Women in East Asia Cases of Chinese Women

Chinese Women

Pan Chao's text "Lessons for Women" illustrates women's role and self-perception in first century China. These seven lessons were written out by Pan Chao for her daughters in an attempt to prepare them for married life and for their roles as women in Chinese society. Pan Chao's teachings stress the restrictions imposed on women by themselves and their society. Women were viewed as the weaker sex, as necessarily subservient to men, and of secondary importance to their husbands. Marriage is also portrayed as the culmination of a woman's life, as she has essentially no genuine personal life of her own save that which exists in the context of the marriage. "Lessons for Women" shows that a woman's daily life in ancient China consisted mainly of household duties and psychological obligations to her husband and her in-laws; the teachings underscore the remarkable strength of character exhibited by women like Pan Chao.

Pan Chao notes in the introduction that she was married at the age of 14 and "labored without confessing weariness" in her household duties for her in-laws (9). The details of her own life doubtlessly influence the nature of Pan Chao's advice to her daughters. The first chapter of the lessons is entitled "Humility," and through powerful example, shows how women were definitely viewed as inferior to men: a girls first experience as an infant is being placed below the bed, a symbolic act signifying her "lowly and weak" character and position in life (9). Pan Chao goes on to stress the importance of humility: "should she do something good, let her not mention it; should she do something bad, let her not deny it. Let her bear disgrace, let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her," (9). The theme of humility runs through Pan Chao's lessons, as women are not supposed to complain or refuse any chore. Moreover, women are not supposed to speak very much.

Pan Chao also speaks of the "controlling of women by men and the serving of men by women," (9). Husbands and masters "must be served," the author stresses. It was the duty and purpose of every woman in Chinese society to willingly be controlled by her husband, just as it was the husband's duty to control, or "husband" the wife. Therefore, women were obliged and expected to do pretty much whatever their husbands or their in-laws asked, without objection or complaint. Undoubtedly such a situation must have been abused and exploited by countless husbands and in-laws.

Pan Chao viewed a woman's subservient behavior as being conducive to domestic, societal, and spiritual harmony. A modern reader can reflect on these teachings and infer that women's willingness to conform to these ideals might have promoted harmony but was nevertheless destructive to the female psyche. Pan Chao does, however, express her discontent with the fact that the same schooling is not offered to both boys and girls. With education, Pan Chao notes, girls can learn the rules governing their behavior.

While men are permitted to leave their wives, women cannot divorce their husbands. To do so represents an utter disgrace and failure as well as disrespect for tradition. Marital strife can be avoided by the woman's unconditional subservience to the husband, but Pan Chao also states the importance of the man's being able to properly "control" his wife. Men should act rigidly, in accordance with the dictates of their sex, just as women should act docile in accordance with the dictates of theirs.

Pan Chao's lessons might promote harmony within the family when the woman is prepared and willing to accept her role. However, many women would not have been so willing to follow such dictates and mandates on their behavior. Pan Chao's rules promote domestic harmony but in the process these rules sacrifice the woman's worthiness as a human being. Instead the woman is viewed as nothing more than a servant, support system, or tool for men. Furthermore, for the many women who acted or spoke out in rebellion of these ideals, family harmony would not have been possible. Their rebellion would have been viewed as counterproductive and as foolish in light of the strength of the overall patriarchal system.