Princess sickness

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"Princess complex" redirects here. For the topic relating to archeology in Canada, see Princess Point Complex.
Not to be confused with Cinderella complex.

Princess sickness, alternatively known as princess complex, princess syndrome or princess disease (Vietnamese: bệnh công chúa; Chinese: 公主病; pinyin: gōng zhǔ bìng; Cantonese Yale: gūng jyú behng; Korean: 공주병; Revised Romanization: gong ju byeong), is a neologism used colloquially in East and Southeast Asia to describe a condition of narcissism and materialism in women, or "princess" behaviour.[1][2] Conversely but less commonly, men with a similar outlook may be described as having "prince" sickness.[3]

It is speculated that the term originated with the rise of the Four Asian Tigers across Asia, in which rapid economic growth may have contributed to a corresponding rise in consumerist or materialistic attitudes and upper classes investing heavily in their children, who might subsequently become accustomed to material wealth and domestic help.[3][4]

Causes[edit]

In Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, low birth rates have meant that families often have an only child (one child) who is the sole focus of their parents' attention (and in some instances, both sets of grandparents attention as well).[5] In Mainland China, the resultant phenomenon, often attributed to the former one-child policy, is known as the 'Little Emperor Syndrome'. A combination of helicopter parenting, snowplow parenting, and the employment of domestic workers (housemaids), allowing middle-class parents to work long hours, can contribute to their children being spoiled.[6] A widening income gap in Hong Kong, along with concerns over democracy and social inequality, also reflects the perceived attitudes of the 'elite' classes.[7][8]

Furthermore, social mobility in East Asia is primarily based on personal and academic achievement.[9] For that reason, parents may place a great deal of academic pressure on both children and their teachers, micro-managing their child's academic career to achieve higher grades.[10][11] Some suggest that this results in dependence or a lack of responsibility.

In popular culture[edit]

  • "Princess Syndrome" (Gōng Zhǔ Bìng 公主病) – a song by Taiwanese singer Jay Chou in the album Exclamation Mark.[12]
  • "Disease Princess" – a song by Japanese musician Masa.
  • "Princess Disease" – a song by British Power Electronics group Whitehouse on their album "Cruise".
  • "World is Mine" – a song by software voicebank Hatsune Miku.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "HK princesses rattle local hikikomori". South China Morning Post. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  2. ^ myhongkonghusband, Lina (12 October 2013). "公主病 – on princess syndrome and tough relationships". My Hong Kong Husband. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b "THE PRINCESS SYNDROME: EMERGING CHANGES IN CHINESE SOCIETY « USI – Blog". usiblog.in. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  4. ^ Empiricism and analytical tools for 21 Century applied linguistics: selected papers from the XXIX International Conference of the Spanish Association of Applied Linguistics (AESLA). Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca. 2012. p. 451. ISBN 9788490121542.
  5. ^ Speed, Barbara (30 September 2014). "Hong Kong's low birth rate blamed on women's "sexual problems"". CityMetric Horizons. CityMetric. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  6. ^ Wong, Bill. "Monster/Helicopter Parents and Their Children's Independence". Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  7. ^ Carroll, Toby (28 July 2014). "Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement is about inequality. The elite knows it". the Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  8. ^ Hu, Fox; Yun, Michelle (30 September 2013). "Hong Kong Poverty Line Shows Wealth Gap With One in Five Poor". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  9. ^ "2009–2010 Hong Kong Policy Address". Hong Kong SAR Government. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  10. ^ Tomohiro, Osaki (27 January 2011). "Exasperated teacher takes on Japan's 'monster parents'". CNN Travel. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  11. ^ Chua, Amy (2011-01-08). "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  12. ^ "Introduction of Jay Chou's music album". Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2013.

External links[edit]

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