Anthropology of Life and Death- Pregnancy in the Chinese Culture - Essay Example

Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2013 Introduction The extent of the culturally-constructed birthing system entailing dietary taboos, ideal direction to be faced during the delivery, appropriate rituals for successful delivery, and the initial words whispered to the newborn are limitless in terms of their variety. During the pre-industrial era, the fundamental cultural practices linked to childbirth were comparatively uniform as women globally moved freely and unrestricted during labour, changing their positions as often as they wished. They could as well eat and drink as they wished within their cultural confines determining the acceptable food nourishing safer for both the baby and mother. Such fundamental cultural adaptations were basically normative up till the significant social changes linked to industrialization moved child delivery from homes to health care centres/hospitals thereby fundamentally transforming the cultural perception of birth. Despite these transformations, some nations such as China still apply traditional practices of handling pregnancy. According to Lee et.al (2009), ante-natal taboos are still commonly practiced among the modern Chinese women. Issues regarding behaviour and diet are much more emphasized within this culture. This particular paper therefore intends to explore the process and understanding of pregnancy within the Chinese culture using ethnographic materials.Specifically; the paper will focus on superstitions surrounding pregnancy with regards to the power of thoughts, the recommended diet, baby shower, the aspect of abortion,funerals,weddings and behavioural restrictions in general. Besides discussing these issues, the paper intends to provide a critical analysis regarding each of the above aspects. The societal structure of the Chinese people throughout history, and within the diverse geographical settings has often been centered on the family as core. It has often attached significant importance on particular values mostly evading shameful behaviours, emotional self-control, working towards what is perceived good for the family and observing family as well as societal norms (UNICEF, 2013). As highlighted by Abu-Lughod (1995), in many cultures, many traditions and superstitions surround pregnancy, birth events and infancy. According to the Chinese culture, such traditions and superstitions surrounding pregnancy function to shield the pregnant women and their children from the malign influences while also averting complications associated with pregnancy such as stillbirth, mother’s death, miscarriage and newborn imperfections (Selin,2009).The Chinese people have several pregnancy beliefs which they have faith in to an almost religious extent, where pregnancy is often considered as a breathtaking process among all the Chinese parents. Even though men may never understand the feelings dominating the pregnant women’s lives during the baby movements in the uterus, both parents always wish for the best while also planning to offer the best to their children prior to the pregnancy. According to Leah (2013), in one of the Chinese customs, pregnant women are often discouraged from going to weddings, and incase they attend such weddings then they are restricted from going close to the bride and definitely not touching the bride. However, according to Gallegos-Carrillo et al (2009), these particular restrictions usually have cumulative effects that are negative on the women’s physical score in terms of health-related life quality. It is thus not startling that such women who stick to the behavioural restrictions often experience impaired physical functioning. According to Lee (2009), research revealed that pregnant women tend to follow such behavioural restrictions closely following the impairment of their health-related life quality. According to Stuebe et.al (2009) & Amador et.al (2008), a possible reason for this could be attributed to the extreme gestational weight increase or obesity associated with the low-level social involvement by pregnant women during happy/sad events and symbolic occasions. This is directly linked to a decrease in terms of the physical component score.Similarly; Lee et.al (2009) argues that increased depressive symptoms are prevalent among pregnant women who stick to such behavioural restrictions. Even though the causality direction of these two variables does not seem to be clear, the impaired physical functioning could be argued to be predating their adherence. Once pregnant, the woman watches her thoughts as it is assumed that whatever she does as well as sees will definitely have an influence on the unborn baby. According to the ancient Chinese tradition, whatever affects a pregnant woman’s thoughts will have an effect on her heart apart from connecting with the foetus in the uterus. In such cases, For instance, she does not gossip, sit on any crooked mat, laugh loudly, loose her temper or look at the dashing colours. In addition, she is absolutely forbidden from having sex during pregnancy. As such, to comply with societal demands to enhance positive thoughts, pregnant women often read lots of good poetry books. According to Mahtani (2013), a reverse of this is attending funerals where the pregnant women are discouraged from attending funeral functions or attending such related activities. This tradition is believed to protect them from negative thoughts in addition to shielding them from spirits. According to the superstitions, if it is absolutely necessary for them to attend such occasions, then putting on a red scarf around their bellies or some lucky talisman is recommended for protective purposes. The late 20th century to the early 21st century studies have, on the other hand, responded to this not only through clinical medicine (reproductive technology) but also through genetic sciences, citing their impacts on individual experiences (Kaufman & Morgan (2005). According to Goodlatte (2009), the latest epigenetic research, concerned with studies on gene expression changes due to mechanisms rather than alterations in DNA sequence, points out that positivity and negativity during pregnancy indeed have significant impacts on the unborn child as they alter the neural development while also affecting the unborn child’s genetic expression. The body of a pregnant woman basically adopts a growth or a protection possibility. In this case, growth is encouraged through positive thinking whereas the protection posture is a result of the negative perceptions. In view of this, Goodlatte (2009) therefore contends that positive thoughts during the pregnancy period may ultimately impact positively on both the child and mother. Goodlatte (2009) further argues that positive thinking is a growth-promoting awareness capable of producing a healthier, intelligent and happier baby. Further research has indicated the manner in which stress response harms the unborn baby. As such, the association between the negative/positive thoughts, feelings and stress response are clear. Similarly, the immediate environment surrounding the pregnant woman is perceived to influence the health of the baby. As highlighted by Goodlatte (2009), biologically, the genes of the body cannot work independently of their environment since they are controlled by signals from the immediate surrounding, some of which are as a result of the influence of social interactions. Scientists have further found out that just as other living organisms, people are dynamic in nature and can actively reprogram their gene behaviours in order accommodate the environmental changes. As such, Goodlatte (2009) argues that the recognition of the role that prenatal environment (environment preceding the birth of the child) has in terms of creating diseases compels a reconsideration of the genetic determinism. In general, there is increasing evidence to support the fact that the programming of human lifetime health by the prevailing conditions within the mother’s womb are similarly, if not quite important, than the genes in establishing how individuals perform physically as well as mentally during their lives. Food is also considered to be very important among the Chinese. Traditional meals among the Chinese include high intake of vegetables and fruits, herbal tea and rice being staple. According to UNICEF (2013), the Chinese diet culturally emphasizes balance in terms of the traditional concept of ying and yang, signifying hot and cold. Majority of the Chinese are particularly vigilant as regards the foods eaten during sickness and pregnancy. As such, concerning the food eaten by pregnant Chinese women, UNICEF (2013) argues that there are various Chinese superstitions involved. Hanban (2013) argues that according to the culture, pregnant women avoid food that is not well smashed and properly cut. It is believed that in case they consume such food, their children will likely develop careless dispositions. Similarly, it is believed that if the women eat light-coloured foods, their children will have fair skins, and if they eat sharp foods like pineapples and cold foods like mung beans or bananas they will have miscarriage. As well, after delivery, Chinese women are required to observe a 40-day confinement period. During this confinement period, they are restricted from eating yang or cold foods and are even cautioned against having cold baths. Overall, these traditional restrictions and their consequences on pregnant women’s health are inconclusive. According to Chang et.al (2012), a study revealed that an adherence to the traditional Chinese customs during perinatal period (period around the child birth) might have positive effects on the pregnant women’s health-related life quality. However; a continuous adherence to these particular practices might have negative effects on the pregnant women’s life quality. According to Lau (2012), such numerous restrictions have resulted in difficulties for the healthcare professionals to convince individuals to discard some of the practices deemed unnecessary. Lau (2012) argues that there has been an increasing conflict pitting the traditional beliefs against the contemporary medical practices. Lau (2012) further argues that the conflict between the contemporary concept of balanced diet and the traditional food precautions associated with ying and yang are much evident in the lives of the pregnant Chinese women. For instance, while the Chinese custom restricts women from consuming pineapples and bananas due to the perceived possibility of miscarriage, the contemporary concept of balanced diet encourages women to eat as many fruits as possible for the health of the baby, emphasizing on their richness in nutrients such as vitamin C.Additionally, Lee et.al (2009) argues that the pregnancy customs while restricting diet; may also limit the women’s freedom. As highlighted by Mota et.al (2008), one study revealed that the health-related life quality among the pregnant women was lower compared to the non-pregnant women. As such, the restrictive practices during pregnancy are argued to be having a significant negative impact in terms of further limiting both the physical as well as mental functioning of the women’s bodies. According to a similar Chinese custom, it is not appropriate to conduct baby shower, also known as manyue in the Chinese tradition, prior to the birth of the unborn child. According to this particular custom, this is perceived inappropriate since it results into bad luck. As a result of this, parties done for the baby often come after he/she has been born whereby the baby’s grandmother from the mother’s side often purchases the entire layette required by the baby. A month prior to the baby’s delivery, the baby’s maternal grandmother passes a package of clothes called tsue shen (hastening delivery) to her expectant daughter.Tsu shen is a terminology used by the Chinese people to imply the hastening of delivery, hence such clothes are believed to facilitate the delivery process.Often, a white clothing is found within the package whose primary role is for wrapping the new born child. According to Mohrbacher & Kendall-Tackett (2010), baby showers provide emotional support for the pregnant women as well as gifts for the unborn child, which is considered a bonus to the after-delivery baby shower. In most cases, the after-delivery shower often provides the appropriate opportunity of providing gifts which are specific to the sex of the baby. Contrary to this practice, Calibre (2012) argues that baby showers may be held before or even after the baby is born. As such, pregnant mothers (the hostesses) ought not to be restricted on what time to hold baby showers as it is a completely independent decision.However, As LittleTykeTalk (2008) further states, some pregnant women are often superstitious hence prefer having baby showers after the baby is born, a practice which is currently uncommon. In ancient times, holding a baby’s shower prior to its birth was considered to result in bad luck. As highlighted by Calibre (2012) though, this tradition was prompted by the high rate of infant mortality resulting from the lack of better medical technologies during the ancient times, a superstition which is currently perceived as an unhealthy thinking in the contemporary world. As highlighted above, China as a country has numerous traditional superstitions regarding pregnancy. Notable aspects within the Chinese superstitions are issues regarding abortion and birth control. While both of them are generally opposed by the Chinese customs, couples are often reserved on matters regarding their pregnancy news.Specifically; those couples who had prior issues with abortion tend to be quite secretive on matters relating to their pregnancy. Pregnant women are further forbidden from discussing issues relating to abortion openly. According to this superstition, it is believed that earlier disclosures impact negatively on the stability of the involved pregnancies. On the other hand, according to Gammeltoft, (2003), since the International Conference on Population and Development of the year 1994, the concepts of reproductive health as well as the reproductive rights have attained international acknowledgment in terms of global health research, as a result, taking over from the past narrower focus on fertility and family planning. As such, the various policies as well as programs of governments and global organizations currently tend to focus on reproductive health and the associated rights just as the various anthropological works do. Actually, an absolute abortion condemnation is a concept which may never be realized in the real-world situation as long as pregnant women face dangers and complications associated with pregnancy, delivery and child upbringing.Likewise, the social status ascribed to the foetus has been central to both public and the scientific debates on matters of abortion and the unborn child’s legal status especially when it requires protection from a drug-abusing mother (Peelen,2009).As can be seen in the contemporary China, Nie (2005) contends that the silence on issues regarding abortion as well as the official position regarding the subject seem not to accord with the historical Chinese customs. The official position permits termination of pregnancy at any time except in cases of sex-selective abortion. Such moves are a product of the Chinese political environment (Chinese government) and not as a result of the Chinese traditions. Conclusion From the above analysis, the childbirth process among the Chinese pregnant women appears to be a complex and a multi-layered socio-cultural experience. It indeed shares a number of ritualistic behaviours with other life cycle rites such as weddings and funerals. Those behaviours include isolation from the society, protection from what is perceived dangerous to the baby and mother, ritual abasement and the community-based rituals acknowledging changes within the status of the participants. As such, from this point of view, the birth process among the Chinese pregnant women is simply a folk ritual. Also evident is the fact that the Chinese society attaches significant importance on particular values perceived to be good by the general society. Thus, as highlighted in the analysis, the Chinese society has a number of traditions and superstitions surrounding pregnancy, birth events and infancy. It is also clear that despite the transformations in terms of birth initiated by the post-industrial era, generally characterized by the advanced medical technology, pregnant women are still undergoing restrictions. These restrictions include what foods to consume as well as other restrictions on their behaviours while pregrant.As such; there is no doubt that the traditional practices of handling pregnancy are still significant in China. Generally, some of the motivations behind these particular traditional restrictions on pregnancy seem unconvincing. They are hence perceived as causing a lot of difficulties for the health care experts as regards inducing individuals to do away with practices that are considered as unnecessary in the contemporary world. 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