship was the most precious friendship bond. This was a more rare and formal relationship between women. A woman could only have one Laotong, and the bond was for life.
Often a Laotong relationship would be formed when a marriage was contracted between families who were expecting babies. This was done before the babies were born. If both children turned out female against the hopes of their families, the daughters could be brought together as Laotong. An intermediary, in some places a matchmaker, would form a Laotong relationship between two girls, similar to an arranged marriage. The Chinese astrological profiles of the girls were considered during the matching process. It was unusual for a Laotong relationship to be broken.
The relationship was made formal by the signing of a contract, which would be done much like a legal contract, using a seal (East Asia). Laotong would frequently develop a language to use to communicate between them that only they could understand (a type of Nu shu
Nü Shu
Nüshu , is a syllabic script, a simplification of Chinese characters that was used exclusively among women in Jiangyong County in Hunan province of southern China.-Language:...
). They could send messages back and forth to one another, sometimes by writing on the folds of a fan. These elements of the Laotong practise are shown in Lisa See
Lisa See
Lisa See is an American writer and novelist. Her Chinese-American family has had a great impact on her life and work. Her books include On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family and the novels Flower Net , The Interior , Dragon Bones , Snow Flower and the...
's novel "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a 2005 novel by Lisa See set in nineteenth century China. In her introduction to the novel, See writes that Lily, the narrator, was born in 1823 — "the third year of Emperor Daoguang's reign". The novel begins in 1903, when Lily is 80 years old...
", which was made into a 2011 movie directed by Wayne Wang
Wayne Wang
Wayne Wang is a Chinese American film director.-Biography:Wang was born and raised in Hong Kong, and named after his father's favorite movie star, John Wayne...
, also called "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (film)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (film)
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a 2011 historical drama film based on the novel of the same name by the Chinese-American author Lisa See. Directed by Wayne Wang, the film stars Gianna Jun, Li Bingbing, Archie Kao, Vivian Wu, and Hugh Jackman....
".
Articles
- Nu shuNü ShuNüshu , is a syllabic script, a simplification of Chinese characters that was used exclusively among women in Jiangyong County in Hunan province of southern China.-Language:...
- Women in ancient ChinaWomen in ancient ChinaTraditional Chinese society has been male-centered. Sons were preferred to daughters, and women were expected to be subordinate to fathers, husbands, and sons. Far fewer women were educated than men, and many of their readings consist of book such as Nü Xun and Lienü zhuan , which instruct them...
- HunanHunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
- Chinese social relationsChinese social relationsChinese social relations are social relations typified by a reciprocal social network. Often social obligations within the network are characterized in familial terms. The individual link within the social network is known by guanxi and the feeling within the link is known by the term ganqing...
- Women's historyWomen's historyWomen's history is the study of the role that women have played in history, together with the methods needed to study women. It includes the study of the history of the growth of woman's rights throughout recorded history, the examination of individual women of historical significance, and the...