Guang Gun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Guang Gun (Chinese: 光棍; Pinyin: guānggùn, lit. 'bare branches' or 'bare sticks') is a popular term used to describe single individuals in Chinese culture. It is also translated less literally as "leftover men".[1] During the Ming dynasty, the term "bare sticks" was used to describe male individuals who participated in illegal activities ranging from robberies to prostitution.[2] The Ming Code, one of the most important codes written in Chinese history in order to regulate society, "specifically labeled bare sticks: demobilized soldiers, the homeless, and other marginalized people 'not engaged in honest work'".[2] The Chinese media has constructed the myth of protest masculinity that single unmarried men might threaten social harmony due to their inability to get married and further the family lineage.[1]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2021) |
Nowadays, its usage has changed to describe single men, and has even become a derogatory way to label single men who are unable to wed, thus unable to contribute to the 'branches' of the family tree/ lineage. An equivalent term used to classify women who are unwed by their late twenties or older is Sheng Nu (Chinese: 剩女; Pinyin: Shèng Nǚ; Common translation: "Leftover Women"), popularized by the All- China Women's Federation.