Female literature, as G.H. Lewes defined, “purposefully and collectively concerns itself with the articulation of women’s experience, and guides itself by its own impulses to autonomous self-expression.”(Lewes, 2007: 170)  Women have always been self-conscious. When they were aware of their inpidual identities and experiences, female writers have considered whether these experiences might transcend these experiences into formal arts. Therefore, female literature was formed. 

1.2 Three Periods of Contemporary Chinese-American Female Literature

Zhang Hailong describes in “Inside the Chinese American Literature” that Contemporary Chinese-American female literature can be pided into three parts: enlightenment stage, prosperity stage and new immigration literature stage.

1.2.1 Enlightenment Stage

Contemporary Chinese American female Literature dated back to the 19th century and started with Sui Sin Far, the first Chinese American female writer. Her real name is Edith Maude Eaton. She published her first short stories Mrs. Spring Fragrance, which portrays the situation of Chinese women in the United States. This work has been known as the ground breaking work in Chinese-American female literature. And Jade Snow Wong, the second generation of Chinese-American and her Fifth Chinese Daughter have great impact on this stage. Jade Snow Wong was regarded as “mother of Chinese-American literature” by Maxine Hong Kingston. Bing Wu called Jade Snow Wong the first popular Chinese-American female writer. In addition, Fifth Chinese Daughter helped popularize the notion that American racial minorities have only themselves to blame for lack of success in American life.” (Kim, 1982: 60) At this time, most writers, such as Fae Myenne Ng and Frank Chin, started with biography because biography needs first-hand materials and is relatively easy to acquire. They described their feelings of being in a different culture and their pursuits of American mainstream consciousness. Chinese American opened the door to American literature by biography.

1.2.2 Prosperity Stage

After the Second World War and civil-rights movement in the 1960s, Chinese-American acquires higher social status. Such activities as anti-Vietnam war, feminism movement and the popularization of multi-culture have great influences on literature. In addition, Chinese-American female writers have got rid of diasporas and stepped into American mainstream. Just as Aimin Chen said in her paper, “As a part of diasporic living overseas, Chinese American women writers, on the one hand, show a keen interest in their ethnic culture, and a determination to introduce it to the world through writing; but on the other, in order to be melted into the mainstream culture, and get an identity of their own, they exhibit an alienation from the Chinese culture.”(Chen Aimin, 2006: 80) Therefore, Chinese-American literature booms in this period. Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston are two famous writers. Jiansun Li held the view that publishing industry in the United States has an interested in Chinese-American writers because of Maxine Hong Kingston, especially because of Amy Tan. Amy Tan’s miraculous works have shocked consciousness of American society and created a type of art that are both meaningful and successful. “Amy Tan's work--once pigeonholed as ethnic literature--resonates with universal themes that cross cultural and ideological boundaries, and prove wildly successful with readers of all stripes. Tender, sincere, complex, honest and uncompromising in its portrayal of Chinese culture and its affect on women, Amy Tan's work earned her both praise and excoriation from critics, adoration from fans, and a place as one of America's most notable modern writers.”(Snodgrass, 2004: 3) In this period, identity and cultural conflict became major subjects. 论文网

1.2.3 New Immigration Literature Stage