Chinese "auntie" takes to the road, and loves it

[MsAmerica]

I can't figure out what would be the best forum for this story, but I'll try here.

A Chinese ‘Auntie’ Went on a Solo Road Trip. Now, She’s a Feminist Icon
By Joy Dong and Vivian Wang

Her main appeal is not the scenic vistas she captures, although those are plentiful. It is the intimate revelations she mixes in with them, about her abusive marriage, dissatisfaction with domestic life and newfound freedom. Her blunt but vulnerable demeanor has made Su — a former factory worker with a high school education — an accidental feminist icon of a sort rarely seen in China...

“Why do I want to take a road trip?” she sighed. “Life at home is truly too upsetting.”

www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/a-chinese-auntie-went-on-a-solo-road-trip-now-she-s-a-feminist-icon/ar-BB1fgIey

This looks interesting - I m probably being completely dim here but is there a film download or is it just text - told you I would be rubbish

Bloody good for Su Min, finally enjoying her life, free from her abusive dick of a husband and societal expectation.

I don't understand the "Auntie" monicker, though, as she isn't anyone's actual aunt according to the item. Is it a term of belittlement for older women in China?

In many cultures "Auntie" is a respectful term for an older woman who is known but not actually related to a younger person.

It used to be pretty common among working class in this country too. I can remember it being usual back in the 60s.

@BoreOfWhabylon - am I right ( because going back 40 years ) in Germany Die Tante was used for an older female who was not necessarily related but had a place IYSWIM . Even at 16 working in a youth hostel the managers' tiny daughter used to call me Die Tante

Thank you for that post - brought back a memory

I would call* ladies over 50ish 'auntie' 阿姨 as it is polite but warm. Definitely not a belittlement!

I would also use 'grannie' 老奶奶 to address truly elderly women. 'Big sister' 姐 or 'little big sister' 小姐 for younger ladies as it esentially means 'Miss'.

Woe to anyone who mistakes someone as older than they are though... it can be a minefield.

• regional variations do apply.

Ohh, thanks for the culture

Auntie in the uk is less about polite respect, it's closer and more personal, you belong in our family sort of way , so it can be used for any adult female

Should read the link next

What an amazing woman.

www.scmp.com/video/china/3128745/chinese-granny-finds-freedom-road-trip

There are several videos on YouTube. Here's one. Very uplifting to see this woman finally living for herself after years of living with an abusive husband. She says she was able to ditch the antidepressants a few days after setting off.

Love this! Thank you for sharing.

[quote BasiliskStare]@BoreOfWhabylon - am I right ( because going back 40 years ) in Germany Die Tante was used for an older female who was not necessarily related but had a place IYSWIM . Even at 16 working in a youth hostel the managers' tiny daughter used to call me Die Tante

Thank you for that post - brought back a memory [/quote]
@BasiliskStare I don't know about Germany but I'm not at all surprised. I think it might be pretty much universal. I encountered it in Hong Kong and also among Australian Aboriginal people.

OED says
1.1informal An unrelated adult female friend, especially of a child.
Wikipedia
a term of familiarity or respect for a middle-aged or elderly woman.

Thinking about it, a lot of cultures seem to also refer to very old people as "Grandmother" and "Grandfather" in the same way.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a tribal thing, going right back through human history.

Brilliant! I hope if she eventually goes back home, she does leave her husband and live happily on her own. She's certainly got the independence to do it now!

@BoreOfWhabylon

In many cultures "Auntie" is a respectful term for an older woman who is known but not actually related to a younger person.

It used to be pretty common among working class in this country too. I can remember it being usual back in the 60s.

Exactly - in some areas it's still known as being somebody's 'courtesy aunt' or 'courtesy uncle'.

The children from some of my neighbours' families call me Auntie-ji and I've always taken it as a mark of respect.

She looks so happy now. Her car top tent is amazing!
I'd hope her arse of a husband is miserable without his personal slave and punch bag.

I would never see Auntie as belittling - we called the lady across the road 'Auntie' - occasional baby sitter/had us babysit her cats/guinea pigs - honourary family.

and as others have said, in Asia, we even had an office 'Auntie' she made tea for the higher ups, cleaned up around the place, put a pot of porridge on in the morning for those interested/soup in the afternoon kind of thing.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_piety

This might go some way to explain why older women are described as 'Auntie' in Chinese society.

I went to Malaysia to see my ex-husband's family and couldn't understand why there were so many aunties as his mother only had 2 sisters. Took me ages to work it out