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The role of women in ancient civilizations
The role of women in ancient civilizations
Women in ancient civilization
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Introduction Since ancient times, women was described as men’s accessories. Theoretically, women represent ying and men represent yang. In Daoism, women were believed to have lower positions than man in the hierarchical order of the universe. Since women are borned, the tradition is to keep them away from society. The concept of “Women, Marriage and Family” were taught by their family since they were young. However, during the old days, women did allow some decision making, within the family meeting, for example, position a role of leadership as wife in assisting her husband in family matter. Nonetheless, there are some characters and stories which describe the importance of women in Chinese History. Women have big contributions towards productivity, …show more content…
Before she married, she have to obey her father and brother. Once married, she have to give authority to her husband and also her father-in- law. These contrast shows women occupied different position in differences perspectives.
Women play an important role in Chinese History. There were some examples of successful women in Chinese history inspiring women to change their status. For example, Ban Zhao and Wu Zetian were famous historical characters which change men perspective towards women (Cartwright, 2017). Ban Zhao (45 - 116 AD) was a female historian which famous with her works “Lesson for Women”. The book appeal the education of women education. Beside that, Wu Zetian (624 - 705 AD) shows her political and military leadership in managing the empire.
As a conclusion, women do not occupy with a lower status than man in Chinese History. Women, in fact, contributed to the growth of Chinese history in politics, education, military and economic aspects. Women have the abilities and qualities as men do not encounter which make a better
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They protect and fight for their countries. This feminism process started to accept by the society. For example, Hao Fu is the first women general who appeared about 3200 years ago. One oracle engraving on animal bones characterize her as a commander of 13000 soldiers. In the inscription, it was shown that important generals such as Zhi and Hao Gao were under her command. Many weapons such as axes was found from her tomb. Beside that, the King Wu Ding very believe in Fu Hao. He instructed Fu Hao to conduct sacrifice ritual and festivals. After Fu Hao died, the King constructed a tomb for her using royal cemetery to remember her sacrifices for the country.
The story “beat battle drum at Golden Mountain” indicates the involvement of Chinese women in national self-defence. Qin Liangyu is the lady which known for fighting with her husband in many battles. In Gold Mountain battle, Qin used flag and drum sound to guide the army. She was brave thus not afraid of the enemies. She helps hundred thousands refugees to settle down and promote food production. More importantly, Qin Liangyu, as a role model of Chinese women, reflects the strength and powerfulness of Chinese women soldiers in
Lessons for Women was written by Ban Zhao, the leading female Confucian scholar of classical China, in 100 C.E. It was written to apply Confucian principles to the moral instruction of women, and was particularly addressed to Ban Zhao’s own daughters. As her best remembered work, it allows the reader insight into the common role of a woman during this fascinating time-period. The work starts off by Ban Zhao unconvincingly berating herself, and claiming how she once lived with the constant fear of disgracing her family. This argument is rather implausible, for the reader already knows the credibility of Ban Zhao, and how important her role was in ancient China.
Some of the more fascinating documents of the Han period in ancient China were arguably those written by women. The writings were at once contradictory due to the fact that they appeared to destroy the common perceptions of women as uneducated and subservient creatures while simultaneously delivering messages through the texts that demonstrated a strict adherence to traditional values. Those are the paradoxical characteristics of prominent female scholar Ban Zhou’s work called Lesson for a Woman. Because modern opinions on the roles of women in society likely cloud the clear analysis of Zhou’s work, it is necessary to closely examine the Han’s societal norms and popular beliefs that contributed to establishing the author’s perspective and intent.
Most outcasts of history had a particular, exclusive life; full of struggles against the society ever since birth and grew up with a heart made out of steel from the harsh criticism they have endured. They differ from the community within their beginning to their end, and many of their stories end up becoming legends and gaps of the past that nobody will be able to reincarnate. China’s first and last female emperor, Wu Zetian, was one of these exclusives. Ever since birth, her history of tactics to the people around her; in order to ascend the throne, juxtaposed towards society’s attitudes of women at the time; through her breakdown of gender stereotypes and quick knowledge, and offered a new perspective to the world of just how cruel and beautiful women can be. She successfully destructed all accumulated views of women in the Tang Dynasty, and created her future in the way she wanted it – on top of every man in her country. She was an outcast – somebody who juxtaposed against the demands of her. She was history.
The united States Declaration of independence states that all men are equal, but aren’t all women as well? Nowadays, the numbers for the population are at an increase for the support in gender equality, with the capture of feminist labels. The seek for equality between men and women, and criticize the privileges that arouse by gender differences. However in Old China, males control almost everything due to a patriarchal society. At that time, not only men, but also women are influenced by male chauvinism. In the Jade Peony, written by Wayson Choy, female characters are affected by an unequal perspective despite their age group.
As stated before, many women who felt that they were involved in nationalist movements saw these opportunities presented to women. In document 4, Teodora Gomes is able to provide us with information about the opportunities of roles in nationalist party leadership for women. In document 1, Manmohini Saghal shows increased public participation of women. In document 2, Song Qingling even shows that women have taken place in military efforts during this time. In document 1, Manmohini Saghal shows increased public participation of women. These documents clearly show how women saw these movements as opportunities to change th...
Thus born The Woman Warrior, a chronicle of a Chinese American woman's personal sufferings and triumphs, of duplicities and truths, and of struggles and breakaways; a requiem for all the victims of the old culture whose soundless cries have not been heard and who died without a name, engulfed by the darkness and the silence. In her world then, at least, the failed heroine Fa Mu Lan is redeemed.
The story of Fa Mu Lan portrayed in the chapter White Tigers cleverly showcases Kingston’s expectations of the society where women are seen worthless. Within the story, Kingston provides the reader a contrast between her real life and her imagination to appeal to the reader about the frustration in her life. Furthermore, Fa Mu Lan was portrayed as a powerful warrior and at the same time a loving and caring mother. Portraying the character Fa Mu Lan with these qualities, writer was successfully able to demolish traditional Chinese beliefs about women in the society, while keeping the balance between power roles and feminine
Gender history would not be possible without the rise of women and their headstrong goal of gaining a place in the history books. Early historians developed a more simple outlook, which simply classified every women be similar in class. As historian developed a more critical analysis, they included many social factors to explain women’s status change. Women created gender history, and now doors are open for other gender issues to be researched.
In the patriarchal, Confucian influenced, Han dynasty, a woman’s role and social status was far from equal to that of a man. In Ban Zhao’s work Lessons for a woman she depicted the role of a woman, as a lower-class member of society. Hidden beneath the stereotypes of what a woman was supposed to be, Ban Zhao was a rarity of her time as she excelled as a historian and teacher.
Chen, Jo-shui. "Empress Wu and Proto-feminist Sentiments in T'ang China." In Imperial Rulership and Cultural Change in Traditional China, edited by Frederick P. Brandauer and Chün-chieh Huang. 77-116. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
Throughout ancient civilizations, women were lower than men. In some civilizations like Mesopotamia society, women were below slaves. It is not shocking that they would still not be equal to men. In Roman society, women had more independence and people were more encouraging of women being educated in philosophy. In the Hans society, women did not have any freedom. They were required to follow what the men told them. By examining Gaius Musonius Rufus’ essay and Ban Zhao’s essay, the views of women were different. Woman in Roman society had more freedom and women in the Han’s society were required to fulfill her responsibilities.
Kazuko, Ono. "Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution, 1850-1950." edited by Joshua A. Fogel, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1989.
The Chinese people experienced rapid changes, in government and their own culture in the 20th century. In the book, Wild Swans, by Jung Chang, she depicts the experiences of not only oppression and suffering, but the development of the communist revolution, under Mao. Also, to show how the Chinese people, women in particular, fought against impossible odds by interweaving historical and personal stories from the twentieth century China.
Examples of cultural constructions can be seen throughout history in several forms such as gender, relationships, and marriage. “Cultural construction of gender emphasizes that different cultures have distinctive ideas about males and females and use these ideas to define manhood/masculinity and womanhood/femininity.” (Humanity, 239) In many cultures gender roles are a great way to gain an understanding of just how different the construction of gender can be amongst individual cultures. The video The Women’s Kingdom provides an example of an uncommon gender role, which is seen in the Wujiao Village where the Mosuo women are the last matriarchy in the country and have been around for over one thousand years. Unlike other rural Chinese villages where many girls are degraded and abandoned at birth, Mosuo woman are proud and run the households where the men simply assist in what they need. The view of gender as a cultural construct ...
This could not be more true when looking at Chinas monumental defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. Many Chinese civilians where viewing their country as the new losers under Social Darwinism, and many of them thought adopting western political and educational systems would be the answer to their problems. Society thought they needed to produce more enlightened women to raise children better suited for society. The new education system included, and essentially revolved around, women’s education and schools for girls. During this time girl’s schools where not teaching math and science but rather focusing on Chinese, English, physical education and home economics, including needle point, in an effort to make women better suited to raise perfect future citizens. Nonetheless, these educational opportunities, though done in what now is considered oppressive reasoning, women where still able to take these opportunities to learn about the world and new ideas, how to read and write, and the opportunity to not fully rely on a father or husband. Further embodying the new modern women, by laying the ground work of education and