Jack S.

12/1/14

Per 4. 

                                Thoughts and Reflections on: Women's rights in China

In ancient China there were many different religions throughout the progression of the country including Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Neo-Confucianism. Each on of these religions had a different view on how women should be treated. In Taoism women are thought to be passive and yielding and men are supposed to be aggressive and active. Women were expected to be house wives, but they still had control over their spiritual life. In Buddhism women were granted some spiritual empowerment also. For example, women could travel on religious pilgrimages to Buddhist temples, retreat to nunneries, give public lectures, and lead temple groups. In these two religions women had much more control over their spiritual lives. In Confucianism women were much lower on the social spectrum and were expected to put everyone els before themselves. They also did not have much control over their spirituality because they were always told what to do and they had to follow. In a reinterpretation of Confucianism called Neo-Confucianism, women were barely treated as humans. They would use foot-binding and a method to make sure women could not leave their terrible life in the Song Dynasty. Fathers would sell unwanted daughters, and would enforce widow chastity. These tactics show that Neo-Confucianism treated women the worst of all the religions in this time period.