Dr. Selina J. Gao will be the guest lecturer for Lecture Two of the annual Murray State University Department of History Spring Lecture Series Sunday, March 5, at 2:00 PM in the Waterfield Library Gallery on the campus of Murray State University.

Dr. Gao who will present her lecture entitled “Women and Modernity: Female Images in Chinese Cigarette Cards.”

Cigarette cards were first introduced to China in Shanghai by Duke Tobacco Company at the end of the 19th century to open its market in Asia. Soon, Chinese tobacco companies also joined in on the competition of the tobacco war. Numerous series of beauties cards were included in cigarette packages as a form of collectible advertisement. These cards were a new and widely viewed vehicle for both selling consumer goods and tacitly endorsing new roles and behaviors for women during a period of great cultural change. The women featured here included renowned beauties, socialites, celebrities, escort girls, movie stars, famous singers, and athletes. These cigarette cards mostly portrayed refined modern beauties sporting new hairstyles along with awe-inspiring dresses and accessories. For example, they showed women with curly hair, short haircuts, new fitting Cheongsams, swimsuits, and sportswear, setting fashion trends that were embraced by the female population. The artistic styles of these images transformed along with the changes in Chinese politics, the economy, social fashions, and ethnic values.

This study traces the evolution of female images in these cigarette cards over the first half of the 20th century. In doing so, it addresses the relationship between these changes and women’s liberation, illustrating social transformation over the course of different historical periods. It uses visual references to focus on the western impact on public images of Chinese women, women’s roles during the Chinese enlightenment movement, and women’s self-liberation and national salvation.

This Murray State University Department of History and Calloway County Public Library invites all interested members to this free community series lecture.

For more information regarding the lecture series, please email contactccpl@callowaycountylibrary.org.