Chinese language education in Chinese societies is not only a language subject but also a kind of moral education influenced by Confucianism. As part of culture and social values, gender identity and division of labour have been shaped by the education for more then a millennium.
Similar to Chinese language education in Chinese societies, Chinese mother tongue education in Sweden has inherited the Confucian tradition which aims at inculcating one’s morality. However, Chinese mother tongue education in Sweden has its unique geographic environment – a European country with significant historical and cultural differences compared with the Chinese society. The Chinese students, who are engaged in the education, are situated in a multicultural matrix where they have to negotiate between and/or to integrate their own culture with the Swedish during their socialization of gender. By investigating how the Chinese children respond to and deal with the teaching materials in Chinese mother tongue education in Sweden, this study tries to reveal the role of children in establishing their gender identity in a multicultural society.