Salome, a classic figure in Western literature, was introduced to China in 1915 with Oscar Wilde's famous play Salome, and has widely influenced and been discussed in China in the following three decades. Although the Chinese imagination of "Salome" was initially formed through Wilde's play, since the mid-to-late 20s of the 20th century, "Salome" has gradually become independent of the script with the interpretation and reinterpretation of the Chinese people, and has acquired a different meaning from that of it in the West. Specifically, the word "Salome" was frequently used in newspapers, personal letters, and diaries of the time to symbolize a certain intense emotion. The yearning or criticism of this fierce emotion is, to a certain extent, the product of the discussion of the "conflict between soul and flesh" in the later period of the New Culture Movement. In the 1930s, Salome-like passions overflowed the scope of literature, leading to the occurrence of murder-for-loves and the public's abnormal sympathy for the killers, which eventually led to the stigmatization of the image of "Salome".

The purpose of this paper is to take the transformation of the image of "Salome" as an example to get a glimpse of the changes in the emotional status of individualism in modern times. To this end, this paper first briefly reviews the discussion of "spirit and flesh" around "Salome" in the 30 years of the Republic of China; It then focuses on the reshaping and use of Salome's image by Zhang Jingsheng and his friends Huang Tianpeng Hualin from the mid-to-late 1920s to the early 1930s, illustrating how the once-popular "spirit and body" debate advanced and came to an end.

As an American author of short stories, novels and essays, Pam Houston is best known for her first book, Cowboys Are My Weakness, exploring love and gender in the American West landscape.This paper examines Pam Houston's Cowboys Are My Weakness, exploring the intricate relationship between landscape and feminist desire, and analyzing the expression of female body desire in the specific context of the American western wilderness. Through detailed landscape writing, Houston transforms the wilderness into a unique space for female desire and self-exploration. The wilderness, with its primal and untamed qualities, symbolizes animalistic instincts and a spirit of adventure. It serves not merely as a backdrop but as a metaphor for female desire, granting female characters the freedom to reconnect with their instincts and candidly embrace their desires. By depicting landscape, Houston liberates women from the stereotypical roles assigned to them in traditional western literature, transforming them into agents actively exploring themselves and expressing their desires. In her narrative, landscape embodies the powers of redemption and adventure. Through physical and emotional exploration in the wilderness, female characters break free from societal expectations, demonstrating independence and agency. Landscape thus becomes crucial medium for women to pursue freedom and reshape their identities.

Paul Schilder combining psychological attitudes with physical and sociocultural perceptions defined body image as the depiction of one’s own body in the mind of the individual. Gerald Corey identified body image as how individuals perceive their own bodies and how they perceive others’ evaluations of their bodies. Body image begins to form in early childhood and is a dynamic process that is influenced by both society and the individual. From the social perspective, the sociocultural context in which an individual lives will influence his or her experience and view of his or her own body. From the individual perspective, gender, sexual orientation and family will also have a profound impact on body image. Although there is no lack of homosexuality literature works in ancient Chinese literature, they are mainly about male homosexuality (Nanfeng), while the writings of female homosexuality are only a sporadic and vague existence. Li Yu, a dramatist and novelist in the late Ming and the early Qing periods, wrote the first female homosexuality saga, Lian Xiangban (Pitying the Fragrant and Companion), which began the process of female sexual minorities theme writing in Chinese literature, which experienced two peak periods of rapid development. The first period of rapid development was at the beginning of the 20th century, a series of new literary novels embodying the theme of female sexual minorities was created by the writers, who influenced by the May Fourth Movement, represented by Ding Ling’s In the Summer Vacation, Lu Yin’s The Diary of Lishi, Ling Shuhua’s There is Something, and Yu Dafu’s She Is a Weak Woman. The second is a series of works produced by female writers in the 1990s, including Chen Ran’s A Private Life, Lin Bai’s Water in a Bottle, Liu Xihong’s You Can't Change Me, Yan Geling’s The White Snake and The White Sparrow, and Qiu Miaojin’s Notes of a Crocodile and Last Words from Montmartre. Through the body image writing of female sexual minorities, it can be seen that female homosexuality theme in Chinese literature has shown a change from criticizing the times to focusing on the individual: writers bred under the literary parent body of the May Fourth Movement placed their works in a realistic social and historical context, judging the persecution of women by the patriarchy, calling for women’s awakening, and attempting to transform the historically defined gender roles, but with the symbolization of the May Fourth Spirit the writing on female sexual minorities during this period also contained an idealized or symbolized character. The “feminine writing” that began in the 1980s became one of the most prominent phenomena in Chinese literature in the 1990s. The works of this period were not limited to a specific social context, but rather shifted to revealing the individual social roles that dictate and force women's survival and psychological patterns, and to showing the struggle of individuals under the discourse system of the Other.

In science fiction writer Sakyo Komatsu's works before 1970, women are mostly depicted as the social and animalistic "mother,” the former healing men's emotional traumas and the latter giving birth. In response to criticism portraying women as this single archetype, Komatsu wrote the “Women’s Series” in early 1970s. In these works, there is an obvious shift in narrative where he dedicates them towards using the concept of space and body deformation as a basis for women to resist patriarchal oppression and construct their own field of discourse. Firstly, he uses the theme of travel for women to escape the constraints of the domestic space. Secondly, he uses body deformation to subvert the male gaze. Lastly, he attempts to construct transcendental space outside the real space and the imaginary space, which becomes women’s “other world,” isekai. However, because male writers’ portrayal of women is mostly based on their own experience in patriarchal society, the real space of the male perspective and the imaginary space of men cannot create women’s isekai. This limitation undermines Komatsu’s attempt to construct an isekai for women. In “Autumn Women,” the protagonist witnesses the gathering of 4 women, symbolizing Komatsu as an onlooker leaving construction of women's isekai unfinished and handing it over to women themselves.

In the later 1970s, with links to Komatsu’s attempt, a group of female science fiction writers emerged in Japan who carried on the use of body deformation and construction of their own isekai, in an attempt to subvert and change the world. These authors included Izumi Suzuki, author of "Women and Women," Moto Hagio, author of "Star Red," and Mariko Ohara, author of "Hybrid Child." In their works, their use of body deformation shows their strong desire to change the female body, while at the same time laments that it is only through these transformations that women can survive. The rise of women’s science fiction brings societal attention to the phenomenon of sexual differences, but intensifies the confrontation between the sexes.

Facing this growing contention, Komatsu opens new exploration of gender awareness in his final novel, “The Corridor of Nothingness (2000).” The protagonist of this novel, AE, is an intelligent robot of an unspecified gender. In order to improve efficiency of space exploration, multiple "sub-personalities" were created inside it, including both masculine and feminine. When AE communicated with extraterrestrial intelligent life, it reflected on itself and asked, "After all, in this universe, what is the meaning of the gender differences between 'male' and 'female'?" Through this reflection, Komatsu ponders the significance of gender in the universe and attempts to dissolve the binary nature of gender. Unfortunately, his answer is inconclusive as the work remains unfinished, with this question left for further exploration by future generations.

In recent years, with the ongoing development of body studies and feminism, the focus of female body representation in American literature has shifted from earlier discussions of aesthetics, desire, and morality to an exploration of women’s social conditions and identity. This shift from the objectification of the female body to its subjectivity is particularly evident in depictions of female bodily disorders, such as in Roxane Gay’s memoir Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body (2015). Bodily disorders refer to conditions that affect the normal functioning of the body, often leading to a deterioration of physical health or abnormal behaviors. These can include chronic illnesses, physical deformities, and psychological conditions that manifest physically, such as eating disorders or somatic symptom disorders. In the book Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Gay recounts the sexual violence she experienced in her youth and how it shaped her perception of her body. She describes how binge eating became a coping mechanism for processing trauma, pain, and inner conflict. The body and food in the book serve as tools for both self-protection and self-destruction. Gay addresses issues such as obesity, binge eating, and body shaming, presenting complex reflections on the female body, especially how to navigate self-identity in a society that upholds thinness and an “ideal” female body. She proposes a more inclusive understanding of the body, emphasizing that the body is not merely a standard of beauty but a symbol of personal experience, pain, and resistance. The female body is no longer just an object of societal gaze; it becomes a means of resisting external judgments and self-harm. In novels that focus on female bodily disorders, authors explore the relationship between the body and women within the contexts of gender, illness, and body standards, presenting the interconnections of health, disease, gender violence, and female identity. These kind of works delve into the limitations of the body, the healthcare system, and the tensions between women’s self-identity and societal expectations. This study will examine how contemporary American authors portray women’s bodies in the context of bodily disorders form the perspectives of feminist and body politics. It will examine how women perceive their bodies from a subjective standpoint, how they challenge gender roles, family norms, and societal expectations through bodily control, and analyze the forms of bodily autonomy and their relationship with social and political forces.

Throughout the history of literature, prostitutes have always been significant and unique presence. While men enjoy the pleasures that the bodies of prostitutes bring, they often condemn and disdain them morally. The body of the prostitute seems to serve only as a tool for male pleasure, and tragedy becomes their inevitable fate. Yan Lianke, one of the most internationally influential contemporary Chinese writers, has created a series of prostitute images and bodies in his novels such as The Explosion Chronicles, Feng Ya Song, and Riguang Liunian, which reflect the ordinary lives of rural people. These novels present both ancient prostitutes who emphasize their bodily skills and talents, and modern young women in the process of urbanization who willingly sell their bodies. In Yan Lianke’s works, the bodies of prostitutes are often intertwined with adornment, money, power, and disease, transforming them into social, moral, and political bodies. Specifically, in order to gain male favor and secure wealth or power, prostitutes often choose fashionable, trendy, and distinctive bodily adornments. Such adornments serve as critical tools for attracting and pleasing men. Furthermore, the potential for bodily adornments to enable a transcendence of class boundaries leads these women to become increasingly invested in and attentive to their physical presentation. Meanwhile, modern young women who sell their bodies for their fathers, lovers, money, or power do not feel ashamed. Instead, they become in the pleasures of money, power, and physical indulgence. In Yan Lianke’s works, the bodies of prostitutes serve not only as a medium for reflecting the cultural and social ethos of the times but also as a site for profound social critique and critical reflection.

As one of the most renowned novelists from Hong Kong, Li Bihua excels in depicting turbulent love stories through a distinctly female perspective. In Sheng Si Qiao, while narrating the emotional entanglements between Dandan, Huaiyu, and Zhigao amidst a chaotic era, Li also creates a series of compelling female characters and vividly portrays various female bodies. The women in the novel, such as the performer Dandan, the movie star Duan Pinting, and the prostitute Honglian, adopt different forms of bodily adornment based on their age, identity, social status, and profession. These bodily adornments not only fulfill their primary functions, such as providing warmth or covering shame, but also serve as vital mediums for women to showcase their personal allure. Furthermore, the descriptions of bodily ornamentation are significant literary devices for shaping character personalities and enhancing character development. They emphasize the female body, enrich female imagery, and propel the narrative forward. In Li Bihua's writing, female bodily ornamentation transcends its physical purpose, becoming a visual, aesthetic, and literary symbol. It encapsulates women’s self-worth and emotional desires, bridges ever-changing interpersonal relationships, and drives both the unfolding of the narrative and the construction of textual meaning.

For the need of spreading Buddhist doctrines, the female images in Buddhist avadana literature are pretty rich, ranging from heavenly women to civilian women, but the description of their body images has always maintained an ambiguous and contradictory attitude. First of all, the beauty of women 's body in the avadana literature is extraordinary vague. It not only lacks detailed verbal description, but also weakens the subjectivity of the body. It uses decorative utensils such as gold light, banner cover and incense flower to highlight the ' correct and perfect ' of the women body, which greatly blurs the characteristics of women. Secondly, unlike the beauty of female body, the ugly depiction of it in avadana literature is figurative and detailed. The most common way is to structure the female body and alienate it by means of aging and decay, showing a female body image with rough skin follicles, old bones, dirty smell and urine. Whether it is ' vague beauty ' or ' concrete ugliness ', it consistently reflects Buddhism 's rejection and derogation of women 's bodies. On the one hand, for those who are not pure, the beauty of women is a symbol of sin and lust, and figurative literature discourages the yearning of the masses by demonizing their inner bodies. On the other hand, for those who gain a beautiful appearance by supporting the Buddha, the avadana literature tries to blur its female characteristics, so that the positive ' beauty of women ' presents the characteristics of neutralization and even masculinity. This tendency is particularly evident in the karma of the law. For example, the taboo of talking about the beauty and ugliness of women body in ' mahasamghika ' is detailed to eight parts: lips, armpits, breasts, ribs, navels, abdomens, privates and calves. In addition, the norms of Bhiksuni 's body and dress also adopted the ' de-gendering ' standard. Buddhist practice takes men as the core, and thus takes the female body as the root of desire, so it is obsessed with breaking the beauty of women and exposing their ugliness. In this way, the principle of ' everything visible is empty‌‌ ' is transmitted to the public. Although it does not completely deny the beauty of the female body, it often chooses to degenderize it in occasions where it has to be positively described, and finally leads to the result of changing from female body to male body. That's why, as a model of saints, the most perfect body image in Buddhist literature is always male.

In the scientific and technological imagination such as human-computer interaction, gene conversion and prosthetic implants, women’s body is both confined to the self-confirmation and self-projection of white male authority, and becomes the “symbolic object” characterized with motherhood, reproductive function and objectification in the male power struggle. In the 1960s, in the three space opera novels published in succession, African-American science fiction writer Samuel R. Delany employs the myth of Babel Tower, the Grail legend and the Orpheus myth to present the plight and suffering of women’s body under the “pseudo divine body worship”. However, the female characters in these novels, under the help of science and technology, also reinvent their bodies, especially realize the transformation from the single-gender body to hermaphroditic and even fluid gender bodies. By using science and technology to break through the mythological authority, it symbolizes the writing attempt to break free from the prison of the social discipline of the old soul. Delany, who is both an ethnic other and sexual minority, discovers and concerns the plight of women, and thus conduct the “Utopian” reconstruction for women’s body, which is part of the complex and far-reaching cultural and social context of the 1960s. It also provides a pioneering reference for many female science fiction writers in later generations to explore body expression, so as to discover their subjectivity, relieve the plight of marginalized groups with intersecting identity experience, achieve self-rescue and find more expression possibilities for women and other marginal groups.