A Genealogy of Female Worker Imagery on Chinese Book Covers, 1949–1999

Abstract

The images of female workers on Chinese book covers from 1949 to 1999 served as important visual carriers of China’s industrialization process and the narrative of women’s liberation in the early years of the People’s Republic of China. Among these images, textile female workers were the most representative figures. This paper examines images of female workers on book covers over the past fifty years. Based on the historical background of the development of the textile industry from modern times to the post-1949 period and the evolution of the scale of female worker groups, this study reveals the practical foundations behind the formation of female worker visual representations, and sorts out and constructs a comprehensive genealogy of female worker images on Chinese book covers. The research finds that the genealogy of female worker images on Chinese book covers from 1949 to 1999 demonstrates both continuity and transformation. These characteristics of continuity and change were closely connected with the social and political environment of China during the corresponding historical periods.