I have always thought of foxes as some of the most elegant creatures on earth. They are cunning and sly and quick. Not to mention, they are just aesthetically pleasing.
However, it seems that in Chinese culture, foxes are not seen that way. In many stories, foxes are seen as beautiful women that make men fall in love with them because of how beautiful they are.
In many discussions with my classmates, we discussed the role of women in Chinese myth. In the story of Miss Ren, a man falls in love with a fox woman because of her beauty. This is a bit frustrating because women are so much more than what they look like and this story boils a woman down to a pretty face. My classmates also noticed that women are treated as more sexual objects than anything else.
Foxes in Chinese culture are really interesting. It is unfortunate, however, that the stories featuring foxes end up sexualizing women and making them seem like they are only good for being pretty.
