Why do Chinese men delight in ancient women’s fights? Scopophilia, emphasized identity, and reorienting male gaze

Amid the ongoing reinterpretation of women’s subjectivity in contemporary Chinese society, harem dramas have become a significant genre within domestic television production. Although conventionally regarded as female-oriented entertainment, these dramas continue to sustain widespread popularity while increasingly attracting male audiences, thereby complicating assumptions about gendered viewership. Within this context, this study employs the concept of the “unperturbed gaze” to integrate textual analysis with 41 in-depth interviews, revealing the psychological mechanisms underpinning male engagement with female-oriented harem dramas. The findings demonstrate that scopophilia, simulated identification, and homosocial affinity collectively transform gendered power into consumable experiences and perpetuate the reproduction of hierarchical order through platform amplification. Accordingly, this research proposes a meso-level theoretical framework for understanding the psychological dynamics of male spectatorship and offers productive insights for visual creators seeking to reconfigure narrative plurality and make ethical conflicts more perceptible.