WHI-Chap15-Obj8
Discuss and evaluate the status of women in China
During the Tang and Song periods in China, the patriarchal societal social structure became stricter and more prevalent. Women's roles in society thus became diminished, even though they had few freedoms to begin with. Women were put under the strict supervision of their fathers and husbands, and all of their affairs were dealt with and managed by their male guardians. Foot binding also became a prevalent practice among wealthy and elite families. Foot binding displayed the high social standing of the girl, and it prevented her from becoming independent from her husband. It was exorbitantly difficult for women in China to gain power and independence. They were constantly under the control of male figureheads. The inferiority of women to their husbands, fathers, and brothers was also supported by Confucianism with the promotion of filial piety or xiao. Women in the countryside escaped some of the restrictions that wealthy women faced. In the case of foot binding, it was impractical for women who worked in fields and in the country to have their feet bound because they would not be able to work. Women in China could not hold government positions, and they often were forbidden from receiving an education. Though some wealthy women learned to read and write through private tutors. Women were controlled by men, and they were almost always left under the strict control of a male familial figure, like a father, husband, or brother.
Islamic Women-Chapter 14 Objective 6, Medieval Women- Chapter 20 Objective 3
