Chinese Women

11 Pages 2634 Words

. Now “decent was traced through the male.” (Tan p. 13) As a result, when a woman got married she lived within her husband’s home. During this dynasty, the importance of being a man began to surface. “The Chinese had begun ancestor worship; that is, sacrifices were made to ancestors in order to ensure them a happy afterlife. These sacrifices could only be made by male descendants, and this meant that a male heir was necessary to perform the rituals and continue the family line.” (Tan p. 13) Parents also valued male children for two reasons. One was that “males carried on the family name and they could work the fields or bring honor to the family by passing state exams and entering government service.” (Green p.88) As a result of this preference for males rather than females, female infanticide occurred in huge numbers all over China.
The Shang dynasty (1600-1100 BC) marked the beginning of sex discrimination. Schools were established during this dynasty. However, girls were not allowed to go to school. In rich families, the role of educating the girls was given to older female relatives. Some paid for tutors to educate their daughters. However, the education they received was called “woman’s instructions” which were taught in the women’s chambers. Girls were taught to cook, weave flax and silk, and how to help in offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors. They were also educated on conduct, and before they were married, they had to learn “the four virtues of a wife: morality, proper speech, modesty, and diligence.” (Tan p. 13)
The Feudal Age (1100-221 BC) saw an even more reduced status for women. This was the time that the patriarchal system was fully established. Women who participated in politics and military businesses were now being called, “hens crowing at dawn.” During the Zhou dynasty (1100-770 BC) women were stripped of their right to own personal property. As stated before, ma...