A look at why the staging of The Vagina Monologues in Beijing and Shanghai marks the fall of yet another traditional taboo in China. Actually, more than one taboo; , the play’s debut (“V-day”) is perfectly timed with the release of a landmark study on domestic voilence against women in China, another topic that is usually not discussed over dinner in China.

In Beijing, this self-declared “celebration of female sexuality in all its complexity” will be staged the week after a shocking new report lifted the lid on domestic violence against men – and alongside another stage drama which explores the emotional fallout following the partner-swapping antics of two couples….

V-Day in Beijing will include the staging of the play alongside modern art exhibitions and installations raising awareness of women’s rights, said Shadow Zhang. A study released last year by the All-China Women’s Federation revealed that nearly half of Chinese people believe it is reasonable for husbands to beat their wives. More than a third of married couples admitted to resorting to violence when disagreements broke out.

The play poses unique challenges to the average Chinese viewer unaccustomed to such matter-of-fact usage of the V-word.

The real challenge for the audience, though, is hearing the word “vagina” repeated hundreds of times within the space of 90 minutes. Notwithstanding the popularity of pirated DVD copies of Western TV hits like Sex And The City, “vagina” tends to be spoken only within hospitals and on the football terraces amongst fans unhappy with their team’s performance.

Could it be that the production will initiate a shift in the Chinese people’s relationship with the human body? I wouldn’t be surprised. Even in the US, people can be very uptight about saying “vagina” in an open conversation. I think the play certainly helped many in America overcome their queasiness over the word, and it could well do the same in China.