<論文>現代中国都市部における産後の養生「坐月子(ズオユエズ)」 --近代と伝統の葛藤

Abstract

中国では、出産後の一定期間「坐月子(ズオユエズ)」という産後の養生期間が伝統的に設けられ、食べ物や行動のタブーが定められている。本論文では、中国山西省の都市部の褥婦15人に聞き取り調査を行い、女性達が「坐月子」の期間に経験する葛藤に焦点を当てた。その結果、次の7点が明らかとなった。(1) 都市部では「坐月子」を過ごす場所は自宅や姑の家のこともあれば、家以外の施設(私立病院、産後養生ケアセンター)の場合もある。現在では、世話をするのは姑をはじめとする夫方の女性親族から、職業としての家政婦等のプロに移る傾向がある。(2) 女性はさまざまな行動上の制約を課せられる「坐月子」に不満を持っているが、養生を中心とする中医(中国を中心とする東アジアで行われてきた伝統医学)の理論を完全に否定することができない。(3) 「坐月子」等の産後に段階的に行われる儀礼は、褥婦の身体の回復のためだけでなく、地位・役割の転換や家族関係の再調整をもたらす通過儀礼の特徴を備えている。(4) 「坐月子」においては、姑が褥婦の世話をするものとされていたが、女性達は実際には、実母や月嫂の援助を期待していた。(5) 都市部の女性は、伝統に束縛される受け身の立場から、近代・科学の力を使い、身体管理を積極的、能動的に行う主体へと変化しつつある。(6) 女性達は姑の世話を受ける伝統的な「坐月子」を好まないにもかかわらず、姑との関係を確立するために、家族、特に姑の意見に従っていた。(7) 医療化された出産は女性達に伝統的な過ごし方ではなく、より近代的な過ごし方を選ばせるようになっている。 以上のことから、中国の都市部の女性達は、近代医学の力を借りて主体性を確立すると同時に、伝統的な「坐月子」を通じて家族関係を強化したいと考えていると言えよう。

In China, the postpartum resting period is called 'zuoyuezi', where a great range of taboos about food and behavior are prescribed. In this article I focus on internal conflicts experienced by 15 postpartum women dwelling in urban areas of Shanxi Province, after interviewing them about their experiences of zuoyuezi'. Based on this interviewing research the following seven points have been found. (1) In urban areas the place for 'zuoyuezi' can be either a woman's own house, her mother-in-law's, or institutions such as private hospitals or 'yuezi-center'. Recently there is a shift away from the husband's female relatives, such as the mother-in-law, to a professional woman, such as a housekeeper or yuesao, as carers during this resting period. (2) Although most women are dissatisfied with their experiences of 'zuoyuezi', where they meet many constraints, they cannot completely deny the Theory of Chinese Medicine (TCM) centered on resting and curing for postpartum women. (3) Rituals including 'zuoyuezi', which are held during various stages of the postpartum period, are not only done for the sake of physical recovery but are also seen as a rite of passage that functions to transform a postpartum woman's role and social status and bring a readjustment of relationships within her extended family. (4) Traditional norms of 'zuoyuezi'' assume that postpartum women will be looked after by their mother-in-law, but in fact, most women expect the assistance of a professional yuesao or their own mother. (5) Urban women's identities are shifting from that of passive acceptors of traditions to active agents who manage to control their own bodies. (6) Despite the fact that most postpartum women dislike traditional confinement given by their mother-in-law, they obey family members' opinions, especially those of the mother-in-law, in order to establish good relationships with them. (7) Experience of modern medicine during pregnancy and birth makes women choose to have a modernized postpartum resting period. To conclude, urban women in China try to establish confidence in themselves and independence from in-laws through knowledge of modern medicine, while at the same time they expect to establish good relationships with their in-laws by keeping the traditional 'zuoyuezi'.