2.  The structure of the Chinese family resembled that of families in agricultural civilizations in accentuating the importance of unity and the power of husbands and fathers in the family. › There was a strong emphasis on obedience of children to their parents, as well as women to their husbands. (No friction between the men in the family and women and children.)

3.  Shown above is a cartoon stressing the power or influence mothers had over their sons.  Women were subordinate to men.  They had their own clearly defined roles and could sometimes gain power through their sons.  There was a clear hierarchical order for children: › Boys were superior to girls. › The oldest son had the most fortunate position of all.

4.  The position of women showed signs of improvement in the Tang and early Song periods, but slowly declined in the late Song era.  The Confucian idea of male dominance held control at all class levels.  The authority of elders and males within the family was supported by laws that stated: › beheading as a punishment for children who struck their parents or grandparents. › one-half years of hard labor for children who struck their siblings.

5.  Women remained subordinate to men.  Unlike the previous eras, women in the upper classes in urban areas were offered better opportunities. › Could exert significant power at the highest levels in Chinese society. › Enjoyed access to an extensive range of activities.  Chinese wives had more defenses against impulsive behavior by their husbands. › E.g. – Laws prohibiting a husband from setting aside his wife if her parents were dead or if he had been poor prior to marriage and then later became rich.

6.  The neo-Confucians stressed the woman’s role as homemaker and mother, especially the bearer of sons to continue the family line.  They encouraged the confinement of women and stressed the significance of virginity for young brides fidelity for wives, and chastity for widows. › Widows were discouraged from remarrying.  Men excluded women from the education that would allow them to join the civil service.  Neo-Confucians designed laws that favored men in inheritance, divorce, and familial interaction.

7. Upper-class men had a preference for small feet.  Mothers began to bind the feet of their daughters at the age of 5 or 6.  Bound feet were a constant source of pain for the rest of the woman’s life. › Limited her mobility; only able to walk short distances. This confined them to their households. › This means that they could not engage in occupations.  The lower classes were slow to adopt this practice on account that they had to work in the fields, markets, or homes of the wealthy.

8.  The Ming era continued the subordination of youths to elders and women to men and youths to elders.  Women were driven to underground activities to revolutionize their subordination and expand their career opportunities.  At the court, they continued to do play vital roles behind the scenes.  Women had to settle for whatever status and respect they could win within the family.  Women retained the role as bearer of sons for the family lineage.  The daughters of the upper- class were taught to read and write by their parents or brothers.

9.  Similar to previous eras, the lives of women at all social levels remained confined to the household.  Male control was improved by the practice of choosing brides from families slightly lower in social status.  Daughters continued to be less desirable than sons.  Males were rather dominant and outnumbered females in the population.

10.  Beyond the family complex, the world belonged to men, with the exception of those few women that continued to work in the fields and sell produce in the local markets.  The best a woman could hope for was a strong aid from her father and brother after she had gone from her husband’s home and good luck in the first place for being chosen as a wife, instead of a second or third partner.  If they bore sons, wives took charge of running the household. › In elite families, the women exercised power over other women and younger men.