ChineseWomen

InChineseancientmatriarchalsociety（Primitivesociety,before3,000-2,000BC),womencouldparticipateinpoliticalactivitiesthroughtakingpartindivination(占卜)activitiesandjoiningarmy.FromtheZhouDynasty(1046BC-771BC),women’sparticipationinpoliticalaffairswasdisapproved.TheConfucianism(551-479BC)marginalizedwomeninpoliticalactivities.ThePoliticalPositionofAncientChineseWomenVaried

inDifferentSocialSystemsandDynasties.PoliticalPerspectiveInthepast,Chinesewomenweresilent.

“Thehendoesnotannouncethemorning.Thecrowingofaheninthemorningindicatesthesubversionofthefamily.”(LiandWang,2004)“ThreeObediencesandFourVirtues”—theprincipleoffeudalmoralconduct,showingthatmenweresuperior.(Alfred,1998)PoliticalPerspectiveThreeObediencesandFourVirtues三從：是未嫁從父、既嫁從夫、夫死從子:

Obedienttothefatherbeforemarriage;Obedienttothehusbandaftermarriage;Obedienttothesonafterthehusband’sdeath四德：婦德、婦言、婦容、婦功：

Fidelity；Physicalcharm；Proprietyinspeech；EfficiencyinneedleworkPoliticalPerspectiveTheFourGreatBeauties--theWomenbehindpoliticalfiguresDrowningfishes:XiShiFallenwildgeese:WangZhaojunObscuredmoon:DiaoChanBlushingflowers:YangYuhuanPoliticalPerspectivePictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepainterXiaoYutianTheStoryofXiShi:GouJianOverthrowstheStateofWu.InSpring&AutumnPeriod(770-221BC)，theStateofWudefeatedtheStateofYue.ThekingofYue,GouJian,swallowedthehumiliationsandmadehimselfahostageinordertoprotecthispeopleandhiscountry.HesentXiShi,whosebeautywaswell-knowninthestateofYue,tosetahoneytrapforthekingofWu.ThekingofWufellinlovewithXiShiatthefirstsightandspentalotoftimebeingtogetherwithherfromthenon,payinglittleattentiontopoliticalaffairs.Inthisway,XiShiplayedanimportantroleingainingadequatetimefortheStateofYuetobecomestrongenoughtodefeattheStateofWu.PoliticalPerspectivePictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepainterXiaoYutianTheStoryofWangZhaojun:ZhaojunExitstheFortress.IntheEasternHanDynasty(25-220AD),WangZhaojunwasselectedtosendtotheimperialpalace.Althoughshewasthemostbeautifulladyinthepalace,sheneverhadachancetomeettheemperorbecausesherefusedtobribethepainterforaflatteringself-portrait.WhentheKing(Chanyu,單于)ofXiongnu(theHuns,匈奴)cametoseekamarriagealliancewithHanDynasty,WangZhaojunvoluntarilyrequestedtomarrythekingofXiongnu,believingthatthiswouldbeanexcellentchancetogetoutofherpoorsituationandtosecurethesafetyandpeaceofherowncountry.Finally,EmperorYuanofHanDynastymetWangZhaojunandwassurprisedbyhercharm.However,withregret,theemperorhadtomarryWangZhaojuntothekingofXiongnu.PoliticalPerspectivePictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepainterXiaoYutianTheStoryofDiaoChan:RomanceofThreeKingdomsIntheperiodofEmperorXianofHanDynasty(202BC-220）,thethenPremierDongZhuocontrolledtheEmperorandcommandedthedukesintheEmperor’sname.AnofficialWangYunformedastrategyinordertoremoveDongZhuooutoftheimperialpalace.HeadoptedDiaoChan,whowaswell-knownforherbeauty,ashisdaughter,andsecretlymarriedhertoLüBu,theadoptedsonofDongZhuo.Atthesametime,WangYunsentDiaoChanasapresenttoDongZhuoopenly.DiaoChangraduallysoweddissensionintherelationshipbetweenDongZhuoandtoLüBu.Consequently,toLüBukilledDongZhuooutofjealousy.PoliticalPerspectivePictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepainterXiaoYutianTheStoryofYangYuhuan:TheFavoriteConcubineofEmperorXuanZongIntheTangDynasty(618-907),YangYuhuanwasthemostfavoriteconcubineofEmperorXuanzong.EmperorXuanzongwascaptivatedbyYangYuhuanandtriedhisbesttopleaseher.Hewasevenunwillingtogotothecourttomanagethenationalaffairs.BecauseofYangYuhuan,asubjectnamedAnLushangraduallygainedtheemperor’strust,whofinallyplannedtousurpthethronefromEmperorXuanzong.ThisrebellionletTangDynastyfallintopoliticalcrisis.TheministersbelievedYangYuhuanwasthechiefculprit(肇事者)ofalloftheseeventsandforcedhertodie.EmperorXuanzongcoulddonothingbutwatchhisbeloveddie.PoliticalPerspectiveFemalePoliticalFiguresTheMostPowerfulFemalePoliticalFigures:

EmpressLüEmperorWuZetianEmpressDowagerCixiFirstEmpresseverrecordedinChinesehistoryGoverningHanDynastyforfifteenyearsAdvocatingthepoliticalthoughtof“governingbynoninterference”EncouragingtheministerstoexerttheirabilitiestosomeextentAbolishingcorveePictureSource:/view/45205.htmEmpressLü(241-180BC)—TheFirstWomanWhoHadtheSamePowerasanEmperorFemalePoliticalFiguresRulingpeoplebymeansofmoralityinsteadofmilitaryEncouragingthefreeairingofviewsSavinglaborsandresourcesDiedwithnonameofEmperor,andatombstonewithnowordsinfrontofhertombPictureSource:www.WuZetian(624-705)—TheFirstFemaleEmperorFemalePoliticalFiguresRulingtheQingDynastyforalmosthalfacenturysince1861SurvivingtheTaipingRevolution,theWesternizationMovement,theConstitutionalReformandModernization,theBoxerMovement,theOpiumWar,theSino-FrenchWar,theSino-JapaneseWarandthecoalitioninvasionoftheeightWesterncountriesPromotingthemodernizationofChinatosomedegreeEmpressDowagerCixi

(1835—1908年）—TheCentralFigureintheLastYearsofQingDynastyFemalePoliticalFiguresSocialandFamilyPerspectiveArrangedMarriagesTheBrideofJiaoZhongqing:ATragicLoveStory（孔雀東南飛）,fromtheFistLongPoetryofNarrisionIntheEasternHanDynasty(202BC-9),LiuLanzhiandJiaoZhongqingwereanaffectionatecouple.However,Jiao’smotherdidnotlikeLiuandfinallymanagedtosendLiuawayagainstJiao’swill.AfterLiureturnedtoherownfamily,shewascompelledtomarrythesonoftheprefecturechief(縣長).Afterherresistancefailed,shedrownedherselfinapondindesperation.OnreceiptoftheLiu’sdeath,Jiaohangedhimselfinhiscourtyard.PictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepainterXiaoYutianSocialandFamilyPerspectiveChineseRomeoandJulietThestoryofLiangShanboandZhuYingtaiInJinDynasty(331-439),ZhuYingtaidressedupasamantostudyinaschool,whereshemetLiangShanboandfellinlovewithhim.Theypartedheartbrokenwhentheyleftschool.LiangShanbocametoherhousetoproposeamarriageandwasrejected.Hesoonfellillanddied.ZhuYingtaiwasmarriedtoanotherman.Onthedayofhermarriagewhileshewasonherwaytohernewhome,sheaskedtopassbythetombofLiangShanbo.Suddenlytheweatherchanged,andthunderandlighteningfell,andthetombwentbroken.ZhuYingtaijumpedintothetombandthetombclosed.Latertwobutterfliescameflyawayfromthetomb.Picturesource:SocialandFamilyPerspectiveThebride-pricepaidbythebridegroom’sfamilyinaweddingintheQingDynasty.Awoodengiftboxusedtocontainthebride-priceinancienttimes.PictureSource:/83876/8.html?prd=zutu_before/02_yzyc/2_02articles/2010-11-05/1691.htmlTheImperialHaremofEmperorQianlong(1711-1799)PictureSource:originallypaintedbyGiuseppeCastiglione,ItalianJesuitBrother,missionaryinChina,painteratthecourtoftheEmperor.SocialandFamilyPerspectiveWomenShoesinQingDynastyPicturesource:/share/1104896810SocialandFamilyPerspectiveThePracticeofBingFeetAWomanwithHerFeetUnwrappedShoesforWomenwithBoundFeetPictureSource:AHIGHCASTELADY'SDAINTY"LILYFEET.“WomenOfAllNations,MCMXI(1911)SocialandFamilyPerspectiveChineseTraditionalModeofProduction:MenPlowtheLandandWomenWeavetheClothathome.Menaresupposedtoworkformoneytosupportthefamilyandwomenareresponsibleforattendingfamilyduties.PictureSource:AnillustrationofWuXiaobo’sarticleZhuYuanzhang’sUtopiaofMenTillingtheLandandWomenWeavingtheCloth,publishedonCollectionofFolktales,Sep.2012.LaborDistributionSocialandFamilyPerspectiveSomerichfamiliestendedtohavefamilytutortoteachtheirdaughterspoemsandrites.Girlsgrowingupinascholarlyfamilymightbeinfluencedbytheirfamily.Somegirlsevendresseduplikeamantoattendschool,sincegirlswerenotallowedinschool.EducationalPerspectiveDifferentWaysforAncientChineseWomentoReceiveEducation:AfamousfemalewriterandpoetintheSongDynasty.Shegrewupinascholarlyfamilyandherliteraryqualitywasdevelopedsincechildhood.Asapoet,sheleftforlatergenerationsagreatwealthofgracefulpoeticworks.PictureSource:originallypaintedbyChinesepaintersZhaoJingguoandWangMeifang.LiQingzhaoEducationalPerspectiveZhuYingtai,theheroine,dresseduplikeamantoattendschoolandmetLiangShanbothere.Hefoundoutthatshewasawomanandfellinlove.Then,therecamethewell-knownromanticandtragiclovestory.TheStoryofLiangShanboandZhuYingtaiPictureSource:ascreenshotofcartoonmovieTheLoveEterne,directedbyCaiMingqinfromTaiwan,China.EducationalPerspectiveThefirstfemalearchitectinChina,madeacontributiontothedesignofthenationalemblemofChina.Oneofherdesigningworks—JilinWestRailwayStationPictureSource:/wiki/File:Lin_huiyin.jpg/wiki/吉林西站Author:陽光之下.LinHuiyin(PhyllisLin)EducationalPerspectiveChineseFemaleStudentsintheEarly1930sPictureSource:/index.php/gjrw/176-2010-08-19-05-19-39.htmlEducationalPerspectiveChineseWomen’sStatusinModernChina