Download WOMEN IN ANCIENT CHINA

WOMEN IN ANCIENT CHINA
I.
INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN IN ANCIENT CHINA
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
ANCIENT CHINA CIVILIZATION DID NOT VANISH AS OTHERS
2.
SLOWLY EVOLVED TO PRESENT
3.
COMMON LEITMOTIFS
a.
ANCESTOR WORSHIP, LOWER STATUS OF WOMEN,
STANDARDIZATION OF WRITING, COINAGE, ETC.
PHILOSOPHY OF CONFUCIUS
b.
LATER ON BUDDHISM
4.
WEST HAD NO INFLUENCE ON CHINA UNTIL RECENT & NOT
RULED BY WESTERNS UNTIL LATE
B.
GEOGRAPHY
1.
3 DISTINCT ZONES
a.
TEMPERATE NORTH, SOUTH & DEEP SOUTH
2.
85% ARID OR INACCESSIBLE STEPPES, DESERT, OR
MOUNTAINOUS
3.
FROM NEOLITHIC TIME NATURAL RESOURCES CREATIVELY
DEVELOPED
4.
AS IN OTHER ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS CHINESE RIVERS SITE
OF EARLIEST CIVILIZATIONS
a.
HUANG HO OR YELLOW RIVER - 1ST
b.
YANGTZE RIVER - NEXT
5.
SILT FROM FLOODS CREATED GREAT SOIL
6.
NORTH, MILLET, FRUIT TREES
7.
YANGTZE RIVER BASIN - RICE, BEANS, FISH
8.
DEEP SOUTH - TROPICAL, RICH COASTAL FISHING
C.
HISTORICAL TIME LINE
1.
HSIA C. 2000-1500 B.C.E.
a.
EARLIEST DYNASTY
b.
EMPRESS HSI LING-SHI
(1)
LEGENDARY DISCOVERER OF SILK C. 2000 B.C.E.
2.
SHANG DYNASTY C. 1500-1000 B.C.E.
a.
EARLIEST WRITTEN RECORDS
3.
CHOU OR ZHOU DYNASTY C. 1000-250 B.C.E.
a.
CONFUCIUS 551-270 B.C.E.
4.
CH'IN DYNASTY 221-206 B.C.E.
5.
HAN DYNASTY 206 B.C.E. - 220 A.C.E.
II.
WOMEN'S ROLES IN ANCIENT CHINA
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
WOMEN PART OF ECONOMY IN ALL REGIONS
2.
WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WOMEN IN ANCIENT KOREA & JAPAN
THAN CHINA
a.
DUE TO CURIOSITY OF CHINESE FOR THESE CULTURES
3.
WHEN CONFUCIANISM BECAME POPULAR FROM 6TH C. B.C.E.
ON, EARLY IDEAS ON WOMEN CHANGED
a.
TO CONFORM TO HIS VIEWING THEM AS 2ND CLASS
PERSONS
B.
ARISTOCRATIC WOMEN IN SHANG DYNASTY
2
PARTICIPATED IN MANY AREAS
a.
POLITICAL
b.
MILITARY
c.
RELIGIOUS SACRIFICES
d.
ECONOMY
2.
LOWER STATUS FIRST MENTIONED
a.
ON SOME OF ORACLE BONES EVIDENCE GIRLS &
WOMEN NOT AS NB AS BOYS & MEN
(1)
RECURRENT THEME IN CHINESE HISTORY
b.
IF SHE GIVES BIRTH ON THE DAY, IT WILL BE UNLUCKY
AND SHE WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A GIRL
3.
SHANG KINGS
a.
POLYGAMOUS WITH MANY CONCUBINES
b.
SUCCESSION DISPUTES AMONG MANY SONS
c.
MOTHERS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN "HAREM" POLITICS
4.
FU HAO C. 1250 B.C.E.
a.
POWERFUL WIFE OF KING WU DING
b.
ORACLE BONES INSCRIPTIONS STATE
(1)
FU HAO HAS BEEN LEADER OF MILITARY
CAMPAIGNS; SHE [WAS] MADE MISTRESS OF
LANDED ESTATE OUTSIDE ROYAL CAPITAL; SHE
OCCASIONALLY TOOK CHARGE OF SPECIFIC
RITUALS; AND SHE WAS SUBJECT OF WU DING';
DIVINATIONS CONCERNING HER ILLNESSES,
CHILDBIRTHS, AND GENERAL WELL BEING."
c.
HER BURIAL SITE CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE OF HER
POWER & WEALTH
d.
ONLY SHANG ROYAL TOMB NOT ROBBED BEFORE
MODERN EXCAVATION
e.
LARGE NUMBER OF WEAPONS, MANY INSCRIBED WITH
HER NAME
f.
SO CLEAR CONNECTION TO MILITARY CAMPAIGNS SHE
LED
(1)
ONCE WITH 13,000 TROOPS
g.
SHE OWNED WALLED TOWN WHERE SHE SERVED AS
THEIR
(1)
MILITARY
(2)
AGRICULTURAL
(3)
& RITUAL LEADER
5.
HER POWER & WEALTH DEMONSTRATED AFTER HER DEATH
a.
SACRIFICES MADE TO HER SPIRIT
FEMALE ANCESTOR WORSHIP
1.
IN EARLY CHINA ESPECIALLY AMONG ELITE
a.
SPIRITS OF DEPARTED THOUGHT TO INFLUENCE
DESTINIES OF DESCENDANTS
2.
USUALLY THOUGHT OF MAINLY PATRIARCHAL ANCESTOR
WORSHIP
3.
MEN HOPED TO APPEASE SPIRITS OF THEIR DEAD MOTHERS
III.RELIGION & GODDESSES IN ANCIENT CHINA
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
NEXT DYNASTY IN CHINA, CHOU OR ZHOU LONGEST LASTING
1.
C.
A.
B.
3
a.
1045-256 B.C.E.
2.
EXTANT PALEOGRAPHIC SOURCES FOR RECONSTRUCTING
WOMEN ARE MANY
a.
BUT HAVE NOT BEEN STUDIED YET
3.
CHINA'S EARLIEST TEXT
a.
CLASSIC OF POETRY
(1)
WRITTEN 600 B.C.E.
(2)
RECORDS CHINESE FABLES
4.
6TH C. LEARNED MEN ONLY INTRODUCED FRAGMENTARY
PASSAGES OF MYTHIC STORIES
a.
INTO THEIR WORKS OF PHILOSOPHY & HISTORY
b.
SLIGHT REFERENCES TO WOMEN GODDESSES
5.
CHINESE MYTHOLOGY HAS NO FIXED PANTHEON
a.
AS IN OTHER ANCIENT CULTURES
6.
BUT GENERALLY FEWER FEMALE THAN MALE DEITIES
7.
BUT SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF GODDESSES SUPERIOR TO OR
EQUAL TO MALE GODS IN TERMS OF
a.
ROLE, FUNCTION & FOLLOWING
8.
BUT IN CLASSIC OF MOUNTAINS & SEAS
a.
GODDESSES ARE MORE PROMINENT
b.
THAN IN WRITINGS OF PHILOSOPHERS WHO OBSCURED
FEMALE GODDESSES
9.
CHINESE MYTHS RELATE VIRGIN BIRTH NARRATIVES
a.
FROM DIVINE GODDESSES
10.
FEMALE ANCESTORS INCORPORATED WHEN DYNASTIC
FOUNDATIONS ARE PRESENT IN MYTHS
11.
LATER ON IN HISTORY MALE GODS WILL GIVE BIRTH
THROUGH
a.
PARTHENOGENESIS = WITHOUT A FEMALE
EARLY CREATION & FLOOD MYTHS
1.
CREATOR GODDESS & MOTHER GODDESSES OF SUN & MOON
IDENTIFIED
2.
NU WA - CREATRIX
a.
KNEADING YELLOW CLAY INTO HUMANS
b.
SHE ALSO SAVIOR OF WORLD DURING CATASTROPHES
OF FIRE & FLOOD
c.
INAUGURATOR OF MARRIAGE
3.
QUEEN MOTHER OF WEST = XI WANG MU OR IWANG MU
a.
SHE HAD 2 FUNCTIONS
(1)
SHE SENT DISEASE & DISASTER DOWN TO EARTH
(2)
BUT ALSO PRESIDED OVER WESTERN MOUNTAIN
PARADISE
b.
IN TANG DYNASTY PERIOD 618-907 A.C.E., SHE WILL BE
MOST NB GODDESS OF TAOISM
4.
SUN MOTHER = BREATH BLEND = XI HE
a.
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO 10 SUNS OF ARCHAIC
CALENDRICAL WEEK
5.
MOON MOTHER = EVER BREATH = CHANG XI
a.
GAVE BIRTH TO 12 MOONS
6.
RIVER GODDESS = XIANG
a.
PRESIDED OVER MIDDLE COURSE OF YANGTZE RIVER
C.
4
FEMALE SHAMANS IN CHINA
1.
NO STRONG PARALLELS TO NB OF KOREAN & JAPANESE
WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT OF SHAMANISM
2.
BUT SEEMS WOMEN IN CHINA NOT LESS SIGNIFICANT IN
DEVELOPMENT OF SHAMANISM & RELATED FOLK
TRADITIONS
a.
THAN JAPANESE & KOREANS WOMEN
3.
NORTH CHINA WOULD HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY SAME
ARCTIC SHAMANISM
a.
THAT PREDOMINATED IN KOREA & SOME PARTS OF
JAPAN
4.
THIS STRAIN OF SHAMANISM GIVES ENORMOUS POWER TO
WOMEN
a.
WHO ALONE CAN
b.
PREDICT, PROPHESY & MEDIATE BETWEEN THIS WORLD
& OTHERS
5.
SUZANNE CAHILL'S TO FIND EARLY RECORDS OF QUEEN
MOTHER OF WEST
a.
CLASSIC OF MOUNTAINS & SEAS SPEAKS TO HER
MANTIC POWERS
b.
HER SPECIAL HEADDRESS, LEOPARD'S TAIL & TIGER
TEETH
(1)
REMINISCENT OF COSTUMES WORN BY CHINESE
SHAMANS
c.
SHAMAN FLIES THROUGH HEAVENS ON QUEST FOR
DEITIES
(1)
OFTEN TRAVELING TO STARS, WHERE DEITIES
RESIDE
6.
LOTS MORE ON SHAMANISM LEADING TO POLITICAL POWER
FOR JAPANESE & KOREAN WOMEN
7.
BUT LOST OF POWER IN BOTH RELIGION & POLITICS WAS DUE
TO RITUAL IMPURITY
8.
ALL 3 CULTURES FOLK TRADITION STIGMATIZED WOMEN FOR
THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH VARIOUS POLLUTING ELEMENTS
a.
MENSTRUAL BLOOD
b.
POSTPARTUM DISCHARGE
c.
SEXUAL ACTIVITY
9.
IN ALL 3 SOCIEITIES SUPPOSED POWER OF WOMEN TO
DISRUPT RELIGIOUS & LINEAGE SYSTEMS
a.
OFTEN JUSTIFIED THEIR LOSS OF PRIVATE & PUBLIC
AUTHORITY
b.
THIS APPEARS MOST COMPLETE IN CHINA
10.
IN KOREA & JAPAN WOMEN CONTINUED TO RETAIN SPECIAL
PROMINENCE IN FOLK TRADITION
11.
SHAMANS IN SOME PLACES CALLED ON BY STATE TO PRAY
FOR RAIN IN TIME OF DROUGHT
12.
MOST VALUED FUNCTION OF SHAMAN WAS HEALING
a.
EVIDENT EVEN TO CHINESE OBSERVER
b.
KOREANS NEVER USED MEDICINE
c.
CALLED SHAMAN TO EXORCISE BAD SPIRITS CAUSING
SICKNESS
5
13.
D.
IV.
ORIGINALLY FEMALE SHAMANS IN NORTH CHINA WOULD
HAVE PLAYED MAJOR ROLE IN ANCESTOR WORSHIP
a.
AS ANCESTORS PRECISELY SORT OF GHOSTS THESE
SHAMANS PLACATED
14.
IN ANCESTOR RITUALS AT HOME
a.
WOMEN CLEANED ALTAR
b.
LIGHTED INCENSE
c.
REMEMBERED THEIR DEATH DATES
d.
PRAYED TO ANCESTORS IN NEED
BRIDES OF RIVERS 2 STORIES
1.
SPRING FESTIVAL YOUNG PRETTY MAIDEN FATTEN UP FOR
YEAR CHOSEN TO BECOME BRIDE OF RIVER
2.
CHOSEN BY SHAMANS
3.
SENT ON RAFT SHAPED LIKE BRIDAL BED DOWN RIVER
4.
MARRIAGE COMPLETE WHEN BED SANK & BRIDE DROWNED
5.
PRESENT DAY SZECHUAN RIVER GOD DEMANDED 2 BRIDES
EACH YEAR.
6.
FAMILIES CONTRIBUTING DAUGHTERS TO GOD
COMPENSATED WITH LARGE SUMS OF MONEY
7.
ANNUAL RITE BROUGHT FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO LOCAL
COMMUNITY
8.
& ALSO SERVED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR GETTING RID OF
UNWANTED DAUGHTERS BY DROWNING THEM
CONFUCIST PHILOSOPHY & ITS CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO WOMEN
A.
WHO WAS CONFUCIUS?
1.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHER 551-479 B.C.E.
2.
HIS IDEAS AS WRITTEN IN ANALECTS
a.
PUT HIS WORDS TOGETHER BY HIS FOLLOWERS
b.
WILL BECOME CENTERPIECE FOR CHINESE CULTURE
FOR 2500 YEARS
3.
DEVELOPED 5 RELATIONSHIPS & HOW HUMANS ARE TO
BEHAVE IN THIS WORLD
a.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RULER & MINISTERS
b.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FATHER & SON
c.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE
d.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELDEST BROTHER & HIS
YOUNGER BROTHERS
e.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS
f.
DO NOT DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WOULD NOT WANT
THEM TO DO TO YOU
4.
OLD CHINESE PROVERB
a.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL & TALENTED DAUGHTER IS NOT
AS DESIRABLE AS A DEFORMED SON
5.
PREFERENCE FOR SONS OVER DAUGHTERS
6.
BOYS GIVEN GIRL NAMES SO DEMONS WOULD SPARE THEM
B.
PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURE OF FAMILY
1.
MALE GUARDIANSHIP FOR EVERY STAGE OF GIRL & WOMAN'S
LIFE
2.
INFANTICIDE COMMITTED BY DROWNING NEWBORN
DAUGHTERS
6
WHEN FATHERS UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO SUPPORT
THEM
b.
WHILE NOT AS COMMON IN THESE EARLIER CENTURIES
AS LATER
(1)
IN ECONOMIC HARD TIMES INCREASED
3.
GIRLS OFTEN REMOVED FROM THEIR NATAL HOMES
a.
PLACED IN OTHER ONES TO SERVE AS
(1)
COOKS, MUSICIANS, FUTURE WIVES &
CONCUBINES
4.
TO MARRY & BEAR SONS MOST NB
5.
NEW WIFE ON PROBATION FOR 3 MONTHS
6.
GIRLS NO NAMES AFTER MARRIAGE
a.
KNOWN BY HUSBAND & FATHERS SURNAMES
b.
FIRST NAME NOT USED
7.
PEASANT MARRIAGES NOT CELEBRATED INDIVIDUALLY
a.
ANNUAL SPRING FESTIVAL
(1)
SIMILAR TO MAY DAY
(2)
IF WIFE PREGNANT BY AUTUMN THEN MARRIED
8.
WHILE ONLY 1 LEGAL WIFE HUSBAND FREE TO HAVE
CONCUBINES
a.
TYPICAL CONFUCIUS SAYING
(1)
WHEN THE COAT UPON YOUR BACK IS OLD,
WORN OR NO LONGER IS IN FASHION, DO YOU
NOT TAKE ANOTHER?
9.
CONFUCIUS THOUGHT WIDOWS SHOULD RESPECT THEIR
DEAD HUSBANDS & NOT REMARRY
10.
WOMAN'S SEXUAL PURITY MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL
COSTS
a.
INCLUDING HER OBLIGATION TO SELF MUTILATION OR
SUICIDE
(1)
TO PREVENT HER RAPE
DIVORCE
1.
ONLY HUSBAND COULD GET ONE
2.
MANY REASONS
a.
BARRENNESS OF WIFE
b.
ILLNESS PROVOKING DISGUST SUCH AS LEPROSY OR
EPILEPSY
c.
NEGLECT OF FATHER-IN-LAW
d.
TALKED TOO MUCH
e.
GOSSIPED MALICIOUSLY
f.
HABITUALLY DISOBEDIENT
g.
ADULTERY
h.
JEALOUSY OF CONCUBINES
YIN-YANG
1.
OLD PHILOSOPHY OF CHINA - OPPOSITES
a.
STRONG - WEAK
b.
DRY - MOIST
2.
BY HAN DYNASTY YANG REPRESENTING STRONG, ETC. MALE
3.
& YIN REPRESENTED WEAKNESS & DARKNESS FEMALE
4.
BOTH ESSENTIAL TO LIFE
5.
SEASONAL CHANGES DETERMINE WHICH IS STRONG
a.
C.
D.
7
6.
7.
V.
a.
YANG STRONGEST IN SPRING & SUMMER
b.
YIN STRONGEST IN AUTUMN & WINTER
NOT OPPONENTS LIKE GOOD & EVIL, BUT COMPLEMENTARY
NEITHER CAN EXIST ALONE
PUBLIC LIFE FOR WOMEN IN CHIN & HAN DYNASTIES
A.
GENERAL STATEMENTS
1.
FILIAL PIETY REQUIRED EVEN ADULT EMPERORS TO DEFER
TO MOTHER'S WILL
2.
BUT EVEN MORE RESPECTFUL WAS HE TO BE TO HIS
GRANDMOTHER
a.
SHE COULD CHOOSE SPOUSES OF HER GRANDCHILDREN
b.
INCLUDING POTENTIAL HEIRS TO THRONE
3.
HAN DYNASTY NOTABLE FOR ITS MANY EMPRESS DOWAGERS
a.
ACTED AS REGENTS
4.
EMPRESS LU
a.
EMPRESS FROM 202-195 B.C.E.
b.
WHEN HUSBAND DIED SHE TOOK OVER AS REGENT FOR
HER TEENAGER SON
c.
SHE THEN RULED UNTIL HER DEATH 15 YEARS LATER
(181 B.C.E.)
d.
SHE VERY COMPETENT
(1)
DECREASED TAXES
(2)
REMOVED SOME OF MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENTS
FROM CHIN DYNASTY
(a)
RESTITUTION COULD REPLACE
RETRIBUTION EVEN FOR CAPITAL CRIMES
e.
BUT CRITICS ATTEST TO HER TRYING TO REPLACE HER
HUSBAND'S FAMILY WITH HER NATAL FAMILY IN
POWER POSITIONS
5.
MOST FEMALE REGENTS SUCCESSFUL BUT OMITTED IN
HISTORY BOOKS
6.
FEMALE REGENTS WHO MENTIONED USUALLY CRITICIZED
7.
WOMEN FROM POWERFUL SCHOLARLY GENTRY HOUSEHOLDS
ENJOYED MORE FREEDOM & STATUS DURING THIS DYNASTY
THAN IN LATER DYNASTIES
B.
JOBS FOR WOMEN
1.
FEMALE PHYSICIANS
2.
TEACHERS
3.
ENTERTAINERS
4.
SERVANTS
5.
SLAVES
6.
WET NURSES
7.
IN EMERGENCIES WOMEN SERVED IN MILITARY BATTLES &
CONSCRIPTED LABOR
C.
WOMEN USED AS PEACE WEAVERS TO NOMADIC TRIBES
1.
LIU JIEYU
a.
GRANDDAUGHTER OF KING C. 90 BC.E.
b.
MADE TO MARRY CHIEFTAIN OF NOMADIC CENTRAL
ASIAN TRIBE
c.
SHORTLY AFTER MARRIAGE HE DIED
8
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
VI.
SHE MARRIED HIS COUSIN
WHEN REGENT DIED SHE MARRIED STEPSON
WHEN STEPSON MURDERED
KINGDOM DIVIDED & HER SON BY STEPSON RULER
IN 51 B.C.E. AFTER SON'S DEATH AT AGE 70 SHE
ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME
AS POLITICAL INFLUENCE GREAT EMPEROR GAVE HER
(1)
FIELDS, HOUSES, SLAVES
LITERARY IMAGES OF WOMEN
A.
NEGATIVE IMAGES
1.
FEMME FATALE EXAMPLE BAO SI
a.
CONCUBINE OF CHOU KING C. 8TH C. B.C.E.
b.
PERSUADED KING TO SET ASIDE HIS WIFE SO SHE
COULD BE QUEEN
(1)
& DEPOSE QUEEN'S SON & SET UP HER HEIR
2.
SOME OF THESE SEX SIRENS ALSO DESCRIBED AS SADISTIC
a.
1 AMUSED BY STAGED SPECTACLE OF SLAVES
DROWNING IN WINE POOL
3.
IN THESE EARLY DYNASTIES CHINESE LITERATURE OF THIS
TYPE
a.
SERVES CONTINUALLY AS CATALYST FOR POLITICAL
DECLINE
(1)
DOWNFALL IN HSIA, SHANG & WESTERN CHOU
ALL BECAUSE OF FEMME FATALES
B.
POSITIVE IMAGES OF WOMEN
1.
BIOGRAPHIES OF ADMIRABLE WOMEN
a.
LIU HSIANG 79-8 BC.E.
2.
MOST COMMON - CHASTE WIDOW
a.
IF STAYED UNMARRIED WOULD BE TAX EXEMPT
3.
MENCIUS' MOTHER
a.
STRONG MATERNAL EXAMPLE
b.
IN HUGHES TEXTBOOK
4.
WOMEN OF SUCCESSFUL SONS ACCORDED GREAT HONOR
C.
PAN CHAO
1.
WOMAN SCHOLAR
2.
HER THE SEVEN FEMININE VIRTUES
a.
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.C.E.
b.
FOR GIRLS TO COPY
c.
SO THEY MIGHT LEARN PROPER BEHAVIOR