Trevor Jones
Thoughts and Reflection on "Women in Ancient China" 12/2/14
Source: Unknown
T&R on "Women in Ancient China"
In Taoism, women were given equal rights to men and some even carried out important jobs such as philosophers. Although, with the reign of Hsi Huang Mu, fear was brought to the people for having a women ruler and the derogatory term' "like a hen crowing", was bestowed upon China's only female emperor, Wu Zetian. The same applies to Buddhism, women were given equal rights under Wu Zetian and in some cases, high status and freedom. This being said, Confucianism did not empower women because it did not put women on a higher or even equal status to the male population. Confucianism did not degrade women, however, it did place them at a lower end of the patriarchal family structure. Some Confucian writings said for women to "yield to others", by putting others first and herself last. NeoConfucianism is a reinterpretation of Confucian teaching that was written in the Song Dynasty. These teachings enforced the position of women in society even more and pressured women to carry out egregious practices such as footbinding, widow chastity, and the selling of unwanted daughters. Not all women practiced these, such as women of ethnic minorities, but those who did severely limited female mobility.
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