What were the attitudes of Confucianism toward the role of women in society? How did these attitudes compare w?
What were the attitudes of Confucianism toward the role of women in society? How did these attitudes compare with those of other Chinese philosophies, and with philosophies from ancient Rome?
Husband to Wife – There should be righteous behavior in the husband and obedience in the wife. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism Through the years a whole body of literature was written, educating women on self-discipline, etiquette, relationships with in-laws, household management, humility, and chastity. Biographies written about admirable women emphasized their unselfish loyal and self-sacrificing willingness to do anything to help their 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. This activity offers traditional sayings based on interpretations of Confucian beliefs to help raise awareness of the implications of such sayings on women’s historic participation and status in their societies.
The quotes below come from Confucian inspired writings, morality texts, and from sayings based on later interpretations of the Confucian model of the family. Neo-Confucian Inspired Sayings
” 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 incorrect nor to do excellent. Only about the spirits and the food will they have to reckon.”
“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 gorgeous 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 woman ruler is like a hen crowing.”
“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.”
http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/lesson3.html ———— Hinduism-
A women is a form of energy called Shakti
A women as a child is protected by her father, then her husband, and in ancient age her sons.
According to the Manusmriti a wife and a women performs four roles:—————— Buddhism-
Buddhism does not specifically describe the role of women, so in some place like China Buddhism is patriarcal while in other places it is not. Women are alowed to enter Sangha and become part of Buddist community in China. Though there were still more rules for woman then men, Buddhism gave small specific information on their role in society unlike Hinduism and Confucianism. Due to having more liberal views on the relationships between men and women, it was largely shunned by Chinese elite when it first spread to the country’s peasants.
Allowing women to become nuns shows that Buddists gave the same spiritual authority to woman that they gave men. http://www.ahistoryteacher.com/~ahistory/apwhreview/index.php?title=Role_of_women_in_different_belief_systems_–_Buddhism%2C_Christianity%2C_Confucianism%2C_and_Hinduism ———————- What would the women in your family have done in ancient Rome?
Women in ancient Rome, like the men, wore long togas made of silk in the summer or wool in the winter. Roman women always wore makeup and jewelry and always fixed their hair to look gorgeous.
Unlike men, women were expected to stay at home every day so they could complete the chores around the house and watch the children while their husbands were at work. Very few women were allowed to hold jobs such as being a teacher or doctor.
Women with wealthy husbands lived differently from those with poor husbands. For example, if you had been a wealthy woman in Rome, you would have usually spent a day plotting a dinner party to take place when your husband got home. These women started the day with prayers at the household shrine, then ordered their slaves to start dinner, fix your hair, makeup, and clothes to look gorgeous, and clean the house while you relaxed. When your husband returned from work, you would start greeting and entertaining the guests of the dinner party. Poor women in Rome, on the other hand, woke up at the same time as their husbands and worked in the house or fields all day. Usually poor women had to complete a fantastic deal of work since they did not have the money to pay for the help of slaves. Women were not nearly as respected as men in ancient Rome.
http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/greecerome/Romeroles1.html —————— Ancient Roman Women: A Look at Their Lives http://www.moyak.com/papers/roman-women.html When looking at the sources for ancient