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The influence of Confucian thought on the Chinese nation
The education of women
An essay on importance of women education
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When one thinks about female traits or characteristics within the Asian culture you are likely to think of obedience and even docility. This can especially be true of Chinese women. Why is this? Where did this behavior and belief system originate? Many scholars and cultural behaviorists would argue that Ban Zhao and Confucius played a pivotal role in this behavioral construct. Confucian teachings are the foundation upon which much of Asian society and culture have been erected. Confucius’ teachings focused on the importance of family dynamics and the need for children to obey and serve their parental figures. Confucius also stressed the need to exercise restraint and to treat others as you would have them treat you. Ban Zhao was the …show more content…
This would seem to be a relatively accurate description. Though she is self-deprecating, and downplays her intelligence, it is apparent that Ban Zhou is a revolutionary. (Teacher’s comment, ?) Maybe he wants it cited In Lessons for Women Ban Zhao begins by downplaying any intelligence or abilities that she possesses. She calls herself an “unworthy writer, unsophisticated, unenlightened, and by nature unintelligent.” This seems odd that she would put herself down while writing and providing a new interpretation of Confucian writings. By nature a decidedly enlightened and sophisticated undertaking. (Teacher’s comment- not a sentence) Perhaps she does this because even though she advocates the inclusion of women in the educational system of the time, she also is highly aware of the controversial nature of her writings. Chinese society was highly prejudicial towards women and the thought of someone arguing for female inclusion in typically male arenas would have definitely been controversial. Ban Zhao gives the credit of her “limited” abilities to her scholarly father and cultured mother. The basis for Ban Zhao’s writings at this time was primarily due to her concern for her daughter’s well-being and the need to impart upon them the proper manners and expectations for a successful married life. Because Lessons for Women is explicitly for her daughters and since it speaks directly to them, one can assume that her daughters received a fair amount of Ban Zhao’s teachings in their own daily interactions. It would also be fair to assume that her daughters learned, at least on some level, the classics as well as how to read and write. Ban Zhao found it strange that teachings of women were so neglected. Though there was much thought on the education and expectations of men, there was none of women. She believed that focusing on just males, while neglecting females, was ignorant. Without a standard set of
Freedom for a Chinese woman was about being independent and to be considered equally important as a man in the Chinese society. The women in traditional China were seen as child-bearers and that was basically considered their main role in their marriages. The women must give birth to a male in order for the family name and traditions can be carried on. If the child was a female, then she’d be of no use to the family and would be married off to another family. It was very difficult for the women since they weren’t able to live life their way due to the old Chinese traditions that were established long ago.
Ban Zhao wrote Lessons for a Woman around the end of the first century C.E. as social guide for (her daughters and other) women of Han society (Bulliet 167). Because Zhao aimed to educate women on their responsibilities and required attributes, one is left questioning what the existing attitudes and roles of women were to start with. Surprisingly, their positions were not automatically fixed at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Ban Zhao’s own status as an educated woman of high social rank exemplifies the “reality [that] a woman’s status depended on her “location” within various social institutions’ (167). This meant that women had different privileges and opportunities depending on their economic, social, or political background. Wealthier noble women would likely have access to an education and may have even been able to wield certain political power (167). Nevertheless, women relinquished this power within the family hierarchy to their fathers, husbands, and sons. Despite her own elevated social status, Ban Zhao still considered herself an “unworthy writer”, “unsophisticated”, “unenlightened’, “unintelligent”, and a frequent disgrace to her and her husband’s family (Zhao). Social custom was not, however, the only driving force behind Zhao’s desire to guide women towards proper behavior.
In the patriarchal, Confucian influenced, Han dynasty, a woman’s role and social status was far from equal to that of a man. In Ban Zhao’s work Lessons for a woman she depicted the role of a woman, as a lower-class member of society. Hidden beneath the stereotypes of what a woman was supposed to be, Ban Zhao was a rarity of her time as she excelled as a historian and teacher.
Chen, Jo-shui. "Empress Wu and Proto-feminist Sentiments in T'ang China." In Imperial Rulership and Cultural Change in Traditional China, edited by Frederick P. Brandauer and Chün-chieh Huang. 77-116. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
Gender equality has been an issue in the world for the past century. The contrast between men and women in China begins at home and translates into workplace expectations. In China, the expectation in the home is that men are superior to women and that she should be obliged to serve her husband. According to the Passport to China, “Confucianism is still a major factor in Chinese culture. A direct quote from the Passport to China represents this well. “The Confucian husband rules over his wife as a lord rules his people.” This essentially means that the husband is superior to the woman entirely in households that still maintain the Confucian attitudes of the past.
Much like to their parents and elders, Chinese girls were supposed to be quiet and obedient to their husbands and mothers-in-law. Girls were supposed to respect, and not openly question the decisions that were made in the household. These women were taught to always ask what the husband wants and to ignore their own wants and needs. Chinese wives were there mainly to provide the mother-in-law with grandsons.
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
Ban Zhou believes that women should be educated, but not to seem smart or clever. The women being educated is not supposed to amaze other people. Ban Zhou believes that being educated is a key to life. It helps you not to embarrass yourself in front of others, most importantly not to embarrass yourself in front of your mother-in-law and father-in-law. I know Ban Zhou has good intention as to why women should be educated, but in a passage from her book she says, "...Yet only to teach men - is that not ignoring the essential relation between them?" and, "...only why should it not be that girls' education as well as boys' be according to this principle." I conclude that deep down, Ban Zhou wants the same treatment of women and men, and the first step to getting there is with educated
According to Confucian philosophy, a family that is run well demonstrates that the state is also governed well. Confucianism philosophy was upheld, demonstrating a patriarchal society with a great emphasis on societal class and rigid gender lines, traditions and customs with a heavy emphasis on male heirs to continue the legacy of a family. Comparing Li Ang’s novel, The Butcher’s Wife and Zhang Yimou’s movie, Raise the Red Lantern, Confucian philosophy is clearly represented and shown and the leading female characters battle the oppression forced upon them due to their inability to support themselves. Because Confucian philosophy implies women and daughters are treated as objects instead of human beings, daughters are raised as objects to barter and are never given the chance to learn to gain independence. Without independence, women are forced to depend on their fathers and or their husbands without a choice in whatever matter. Men in a patriarchal society victimize women and oppression of women is largely affected by the socio-economic structure of a male-dominated society. Some say, in order for women to become liberated in a male dominated society, they must gain economic stability. In my opinion, due to the socio-economic settings of many of the works we have read, the female characters do not necessarily need the financial stability to receive their freedom; these women utilize their own mind and bodies to gain power and liberation. The oppression of women can be better explained using Jean-Paul Sartre’s theory of existentialism and Simone de Beauvoir’s existentialist feminism theory.
Regardless, this way of thinking provides incentive for Lessons for Women, and is ultimately the foundation of the work. She projects these same ideals onto her own son, who she claims she is worried will ultimately disappoint her, despite the commendations of nobility he has acquired. Yet, now that he is a man, she feels that is not her place; instead worrying for her daughters. Ban Zhao reveals herself to be terminally ill, the origin of her concern, and leaves this document to her daughters as guidelines for living. I found it interesting that such a personal, heartfelt piece of work would ultimately become the standard for women in Confucianism.
Firstly, the relationship expectations in Chinese customs and traditions were strongly held onto. The daughters of the Chinese family were considered as a shame for the family. The sons of the family were given more honour than the daughters. In addition, some daughters were even discriminated. “If you want a place in this world ... do not be born as a girl child” (Choy 27). The girls from the Chinese family were considered useless. They were always looked down upon in a family; they felt as if the girls cannot provide a family with wealth. Chinese society is throwing away its little girls at an astounding rate. For every 100 girls registered at birth, there are 118 little boys in other words, nearly one seventh of Chinese girl babies are going missing (Baldwin 40). The parents from Chinese family had a preference for boys as they thought; boys could work and provide the family income. Due to Chinese culture preference to having boys, girls often did not have the right to live. In the Chinese ethnicity, the family always obeyed the elder’s decision. When the family was trying to adapt to the new country and they were tryin...
She is an aristocratic woman from the Hans empire who believes women should follow their duties set by society. One of a woman’s responsibilities is to be respectful. Zhao wrote, “Let her bear contempt; let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her.” Women are required to be respectful even if a man is doing or saying evil things. Zhao essay also discusses how women are subservient to men. She states, “They only know that wives must be controlled and that the husband 's authority must be maintained.” Men are supposed to control women and it is the woman’s responsibility to follow his orders. Lastly, she discusses womanly behaviors. She says the four womanly behaviors are “… womanly virtue, womanly speech, womanly appearance, and womanly work.” Women are required to be modest, use appropriate language, to maintain personal hygiene in order to look “womanly” and to make clothes or prepare
There is clearly an opportunity for those expectations to affect our behavior toward men and women so that they produce the stereotypes we hold” (2012, p. 67). She came to this conclusion based on her critical review of a study of college men and women from 1977 by Snyder, Tanke, and Berscheid. In the study, men were told to talk to a woman on the phone and half were shown a picture of an attractive woman and the other half were shown a picture of an unattractive woman before talking on the phone. However, all of the men were talking to the same woman. The woman also provided self-fulfilling prophecy for she began to behave differently based on whether the men were shown a picture of an attractive or an unattractive woman. If she was attractive, the men were nicer and the woman, herself, acted “more likeable.” This study demonstrates “that our expectations influence our own behavior, but they also influence the behavior of others so that they confirm our expectancy” (Helgeson, 2012, p. 67). Within cultural differences of gender role attitudes, Asian cultures perpetuate a traditional gender role ideology based on Confucian doctrine (Newton, 2016). The doctrine emphasizes the lesser status of women and how they must lie their obedience in line with men, such as their fathers or husbands. Men are also not expected to show emotions, men are the
Les Femmes Savantes The Learned Ladies is an astounding play. As each new character enters time transforms characters are bedazzled, enchanted and wigged we know we are sharing the stage with royalty. The women’s gowns are extremely detailed with hoop shirts to make them puffy the men are wearing exceptionally detailed waistcoats. This comical drama is set in the living room or “salon” of the family. This plays plot is focused on one major couples chaotic and forbidden love. The characters are joined by blood and lead by the controlling wife, Philamonte (Maya Jackson) and her weak spouse Chrysale (Edward Brown III). Jackson’s voice is directing with a profound tone that would have the capacity to stop anybody dead in their tracks. It is not
Philip J. Ivanhoe. Confucian moral self cultivation. New York : P. Lang, vol. 3, 1993.