Women in Early China.ppt

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Confucianism and Women Confucianism dominated Chinese thinking for about 2,000 years – throughout that time, Confucianism evolved and changed as the values of society changed. It had a great influence on the status of women in China and as Confucianism changed, so did the status of women. In the Confucian social order, human relationships tended to be hierarchical (ranked) and fixed. Women lived in a patriarchal system and so were given a subordinate role. The more Confucian a society was – the more structured and hierarchical – the more subordinate a woman’s role was. * Confucianism and Women: Development of Confucianism  Confucianism 孔学/孔教 refers to a philosophy and religious tradition that is traced back to Confucius 孔子 (c.551-479 B.C.E.). It is thought of as a philosophy as Confucius and those who came after him tried to find a rational answer to the questions regarding life’s meaning and order in society (rather than a spiritual reason). It is thought of as a religion as Confucius had faith in Heaven and wanted to do the Will of Heaven 天. For Confucians, women were valued for the continuation of the family, allowing fulfillment of obligations to ancestors and future prosperity. Women were to be the teachers of the next generation. * Confucianism and Women: Development of Confucianism (2) During the Han dynasty, Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 developed yin-yang Confucianism which said that as Heaven dominates Earth, Ruler dominates subject; father dominates son; husband dominates wife. Dong said that as the sun (“yang”) is above the earth (“yin”), the husband who is “yang” – the male force – is superior and to the wife who is “yin” – the female force . Therefore, even if the man is from a humble family, he would be superior to the wife from a noble family. These values gained prominence in China after Confucianism was chosen as the state doctrine/ideology during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.). The role of women suff