linyu gu

PREFACE:CONTEMPORANEITY AND FEMINISM

“We men and women are all in the same boat, upon a stormy sea. Weowe to each other a terrible and tragic loyalty.”1

People in life often stand hesitating among diverse alternatives: selfor others, truth or untruth, faith or no faith, act or not act. . . . Thisproject is femininity and feminism thematized, therefore our concernshall concretize, analyze, and focus on contemporary women and our2

new perplexity. Nonetheless, such voice is to seek its echo in mutualrespect and mutual endeavor of both men and women, in order toconnect our separate selves and broken hearts in a shared destiny.

Today, on the one hand, we anxiously celebrate our triumphs offeminist movements and our professionally grown powers; on theother, we remain undeniably troubled by endless confusion arisenfrom a “new self.” In other words, while we are ecstasized by ourprivileges, we again find ourselves continuing to fight more delicatedilemmas and doubts in a novel fashion.

Eight woman contributors of the present special theme entitled“Femininity and Feminism: Chinese and Contemporary” haveseriously, broadly, and vibrantly discussed such new-age concernsand their prosperous solutions, from vocal, diverse, and enrichedapproaches of the Yijing (the Book of Changes or the IChing), Confucianism, Daoism (and Woman Daoism), Buddhism,Judaism, process philosophy and theology, Emmanuel Lévinas, careethics, social and political studies, etc. The momentum of these sub-stantial writings took shape in their reading and discussing and com-menting of each other’s early manuscripts.

As the organizer of the above volume, I wish to present my heart-felt gratitude to the above colleagues for their brilliant contributionsin these colorful variations as well as for their steadfast support andfaith throughout the progress. I affectionately acknowledge that theoriginal plan of the project was inspired by Professors Xinyan Jiangand Morny Joy. With stimulating and challenging and sincere com-ments, Professor Chung-ying Cheng has offered numerous hoursof reviewing each single paper, and we are in profound debt to him.With unfailing recognition, grace and generosity, Professor Philip J.Ivanhoe agreed to impart our endeavor at the most needed timing,

© 2009 Journal of Chinese Philosophy

and my gratefulness goes far beyond his expertise and contribution,which made our finale otherwise impossible. Equally my warm thanksgo to Professor On-Cho Ng, Ms. Michelle McCauley, Ms. Joyce Li, andother editors of the Journal and Wiley-Blackwell and all people, whocared for and engaged into achieving the success of this project fromthe beginning to the end. Finally, my loving thoughts are preoccupiedby my parents and sister for understanding and enduring my absenceduring their eventful times.

Linyu GuFebruary 28, 2009

Endnotes

1. I am gratefully in debt to Mathew A. Foust for introducing this quote from G. K.Chesterton, “Christmas,” in All Things Considered (1908), available at http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~mward/gkc/books/11505-h.htm.

2. I italicize such pronouns to refer a general female group.

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