women in chinese society

It is important to realize that the treatment of women in China had its roots in the ancient Confucius philosophy. He introduced the Five Human Relationships to the world in his Analectics. By making these relationships, he brought order to society. These relationships ranged from that of a father to a son, ruler to subject, husband to wife, older brother to younger brother, and friend to a friend. In all of these, except the last one, the first person was the superior to the second, and was supposed to set a good example and take care of the inferior. The second person, the inferior, owed respect and obedience to their superior. Friends were social equals who owed each other respect and courtesy. Confucian philosophy taught that society would be in harmony if everyone performed their proper duties. This was the type of mentality that led to the treatment endured by women in the seventeenth century China, as described in The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan Spence. Because China was not...