Essay - Positions of Women Throughout Chinese History Women Throughout Chinese History...

Positions of Women Throughout Chinese History

Women throughout Chinese history have experienced the oppression their tradition and culture exert as well as the power only members ***** their sex can attain in their chosen doma*****s. Although readers have been exposed to historical anecdotes relating foot binding and Man's superiority to women, there are also many stories ***** their freedom and tenacity, whether they are wives, concubines, courtesans or prostitutes. The ***** of Chinese women is not necessarily limited to persecution and being dominated, it is ***** peppered with inspirational ***** of ***** who ***** been able to find happiness, success and fulfillment within the parameters Chinese ***** and culture dictate.

In Chinese society, ***** positions women maintained were very indistinct (http://www.wm.edu/CAS/anthropology/faculty/hamada/Virtual_Cl*****sromm/wwwb.../208.htm,1)."In ***** society, ***** as a c*****tegory had a dependent status." (Watson, 1991, 232). Before a girl m*****rried, she was controlled completely by her father. After she married, this responsibility ***** transferred to her husb*****. If her husband passed away, and she had given birth to sons, the oldest son became responsible for controlling his mo*****r. Once a woman married her *****, ***** severed all social links ***** her first family, but did ***** entirely join her husband's ***** family (http://www.wm.edu/CAS/anthropology/faculty/hamada/Virtual_Classromm/wwwb.../208.htm,1)."***** bride is an outsider who serves the family of her husb*****d ***** remains beyond its formal boundaries." (Wat*****, 1991, 232).

***** ***** ***** women also came from Confucianism. "Pressured by unfavor***** Confucian [philosophy, women are denied] ***** opportunities, benefits, and protection that are given to men." (West & Blumberg, 1990, 121). In fact, Confucius makes "everyone look down one someone else, [and] women [*****] the lowest." (Tan, *****, 123). Confucianism infers that the domestic responsibilities of ***** home should be ********** by women (Loscocco & Wang, 1992, 121). Through ancient rules and traditions, Confucianism ********** Chinese society. ***** history ***** ***** brought up to believe a "girl's eyes should never be used to reading, only for sewing." (Tan, 1991, 121). They are brought ***** to ignore indiscretions made by men. Chinese women are not meant ***** mind what men say around them. A "***** ears ***** never be used for listening to ideas, only to orders... A girl's lips should rarely be used except to ask for approval or to express appreciation." (Tan, 1991, 121). Girls are ***** up to "consider what [her] husband's opinions ***** [and that hers] do not matter." (*****, 1991, 178). In addition to this, women should not criticize men or the ***** that controls them (Tan, 1991, 325). Women must ***** do their utmost to protect their husb*****s to ensure their own ***** through the patronage of their husbands, and it is impossible f***** husbands to really hurt their wives (Tan, 1991, 207).

***** marriages are also an import*****t part of ***** patriarchal society. Getting ***** ***** very much like a business. In China, a family usually *****s for a rich ***** with a d*****ughter and then selects a media*****r who is ***** in the whole barga*****ing ***** negotiation process (Tan, 1991, 167). The