WRITE THIS QUESTION DOWN IN YOUR NOTEBOOK October 12th TO DO WRITE THIS QUESTION DOWN IN YOUR NOTEBOOK Question #3: How does Confucianism define the role of women throughout Imperial China?

Neo-Confucian ideals: " A woman's duty is not to control or take charge." "Woman's greatest duty is to produce a son." "A woman ruler is like a hen crowing." "A husband can marry twice, but his wife must never remarry." "We should not be too familiar with the lower orders or with women." "The woman with no talent is the one who has merit." " It will be womens neither to do wrong nor to do good. Only about the spirits and the food will they have to think." "Disorder is not sent down by Heaven, it is produced by women." "Those who cannot be taught, cannot be instructed. These are women and eunuchs." " Man is honored for strength; a woman is beautiful on account of her gentleness." "There are three unfilial acts: the greatest of these is the failure to produce sons." "Women are to be led and to follow others." "A husband may marry twice, but his wife must never remarry." "We should not be too familiar with the lower orders or with women." "Women's nature is passive." "A woman should look on her husband as if he were Heaven itself, and never weary of thinking how she may yield to him." Each group will receive a few of these ideals. It will be your task to analyze, evaluate and discuss, what this ideal tells us about women and their role in Imperial China Do the first few together as a class to model We will print these out and distribute them to groups and have them analyze what does this idea mean for women in China "if...then what are the effects?“ Example: Example: "If woman's greatest duty is to produce a son...then what are the effects?“ Possible Student Responses: "She would hate it if a girl were born." "She would have no status if she only had girls." "She would keep getting pregnant until she had a boy." "A girl baby would be treated badly."

"Woman's greatest duty is to produce a son." What will it be like being born a girl in this society? What happens if she has girls? What does she see herself in society? How does society see her? "Woman's greatest duty is to produce a son." IF a women’s duty is to only produce sons, what are the effect?

Go around with your table group & read the principles & respond to it IF…what are the effect? What does this say about women/men in Chinese society?

Analyze: “How do you think beliefs about males or females can influence how people act, and how they feel about themselves?" "How do you think men were expected to behave? How might such beliefs about men effect them?" "Can you think of any beliefs, or sayings, about how girls should act in the U.S. Today?" "About how boys should act?" What effects might these beliefs have?"

Synthesize: What do these Confucian ideals tell you about women’s roles and place in Imperial China ?

Women and Confucianism Were we correct in our ideal analysis/synthesis ? For 2,500 years Confucian teachings have influenced the thought and behavior of peoples in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam!!! Super influential throughout east Asia!! "Women always have been fighting for a way out of the Confucian shadows.” - Scholar Xiao Ma The early Chinese and Confucius teaching did not focus on subordinating (putting down) women. However overtime sexist and repressive ideals developed. Confucius had very little to say about the roles and expectations of women in the family or in society  women were just not a focus… still less important Han dynasty (206 B.C.E. - 220 C.E.) that Confucianism was adopted as the government's state doctrine and became a part of the official education in China. In later dynasties, Neo-Confucian interpretations further reinforced male authority and patrilineal (father’s line) customs women at every level were considered lower than men  subservience of women to men was natural and proper Honor, respect and power for women came from their role as mothers  having sons provided power authority and respect Women’s Education: self-discipline, etiquette (politeness/proper social behavior), relationships with in-laws, household management, humility, and chastity (being sexually guarded) Biographies about admirable women  unselfish, loyal and self-sacrificing to Husband and his family Although ideology is one thing and the reality of the lives of women often another, the long shadow of basic beliefs about the nature and role of women had far-reaching effects.

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