Female Representation in Sino-French Cross-Cultural Adaptation: A Comparative Study from The Orphan of Zhao to L’Orphelin de la Chine
Research Article
Open Access
CC BY

Female Representation in Sino-French Cross-Cultural Adaptation: A Comparative Study from The Orphan of Zhao to L’Orphelin de la Chine

Meimei Liu 1*
1 Beijing No.2 Middle School
*Corresponding author: liumeimeimay1212@gmail.com
Published on 20 July 2025
Volume Cover
CHR Vol.72
ISSN (Print): 2753-7072
ISSN (Online): 2753-7064
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-225-6
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-226-3
Download Cover

Abstract

In 1753, the renowned French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire adapted the 13th-century Chinese Yuan drama The Orphan of Zhao into the French play L’Orphelin de la Chine. This article argues that although Princess Zhuang Ji’s suicide demonstrates a certain degree of female autonomy, her actions still conform to the Confucian ideals of “female virtue” and the duty of preserving the family bloodline. In contrast, Idamé exhibits a strong sense of independence, embodying the combined influence of Confucian and Enlightenment thought. Her destiny is shaped by the interplay of both emotion and reason. This study also reveals how Voltaire’s adaptation integrates French cultural contexts into traditional Chinese Confucian virtues—such as loyalty and sacrifice—while simultaneously exploring the evolution of female consciousness.

Keywords:

The Orphan of Zhao, L’Orphelin de la Chine, Enlightenment, Drama, Feminism

View PDF
Liu,M. (2025). Female Representation in Sino-French Cross-Cultural Adaptation: A Comparative Study from The Orphan of Zhao to L’Orphelin de la Chine. Communications in Humanities Research,72,195-208.

References

[1]. Chen, Y. Z. (2024). On the reasons for the evolution of the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" from Zuo Zhuan and Records of the Grand Historian: House of Zhao. Popular Literature and Art, (19), 114–116. https: //doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.ISSN1007-5828.2024.19.038

[2]. Tan, J. (2017). Female images and their modern interpretations in the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" (Master’s thesis). Wuhan University.

[3]. Xiang, Z. Q. (2021). A study of female images in The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan. Taste & Classics, (22), 22–25.

[4]. Li, X. (2022). A comparative study of The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan under the theory of cross-cultural adaptation (Master’s thesis). Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology. https: //doi.org/10.27393/d.cnki.gxazu.2022.001499

[5]. Zhong, X. X. (2017). From The Orphan of Zhao to The Chinese Orphan: How female roles influence history — Also on the influence of Chinese literature on French sinology. Chinese Literature Review, (00), 337–349.

[6]. Peng, R. H. (2017). On Voltaire’s female consciousness from the conflict of Idamé’s four identities. In Xiamen University School of Foreign Languages (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2017 Xiamen Graduate Forum on Foreign Language and Literature (pp. 465–474). Xiamen University School of Foreign Languages.

[7]. Fan, X. H. (2010). The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.

[8]. Zhang, T. (2020). On the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures from the perspective of female roles in different versions of The Orphan of Zhao. Art Sea, (09), 10–13.

[9]. Tang, G. (2019). The contradictory philosophy in Voltaire’s tragedy The Chinese Orphan. Foreign Languages and Literature, 35(04), 71–77.

[10]. Zhao, W. Y. (2019). Study on Confucius and the Pre-Qin Confucian view of fate. China Ethnic Expo, (02), 85–87.

[11]. Wu, G. G. (2003). On rationality in Pre-Qin Confucianism. Jinyang Journal, (01), 39–42. https: //doi.org/10.16392/j.cnki.14-1057/c.2003.01.010

[12]. Lv, X. Y. (2012). Reshaping the classics: harmony in diversity (Master’s thesis). Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

[13]. Qian, L. S. (1997). Voltaire and Chinese culture. Social Sciences Front, (04), 80–89.

References

[1]. Chen, Y. Z. (2024). On the reasons for the evolution of the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" from Zuo Zhuan and Records of the Grand Historian: House of Zhao. Popular Literature and Art, (19), 114–116. https: //doi.org/10.20112/j.cnki.ISSN1007-5828.2024.19.038

[2]. Tan, J. (2017). Female images and their modern interpretations in the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" (Master’s thesis). Wuhan University.

[3]. Xiang, Z. Q. (2021). A study of female images in The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan. Taste & Classics, (22), 22–25.

[4]. Li, X. (2022). A comparative study of The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan under the theory of cross-cultural adaptation (Master’s thesis). Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology. https: //doi.org/10.27393/d.cnki.gxazu.2022.001499

[5]. Zhong, X. X. (2017). From The Orphan of Zhao to The Chinese Orphan: How female roles influence history — Also on the influence of Chinese literature on French sinology. Chinese Literature Review, (00), 337–349.

[6]. Peng, R. H. (2017). On Voltaire’s female consciousness from the conflict of Idamé’s four identities. In Xiamen University School of Foreign Languages (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2017 Xiamen Graduate Forum on Foreign Language and Literature (pp. 465–474). Xiamen University School of Foreign Languages.

[7]. Fan, X. H. (2010). The Orphan of Zhao and The Chinese Orphan. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.

[8]. Zhang, T. (2020). On the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures from the perspective of female roles in different versions of The Orphan of Zhao. Art Sea, (09), 10–13.

[9]. Tang, G. (2019). The contradictory philosophy in Voltaire’s tragedy The Chinese Orphan. Foreign Languages and Literature, 35(04), 71–77.

[10]. Zhao, W. Y. (2019). Study on Confucius and the Pre-Qin Confucian view of fate. China Ethnic Expo, (02), 85–87.

[11]. Wu, G. G. (2003). On rationality in Pre-Qin Confucianism. Jinyang Journal, (01), 39–42. https: //doi.org/10.16392/j.cnki.14-1057/c.2003.01.010

[12]. Lv, X. Y. (2012). Reshaping the classics: harmony in diversity (Master’s thesis). Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

[13]. Qian, L. S. (1997). Voltaire and Chinese culture. Social Sciences Front, (04), 80–89.

Cite this article

Liu,M. (2025). Female Representation in Sino-French Cross-Cultural Adaptation: A Comparative Study from The Orphan of Zhao to L’Orphelin de la Chine. Communications in Humanities Research,72,195-208.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICADSS 2025 Symposium: Art, Identity, and Society: Interdisciplinary Dialogues

ISBN: 978-1-80590-225-6(Print) / 978-1-80590-226-3(Online)
Editor: Ioannis Panagiotou, Yanhua Qin
Conference website: https://www.icadss.org/Lincoln.html
Conference date: 22 August 2025
Series: Communications in Humanities Research
Volume number: Vol.72
ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who publish this series agree to the following terms:

1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this series.

2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this series.

3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See Open access policy for details).

For authors
For editors
For reviewers

Cookies are used by this site.
Copyright © 2024 EWA Publishing, its licensors, and contributors. All rights reserved, including text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.