FREE ESSAY ON WOMEN IN CHINA

WOMEN IN CHINA

"Women in China- Then and Now"
Traditionally, the family has been the most important unit of Chinese society, and holds
true till today. Over the last couple of years or so, new definitions of women's roles
have been formed as many Chinese women have received higher education, have joined the
work force, begun to compete with men, and become financially independent. 
Confucianism and the Communist movement greatly influenced the role of women and the
family structure in China. Classical literature played an essential part in defining
family and the Classical women. The Book of Changes illustrates the role of women and
family through history. This book emphasized on a perfect society in which each person
would wholeheartedly accept the parts assigned to them, devoting themselves to their
responsibilities to others. Other literature glorifies and defines the ideal women, by
stressing the main theme of submission. Throughout life, women were to follow the Three
Submissions, which are as follows: observing filial piety in childhood, submitting to
ones husband in marriage, and obeying ones son in widowhood. 
With such notable exceptions as the old empress-dowager, women in traditional China were
largely deprived of a public role, and certainly of a political one. The position of
women in traditional China was based upon two considerations.
First, there was the masculine prejudice, which was common to most societies, which
insists that a women's place is in the home and their contribution in is all respects
secondary to that of the male. The second factor comes from the structure of a society,
which depends so much upon family and clan. In traditional China, a woman married away
from home and took up residence in her husband's house, normally under the eye of her
parents-in-law. The function of marriage was basically to maintain the male lineage upon
which the future depended, and a woman's status depended very considerably upon the sons
she produced. Should she fail this duty, a principal wife could find herself supplemented
by a concubine, in which there was no reason why the husband should decline the younger
favorite. 
In contrast, the definition of women's roles and family changed dramatically during the
Communist Movement. The idea of communism was that of collectivism and equality. In this
movement, religion was thought to be a numbing agent that only caused false hope;
therefore many old rituals and Confucian ideas were somewhat dismissed and women became
equal. The object of the movement was to promote women's participation in all aspects of
social life. Women were encouraged to work in the countryside and at city jobs.
Educational opportunities for women also increased significantly. By the end of the
1940's coeducation had become an accepted social norm. 
Women in China today are otherwise known as "half the sky," (Yanfen, 2000), which is a
popular saying indicating that women can make the same contribution to society as men,
and enjoy the gender equality and social status assured them since the establishment of
the People's Republic of China in 1949. In fact, China's Constitution guarantees gender
equality. By the end of 1997, women accounted for 46.5 percent of the national workforce,
one of the highest labor participation ratios in the world. Economic independence has
also resulted in improved family status for women. They can marry a husband of their
choice, is able to possess on inherit property, and can decide for themselves whether or
not to have a child. Over the past half a century, the consciousness of gender equality
has made a big impact on Chinese women today. They now have a higher sense of
self-respect, self-confidence, self-improvement, and self-support. Despite the tremendous
achievements throughout this past century, there is still much more that needs to be
done. Women are still inferior to men in education, employment, and political
participation especially in rural areas. With the new technological innovations, economic
growth, and social progress, hopefully, Chinese women and men become entirely equal. 
Bibliography
Compton's Living Encyclopedia. Chinese Cultural Studies: Women in China: Past and the
Present. "Modern Chinese Society and the Family." 2000. April 2001. 
De Crespigny. China this Century. "New Age, New Outlook." Oxford University Press. New
York.1992. Pgs. 194-195
Gascoyne-Cecil, Lord William. "Changing China." D. Appleton & Company. New York. 1910.
Pgs. 122-123
Li, Wen-lang. Changes in China -Party, State and Society. "Changing Status of Women in
the PRC". University Press. New York. Volume 1. 1989. Pgs. 201-220.
The Republic of China 1998 Yearbook. Government Information Office. 1st Edition. 1998.
Pgs. 322-326
Yanfen, Zhao, Mr. China 2000. "Women in China today; holding up "half the sky".
http://www.china2thou.com9904p5.htm. April 1999. April 2001.