1Revise this essay. The words in red are the things that need .docx

1
Revise this essay. The words in red are the things that need to
revise. Do not use outside
sources/materials. All the readings are in the attached files.
First Paper Assignment(Give your essay a more specific title
that reflects your thesis. )
The gender roles in East Asia, according to the ancient
traditional principles, urge women to look after household tasks
and have instructed men to take care of finances and to take the
necessary family decisions. The major decisions in the family
were taken by the father of the families mostly but with time it
has evolved. However, the conventional approach still designs
the household paradigm in East Asia. They had a patriarchal
society where women are expected to take care of the home and
no matter what they should not disobey their parents and
husbands. In the 21st century, women have started to realize
their rights and they stand up for what they deserve but the
deep-rooted patriarchy in their culture is hard to be uprooted
because of the acceptance of traditional gender roles in
society.(The focus of this assignment should be on describing
some of the key features of traditional gender roles in East
Asia. We will look at the continued effects of these traditions
on contemporary East Asia later in the class. So, I don't think
you need to focus on the 21st century in this essay. )
The ancient literature of East Asia is filled with the instructions
directed at women to obey their parents and their husbands and
be expert at the household chores. Women were expected to
serve their parents and husbands and they were not given the
right to live the life of their own choices and wills. However

with passing, it has changed and in big cities, women work with
men but the deep-rooted patriarchy is seen in the households
where only women are expected to take of children. Even in the
professional environment, men and women working in
2
the same position have discrimination in their wages and the
respect that they get because of their work. (this material on the
contemporary period should be shortened or deleted)
In the 21st century, women are expected to obey what their
husband’s demand, instead of the rational relationship where
both men and women make decisions together by mutual
understanding. The cultural values of East Asia still follow the
traditional gender roles associated with men and women. The
deeply rooted misogyny can be seen in the book ‘House
Instructions’ by Mr. Yan that women should be trained by men
in a way that they obey them, just like children are taught from
an early age about the customs and traditions. Just like in war
and political methods, women hardly participate just like that
the important decisions also need to be taken by men (Yanshi,
2). (Here it would be good to cite a particular quote from the
text that reflects these beliefs. )
In ancient teachings, women were taught systematically to
follow their husbands and to take care of their homes according
to the wishes of their husbands and parents. In ‘Preface to
Models for the Inner Quarters’ Lü writes that females teachers
used to teach women in ancient days and thus they mastered the
art of household chores, advising and had proper speech
manner, behavior, demeanor, and ability of clear vision about
employment (Lü, 2). Now those instructions are not taught to
women, that is why they have become ill-mannered and cannot
look after the house or their children. Even today, conventional
households believe that the demand for rights of women is

baseless because they have the role of play which demands them
to be flexible and adjustable according to the demands of their
parents and husbands.
3
Children are taught from childhood to respect their parents and
children used to respect fathers more because of their dominant
role in family dynamics. ‘Selections from the twenty-four
exemplars of filial piety’ from the 17th century explains the
bond and relationship which also shows the love and respect
which offspring have for their mothers. (Here you should refer
to a specific passage from that text which shows this love
children have for their mothers. Also, does this respect for
mothers weaken the patriarchal force you describe at the start of
this paragraph? )It has been also noticed that offspring treat
their mothers the way their fathers treat them. If father
disrespects mothers in front of their children, then children
would find it normal to talk in disrespecting tone to their
mothers. However, there were some clans in ancient East Asia
where women ruled and they enjoyed all the rights which men
have in major parts of the world (Li, 2). However, it has never
been practiced on a large scale. (Li's text is a fictional account
about an imaginary world ruled by women. Although there were
some matriarchal clans in remote parts of China, that is not
what Li is describing in his fictional work. )
Women are expected to follow what their parents demand from
them and after marriage; they are expected to obey her husband.
In ancient studies, it is defined as the responsibility of women
to obey men, no matter what they demand from them. Kaibara
Ekken writes in ‘The Great Learning for Women’ that women
should obey their parents, husbands, and in-laws without
questioning from them. Their husbands are given the position of
Lord for women and husband and her parents should have strict
instructions for her to keep her on track. It is also mentioned

that it is the task of women to make a home because only she
can keep the relationship with their efforts (Kaibara, 3). The
whole responsibility of the relationship was expected to be on
the women. In ‘Instruction to my daughter’ by Song Siyŏl,
instructions are
4
given to daughter about serving her husband no matter what.
The ancient traditional teachings have a long-lasting impact on
society (Song, 3). (Until this paragraph, the sources you have
used have been Chinese. Now you employ texts from Japan and
Korea. It would be good to let the reader know where these
pieces are from, and also, you should briefly explain why
"Chinese values" are also being practiced / promoted in
traditional Japan and Korea. )
In past, the traditional gender roles of men and women were
instructed through the literature which made a systematic
tradition in which women were expected to follow the role i.e.
taking care of households and treat their husbands like a Lord.
They had no liberty to live life according to their wishes or
make decisions according to their will. Men, however, were
expected to rule over the households and they were also
expected to instruct women in a way that they respect their
decisions.(If this was the case, how do you explain the public
role of Ban Zhao, or the fictional accounts of women in Mulan
and Chunhyang, where the women protagonists acted according
to their desires? And Song Siyol's instructions to his daughter to
trust her own instincts? Although Confucianism certainly
circumscribed women, I feel you go to far when you say "they
had no liberty to live life according to their wishes or make
decisions according to their will." ) There are hardly any
instructions about the respect of women in ancient literature.
Even if there is any respect, that was associated with their
obedience and their loyalty and obedience to their husbands and

parents. This deep-rooted patriarchy is still seen in society
today in the 21st century. (This is a good point, but should be
further developed within the body of your essay. Perhaps you
could add a paragraph where you present what appears to be
instances of relative respect toward women in the works of Ban
Zhao, Song Siyol, and
5
perhaps the Twenty-Four Exemplars of Filial Piety, but then
explain why this "respect" is still premised upon women's
subservient status. )
References
Yanshi Jiaxun, House Instructions of Mr. Yan
Lü Kun, Models for the Inner Quarters
Unkown, The Twenty-Four Exemplars of Filial Piety
Li Ju-chen, In the Country of Women
Kaibara Ekken, The Great Learning for Women
Song Siyŏl, Instructions to my Daughter
Primary Source Document
with Questions (DBQs)
E X C E R P T S F R O M I N S T R U C T I O N S T

O M Y D A U G H T E R
By Song Siyŏl
Introduction
Song Siyŏl (1607‐1689) was a prominent scholar and
official. This piece was written for his oldest dau
ghter on the
occasion of her marriage and subsequently became a
n important tutelary text that circulated among elite
families.
By the time this text was written, the patterns of
patrilocal residence and patrilineal descent advocated
by Neo‐
Confucian reformers early in the Chosŏn dynasty had
become well established.
Document Excerpt with Questions (Longer selection f
ollows this section)
From Sources of Korean Tradition, edited by
Yŏng‐ho Ch’oe, Peter H. Lee, and Wm.
Theodore de Bary, vol. 2 (New York:
Columbia University Press, 2000), 49‐52. © 2000 Co
lumbia University Press. Reproduced with the permiss
ion of the publisher.
All rights reserved.
Excerpts from Instructions to My Daughter
By Song Siyŏl

How to Serve Your Husband
A woman’s hundred‑year hopes and aspirations rest
with her husband. Serving your
husband lies in not going against his wishes. Respe
ct and support his wishes completely, not
going against even one word or decision except on
those occasions when he is about to make a
completely unacceptable mistake. …
[Translated by JaHyun Kim Haboush]
Question:
1. For the daughter and for Song himself,
what might be at stake in her
successful adherence to these precepts?
Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) on
EXCERPTS FROM INSTRUCTIONS TO MY DAUGHT
ER, BY SONG SIYŎL
Asia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe
.easia.columbia.edu Page 2 of 4
Longer Selection
From Sources of Korean Tradition, edited by
Yŏng‐ho Ch’oe, Peter H. Lee, and Wm.

Theodore de Bary, vol. 2 (New York:
Columbia University Press, 2000), 49‐52. © 2000 Co
lumbia University Press. Reproduced with the permiss
ion of the publisher.
All rights reserved.
Excerpts from Instructions to My Daughter
By Song Siyŏl
How to Serve Your Husband
A woman’s hundred‑year hopes and aspirations rest
with her husband. Serving your
husband lies in not going against his wishes. Respe
ct and support his wishes completely, not
going against even one word or decision except on
those occasions when he is about to make a
completely unacceptable mistake. Not being jealous is
the first thing in serving one’s husband.
Even if he acquires a hundred concubines, accept t
hem with equanimity. No matter how much
he loves a concubine, do not get angry with him;
instead show him more respect. Your husband
is a serious scholar and will not indulge in wome
n. Nor are you the type of woman who will be
jealous. However, I am still warning you of
the danger. Not only should you pay heed
but
when you have daughters, instruct them also on thi
s matter. Many families have been ruined by
women’s jealousy. Jealousy nullifies all other beautifu
l conduct. Despite intimacy, husband and
wife should always be respectful of each other. Spe
aking of all other matters of daily life, you

should not be too loose, and you should treat him
as a respected guest. Then your husband will
treat you with respect in return. Please pay heed t
o this.
How to Instruct Children
It is said that mothers instruct daughters and father
s sons, but sons are also taught by
mothers before they learn to read. Teach them not
to lie; do not urge them to study too often,
but only three times a day. Forbid them to engage
in silly games and do not let them lie down in
view of other people. Have them wash early in th
e morning, and if they say that they promised
something to their friends, make certain that they c
arry out promises so that they will not betray
the trust of others. Prevent them from associating
with unseemly groups and make them attend
the family ancestral rites. In his conduct, a
son should model himself after the worthies
of
previous generations. After his fifteenth year, let yo
ur husband take over his instruction. If you
take care, he will naturally grow up to be a prop
er and good‑hearted scholar.
If you do not teach him when he is young and
you begin late, it will be impossible to
teach him. Early instruction will lead to the preserv
ation of the family and will spare dishonor
to oneself. This is really up to the mother, so do
not blame the father. In pregnancy, you should

not eat unclean food or lie down on crooked bedd
ing. If you always maintain proper conduct,
the child will naturally be well behaved. Children t
ake after their mother in many ways: they
are in the mother’s womb for ten months, and bef
ore thirteen years of age, they are taught by
ER, BY SONG SIYŎL
their mother. If you do not instruct them, children
will not become good. It is the same with
teaching daughters. Making it too easy for your son
s and daughters for fear that might get ill, or
being concerned only with their comfort, amounts to
nothing less than cheating them. Instruct
them well.
How to Be Careful in Your Words
There is a saying that a bride spends three years
as if blind, three years as if deaf, and
three years as if dumb. What this means is that
you do not speak when you see things or hear
things and speak only when it is absolutely necessa
ry. It is best to be careful in your words. If
you are not careful, disputes and fights will ensue

even when you are right, not to mention
when you are wrong. If you speak of the faults
of other people, it will cause resentment, and
fights and curses will follow. Your parents‑in‑law an
d other relatives will regard you as a beast;
slaves and neighbors will look at you with disdain.
With my own tongue I am harming my own
body. There is nothing more pitiable and
pathetic. In all hundred matters of conduct,
being
careful with words comes first. Please pay heed so
that you will have nothing to regret on this
score.
How to Look After Property
While property is limited, spending can be limitless.
If you spend with no regard [to the
consequences], you will have no money to
marry children off, and they will become
commoners. Is this not a fearful thing? Even the e
mperor will bring ruin to his country if he
does not regulate his spending. If an ordinary famil
y does not economize, where will the money
come from? In times of good or bad
harvest, one must estimate the total yields
against the
number of ancestral sacrifices and the number of fa
mily members. Though one should perform
the sacrifices with sincerity, do not prepare excessiv
ely or waste things. Do not spend too much
on luxurious clothes or food. On those occasions w
hen you must spend, do not be abstemious
but spend nothing on unnecessary things. If
you adjust expenses on food and clothing

according to your financial situation, and if
you incur no foolish expenses, you will have
enough. If there is any left over, then you can u
se it for medicine when someone gets ill or to
pay for other emergencies. If there is no need for
that, then uy rice fields and vegetable fields to
leave to your children. In managing a household, th
ere is no better way than frugal spending.
Other Essential Advice
When you are deciding on your child’s marriage, b
e sure to look into the moral behavior of his
or her prospective in‑laws, but not their
wealth. This is an important affair in life,
and
everything concerning the bride or groom should be
investigated. But you should leave things
to your husband, and if you are not informed of
certain matters, do not pretend that you are,
making decisions on the basis of superficial knowled
ge. If you get a daughter‑in‑law from a
ER, BY SONG SIYŎL

family a little less well off than you, then she w
ill be careful. If you send your daughter to a
family a little better off than you, then she will
be careful.
There are no virtues greater than loyalty, generosity,
and kindness. If you happen to
become involved in matters of great consequence, be
as firm and precise as a sharp knife in
executing your decision. Do not listen to others but
rely on your own judgment.
It is best not to demean yourself. The ancients di
d not demean themselves when they
met great predicaments. Why should one
demean oneself over small matters? Seeking
something from others when there is no need, acce
pting food under undesirable circumstances,
or, urged by someone else, doing something
against your will — all can be constituted
as
demeaning. Please take it to your heart to live co
urageously and with principle.
[Translated by JaHyun Kim Haboush]
Questions:
1. For the daughter and for Song himself,
what might be at stake in her
successful adherence to these precepts?

2. What sorts of behaviors in marriage does
Song recommend to his
daughter? What does he admonish her against? What
is the portrait of an
ideal wife that emerges?
3. Song’s advice is also littered with
“exceptions.” Under what sorts of
circumstances do these appear, and what significance
to they lend to the
overall portrait of ideal female conduct that emerges
?
P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t
w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q s )
E X C E R P T S F R O M T H E G R E A T L E A R N I N G
F O R W O M E N ( O N N A
D A I G A K U )
b y K a i b a r a E k k e n
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Kaibara Ekken (1630-1714) was a neo-Confucian scholar and
naturalist who served the Kuroda lords of Fukuoka

domain on the southern island of Kyushu. Ekken was committed
to popularizing Confucian ethics and was well-
known for his accessible self-help guides — down-to-earth
manuals of behavior written in vernacular Japanese
rather than in difficult scholarly language. Ekken’s treatises
included volumes delineating proper conduct for lords,
warriors, children, families, and, perhaps most famously,
women. In Onna daigaku (The Great Learning for Women)
Ekken promotes a strict code of behavior for mothers, wives,
and daughters very much in harmony with the neo-
Confucian intellectual orthodoxy of Tokugawa Japan.
S e l e c t e d D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t s w i t h Q u e s t i
o n s
From Sources of Japanese Tradition, edited by Wm. Theodore
de Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur L. Tiedemann, 2nd ed., vol. 2
(New
York: Columbia University Press, 2005), 263-271. © 2005
Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of
the
publisher. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from The Great Learning for Women (Onna
Daigaku)
by Kaibara Ekken
…
It is the duty of a girl living in her
parents’ house to practice filial piety toward
her

father and mother. But after marriage, her duty is
to honor her father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law,
to honor them beyond her father and mother, to lo
ve and reverence them with all ardor, and to
tend them with a practice of filial piety.
While thou honorest thine own parents, think
not
lightly of thy father‑in‑law! Never should a woman
fail, night and morning, to pay her respects
to her father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law. Never should
she be remiss in performing any tasks
they may require of her. With all reverence she m
ust carry out, and never rebel against, her
father‑in‑law’s commands. On every point must she i
nquire of her father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑
law and accommodate herself to their direction. Eve
n if thy father‑in‑law and mother‑in‑law are
disposed to hate and vilify thee, do not be angry
with them, and murmur not. If thou carry
piety toward them to its utmost limits and minister
to them in all sincerity, it cannot be but that
they will end by becoming friendly to thee.
A woman has no other lord; she must look to he
r husband as her lord and must serve
him with all worship and reverence, not despising
or thinking lightly of him. The Way of the
woman is to obey her man. In her dealings
with her husband, both the expression of her
countenance and the style of her address should be
courteous, humble, and conciliatory, never
P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t w i t h Q u e s t i o n s
( D B Q s ) o n

F O R W O M E N ( O N N A D A I G A K U ) , B Y K A I
B A R A E K K E N
A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s l C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t
y l h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 2
o f 3
peevish and intractable, never rude and arrogant
— that should be a woman’s first and
principal care. When the husband issues his instructi
ons, the wife must never disobey them. In
doubtful cases she should inquire of her husband a
nd obediently follow his commands. If her
husband ever asks her a question, she should answe
r to the point; to answer carelessly would
be a mark of rudeness. If her husband becomes an
gry at any time, she must obey him with fear
and trembling and not oppose him in anger and fo
rwardness. A woman should look on her
husband as if he were Heaven itself and never we
ary of thinking how she may yield to him and
thus escape celestial castigation.
…
A woman must always be on the alert and keep
a strict watch over her own conduct. In
the morning she must rise early and at night go
late to rest. Instead of sleeping in the middle of
the day, she must be intent on the duties of her
household; she must not grow tired of weaving,
sewing, and spinning. She must not drink too much
tea and wine, nor must she feed her eyes
and ears on theatrical performances (kabuki, jōruri),

ditties, and ballads. …
…
In her capacity as a wife, she must keep her hus
band’s household in proper order. If the
wife is evil and profligate, the house will be ruin
ed. In everything she must avoid extravagance,
and in regard to both food and clothes, she must
act according to her station in life and never
give in to luxury and pride.
…
The five worst infirmities that afflict women are in
docility, discontent, slander, jealousy,
and silliness. Without any doubt, these five infirmiti
es are found in seven or eight of every ten
women, and it
is they that cause women to be inferior to men.
A woman should counteract
them with self‑inspection and self reproach. The wor
st of them all and the parent of the other
four is silliness. A woman’s nature is passive (yin).
The yin nature comes from the darkness of
night. Hence, as viewed from the standard of a m
an’s nature, a woman’s foolishness [means
that she] fails to understand the duties that
lie before her very eyes, does not recognize
the
actions that will bring blame on her own head, an
d does not comprehend even those things that
will bring calamity to her husband and children. N
or when she blames and accuses and curses
innocent persons or when, in her jealousy of others
, she thinks only of herself, does she see that

she is her own enemy, alienating others and incurri
ng their hatred. Lamentable errors. Again, in
the education of her children, her blind
affection induces an erroneous system. Such is
the
stupidity of her character that it is incumbent on
her, in every detail, to distrust herself and obey
her husband.
[“Onna daigaku,” in NST, vol. 34, pp. 202–
5; trans. adapted and revised from
Chamberlain, “Educational Literature of Japanese Wom
en,” pp. 325‑43; WTdB]
Q u e s t i o n s :
1. What values does the author of this piece feel are most
important for
women to cultivate?
( D B Q s ) o n
F O R W O M E N ( O N N A D A I G A K U ) , B Y K A I
B A R A E K K E N

o f 3
2. Do you think Ekken advocated education for women? Why
or why not?
3. What does Ekken mean by “silliness” in this passage?
4. Do you think most women in Tokugawa Japan followed codes
of conduct
like those outlined here?
“ I N T H E C O U N T R Y O F W O M E N ”
B y L i J u - c h e n
The Qing dynasty is known for authors specializing in tales of
ghosts and fantasies. Li Ju-chen (ca. 1763-ca. 1830) is
representative of this fantasy genre. In Flowers in the Mirror
(Jing hua yüan), the hero, Lin Zhiyang (Lin Chih-yang),
travels to many strange lands. In the excerpt below, Lin finds
himself in the “Land of Women.” The palace maids of
the country of women have captured Lin and are preparing him
to become a male “concubine” for their female ruler.
He is, accordingly, bathed, dressed in skirts, his face powdered,
lips reddened, his arms decorated with bangles and

his fingers with rings. He has just had his ears pierced by a
formidable white-bearded palace maiden when the
procedure described in the excerpt below takes place.
S e l e c t e d D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t w i t h Q u e s t i o
n s (Longer selection follows this section)
From Anthology of Chinese Literature, Volume II: From the
Fourteenth Century to the Present Day, edited by Cyril Birch
(New York:
Grove Press, 1972), 187-189. © 1972 Grove Press. Reproduced
with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
“In the Country of Women”
By Li Ju‑chen
When the white‑bearded maiden had finished
her task she withdrew, and another
maiden, this time with a black beard, came up. Th
is one had in her hand a roll of thin white silk.
Kneeling before the bed, she said, “Gracious lady,
with your permission, I have been ordered to
bind your feet.” Two more maidens approached, and
kneeling on the floor to support his dainty
feet proceeded to take off the silk socks.
The black‑bearded maiden seated herself on a
low
stool. Tearing off a strip of silk, she first set Li
n Chih‑yang’s right foot on her lap and sprinkled
alum between the joints of the toes. Then she dre

w all five toes tightly together and, forcibly
bending the whole foot over till it took on the s
hape of a drawn bow, swiftly bound it up with
the white silk. When she had wound the silk roun
d a few times, another of the palace maidens
brought a needle and thread and began to sew up
the ends tight, and so they continued, one
binding while the other sewed.
With the four palace maidens pressing closely agains
t him and the two others holding
on to his feet, Lin Chih‑yang could not move an
inch. When the bindings were in place he felt
his feet burning like a charcoal brazier. Wave upon
wave of aching swept over him, and soon
sharp pains began to shoot and forced out a loud
cry: “I am dying in a fiery pit!”
[Translated by Cyril Birch]
( D B Q s ) o n
“ I N T H E C O U N T R Y O F W O M E N ” B Y L I J U
- C H E N
o f 3
Q u e s t i o n s :

1. What is the author’s likely view of foot-binding?
2. Aside from that described, what other transformations would
a man have to
go through in order to experience the status of a concubine?
3. The author is satirizing women’s status and the practice of
concubinage —
but why did Chinese emperors take large numbers of
concubines? What
practical interests might have been served by the practice?
L o n g e r S e l e c t i o n
From Anthology of Chinese Literature, Volume II: From the
Fourteenth Century to the Present Day, edited by Cyril Birch
(New York:
Grove Press, 1972), 187-189. © 1972 Grove Press. Reproduced
“In the Country of Women”
By Li Ju‑chen
The palace maidens were all immensely strong, and
seized hold of Lin Chih‑yang as a
hawk seizes a sparrow —
there was no question of his being the master.
As soon as they had
taken off his shoes and undressed him, fragrant wat
er was brought for his bath. They changed

his coat and trousers for a tunic and skirt, and f
or the time being put socks of thin silk on his
dainty great feet. They combed his hair into plaits,
pinning it with phoenix pins, and rubbed in
scented oils. They powdered his face and smeared
his lips with bright red lipstick. They put
rings on his hands and bangles on his wrists, and
arranging the curtains of the bed invited him
to take his seat upon it.
Lin Chih‑yang felt as though he were dreaming or
drunk, and could only sit there in
misery. Closely questioning the palace maidens, he d
iscovered for the first time that the ruler of
the country had chosen him to be a royal concubi
ne, and that he was to enter the palace as soon
as an auspicious date had been picked.
As he was reflecting on this alarming news, more
palace maidens came in. These were of
middle age, all tall and strong, and with jowls co
vered in hair. One of the maidens, who had a
white beard and held in her hand a needle and th
read, advanced before the bed and there knelt
and said, “Gracious lady, with your permission,
I have been ordered to pierce your ears.”
Already four maidens had come forward and
were gripping him firmly. The white‑bearded
maiden approached and took hold first of his
right ear. She rolled a few times between
her
fingers the lobe where the needle was to go, and
then straight away drove the needle through.

Lin Chih‑yang shrieked out, “The pain’s killing me,”
and would have fallen over backwards
had the maidens not been supporting him. She then
got hold of his left ear, rolled it a few times
and stuck the needle through. The pain brought con
tinuous shouts and cries from Lin Chih‑
yang. Both ears pierced, white lead was smeared on
them and rubbed in, after which a pair of
golden earrings of the “eight jewel” design was fix
ed to them.
( D B Q s ) o n
“ I N T H E C O U N T R Y O F W O M E N ” B Y L I J U
- C H E N
o f 3
When the white‑bearded maiden had finished
her task she withdrew, and another
maiden, this time with a black beard, came up. Th
is one had in her hand a roll of thin white silk.
Kneeling before the bed, she said, “Gracious lady,
with your permission, I have been ordered to
bind your feet.” Two more maidens approached, and
kneeling on the floor to support his dainty
feet proceeded to take off the silk socks.

The black‑bearded maiden seated herself on a
low
stool. Tearing off a strip of silk, she first set Li
n Chih‑yang’s right foot on her lap and sprinkled
alum between the joints of the toes. Then she dre
w all five toes tightly together and, forcibly
bending the whole foot over till it took on the s
hape of a drawn bow, swiftly bound it up with
the white silk. When she had wound the silk roun
d a few times, another of the palace maidens
brought a needle and thread and began to sew up
the ends tight, and so they continued, one
binding while the other sewed.
With the four palace maidens pressing closely agains
t him and the two others holding
on to his feet, Lin Chih‑yang could not move an
inch. When the bindings were in place he felt
his feet burning like a charcoal brazier. Wave upon
wave of aching swept over him, and soon
sharp pains began to shoot and forced out a loud
cry: “I am dying in a fiery pit!”
Having finished binding his feet, the maidens hurrie
dly made a pair of large red slippers
with soft soles and put them on for him.
Lin Chih‑yang’s tears flowed for a long time.
His
thoughts flew back and forth, but he could think o
f no plan, all he could do was entreat the
palace maidens: “My brothers, I beseech you, put i
n a word for me before your ruler: I am a
married man, I have a wife, how can I become a
concubine? And these big feet of mine are like

a
wandering student who has spent years without prese
nting himself for examination and has
grown accustomed to a life of abandon —
how can they bear restriction? I beg you, let me
go,
and then my wife as well will be filled with grat
itude.”
But the maidens replied, “Our ruler has just now
given us the order to bind your feet
and then invite you into the palace. Who then wo
uld dare to raise her voice in protest?”
[Translated by Cyril Birch]
S E L E C T I O N S F R O M T H E T W E N T Y - F O U R
E X E M P L A R S O F F I L I A L
P I E T Y
The Confucian classics provide the sophisticated reader with a
wealth of moral teachings and examples. However,

they are not well adapted to telling ordinary people how to put
those abstract moral principles into practice in their
daily lives. With the advent of printing in the Song dynasty
(960-1276), writers had an opportunity to rectify this by
composing books of moral instruction meant for a mass
audience. The excerpts below are from a popular tract widely
circulated from the Yuan through the Qing dynasties in many
different editions.
D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t s w i t h Q u e s t i o n s (Longer
selection follows this section)
From Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 Through the
Twentieth Century, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and
Richard
Lufrano, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (New York: Columbia University Press,
2000), 139-141. © 2000 Columbia University Press. Reproduced
Selections from The Twenty‑four Exemplars of Filial
Piety
11. Mosquitoes Gorged Freely on His Blood
Wu Meng of the Jin dynasty was eight years old
and served his parents with extreme filiality.
The family was poor, and their bed had no
mosquito net. Every night in summer many
mosquitoes bit him, gorging on his blood. But
despite their numbers he did not drive them
away, fearing that they would go and bite his pare
nts. This is the extreme of love for parents.

…
17.
Playing in Colored Clothes to Amuse His Parents
Old Master Lai of the Zhou dynasty was
extremely filial. He respectfully cared for his
two
parents, preparing delicious food for them. He was
over seventy, but he never mentioned the
word “old.” He wore five‑colored motley and
played children’s games at his parents’ side.
Often he carried water into the room and pretended
to slip and fall; then he would cry like a
baby to amuse his parents.
…
22. Carving Statues to Serve As Parents
When Ding Lan of the Han dynasty was young his
parents passed away. He was unable to care
for them, and yet was aware of
how they had toiled to bring him up. So
he carved wooden
P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n
s ( D B Q ) o n
E X E M P L A R S O F F I L I A L P I E T Y
A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y
| h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 2 o
f 4

statues of them and served them as if they
were alive. After a long time his wife
ceased to
revere them, and in jest she pricked one of their
fingers with a needle. It bled, and when the
statues saw Lan, they wept. Lan discovered the rea
son and brought forth his wife and divorced
her.
Q u e s t i o n s :
1. What is the nature of the filiality being taught in these
vignettes?
2. Is it likely that anyone would literally behave in the manner
described? If
not, then what is the point of the stories? Why not write
something more
realistic?
3. Why would elite men take the time and effort to produce such
literature for
the instruction of commoners? Why should they care whether
commoners
understand filiality?
From Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 Through the
Twentieth Century, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and
Richard
Lufrano, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (New York: Columbia University Press,
2000), 139-141. © 2000 Columbia University Press. Reproduced

Selections from The Twenty‑four Exemplars of Filial
Piety
3. A Bitten Finger Pains the Heart
Zeng Shen of the Zhou dynasty had the
honorific name Ziyu. He served his mother
with
extreme filiality. One day when Shen was in the
mountains gathering firewood a guest came to
the house. His mother had made no preparations an
d she kept hoping that he would return, but
he did not. Then she bit her finger, and at the
same time Shen suddenly felt a pain in his heart.
He shouldered his firewood and returned home; knee
ling, he asked his mother what the matter
was. His mother said, “A guest came unexpectedly
and I bit my finger to make you aware of it.”
8. Acting As a Laborer to Support His Mother
Jiang Ge lived in the Eastern Han dynasty. His fat
her died when he was young, and he lived
alone with his mother. Disorders broke out, so he
fled, carrying his mother. Again and again
they encountered bandits who wanted to force him
to join them. But Ge burst into tears and
told them that he had his mother with him. The
bandits could not bring themselves to kill him.
They took up residence in Xiapei. Impoverished and
without shirt or shoes, he hired himself out
as a laborer to support his mother. He gave her
whatever she needed.

10. Breast‑Feeding Her Mother‑in‑law
Madame Zhangsun was the great‑grandmother of Cui
Nanshan of the Tang dynasty. When she
was old and toothless, every day Cui’s grandmother,
Madame Tang, after combing her hair and
washing her face, entered the main hall and breast‑
fed her. Although the old lady did not eat a
grain of rice, after several years she was still in
good health. One day she fell sick, and young
s ( D B Q ) o n
f 4
and old gathered about her as she announced, “Ther
e is no way that I can repay my daughter‑
in‑law’s goodness to me. If the wives of my sons
and grandsons are as filial and respectful as
this daughter‑in‑law, it will be enough.”
11. Mosquitoes Gorged Freely on His Blood
Wu Meng of the Jin dynasty was eight years old
and served his parents with extreme filiality.
The family was poor, and their bed had no
mosquito net. Every night in summer many
mosquitoes bit him, gorging on his blood. But
despite their numbers he did not drive them

away, fearing that they would go and bite his pare
nts. This is the extreme of love for parents.
12. Lying on Ice Seeking for Carp
Wang Xiang of the Jin dynasty was young when h
is mother died. His stepmother, named Zhu,
was unloving toward him and constantly slandered hi
m to his father. Because of this he lost the
love of his father. His
stepmother liked to eat fresh fish.
Once it was so cold the river froze.
Xiang took off his clothes and lay on the ice to
try to get some fish. Suddenly the ice opened a
nd
a pair of carp leaped out. He took them home an
d gave them to his stepmother.
13. Burying His Son on Behalf of His Mother
The family of Guo Ju in the Han dynasty was po
or. He had a three‑year‑old son. His mother
reduced what she ate to give more food to him.
Ju said to his wife, “Because we are very poor,
we cannot provide for Mother. Moreover, our son i
s sharing Mother’s food. We ought to bury
this son.” When he had dug the hole three feet d
eep he found a great pot of gold. On it were th
e
words “Officials may not take it, commoners may n
ot seize it.”
16.
After He Had Tasted Dung, His Heart Was Anxious
Yu Qianlou of the Southern Qi dynasty was appoint
ed magistrate of Zhanling. He had been in
the district less than ten days when suddenly he b

ecame so alarmed that he began to sweat. He
immediately retired and returned home. At that time
his father had been sick for two days. The
doctor said, “To know whether this illness is seriou
s or not, you only need taste the patient’s
dung. If it is bitter, it is auspicious.” Qianlou tast
ed it, and it was sweet. He was deeply worried.
When night came, he kowtowed to the Pole Star [
the Star of Longevity], begging to die in his
father’s place.
17.
Playing in Colored Clothes to Amuse His Parents
Old Master Lai of the Zhou dynasty was
extremely filial. He respectfully cared for his
two
parents, preparing delicious food for them. He was
over seventy, but he never mentioned the
word “old.” He wore five‑colored motley and
played children’s games at his parents’ side.
Often he carried water into the room and pretended
to slip and fall; then he would cry like a
baby to amuse his parents.
s ( D B Q ) o n

f 4
22. Carving Statues to Serve As Parents
When Ding Lan of the Han dynasty was young his
parents passed away. He was unable to care
for them, and yet was aware of
how they had toiled to bring him up. So
he carved wooden
statues of them and served them as if they
were alive. After a long time his wife
ceased to
revere them, and in jest she pricked one of their
fingers with a needle. It bled, and when the
statues saw Lan, they wept. Lan discovered the rea
son and brought forth his wife and divorced
her.
23. Weeping on Bamboo Made Them Sprout
Meng Zong of the Three Kingdoms period had the
honorific Gongwu. When he was young his
father died, and his mother was old and very sick.
In the winter she wanted to eat soup made of
bamboo shoots. Zong, not knowing how to get the
m, went into a bamboo grove, leaned against
a big bamboo, and wept. His filial piety moved H
eaven‑and‑earth. Instantly the ground broke
open and several bamboo shoots appeared. He picked
them and took them home to make soup
for his mother. When she had eaten it she was c
ured.

P R E F A C E T O M O D E L S F O R T H E I N N E R Q
U A R T E R S
B y L ü K u n
Lü Kun (1536-1618), a scholar-official of the Ming dynasty,
wrote on education from a number of perspectives. The
following document on the education of women is an example.
D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t s w i t h Q u e s t i o n s (Longer
selection follows this section)
From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore
de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia
University Press, 1999), 897-898. © 1999 Columbia University
Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All
rights
reserved.
Preface to Models for the Inner Quarters
By Lü Kun
The early kings valued the instruction of women. T
herefore women had female teachers, who

would explicate the sayings of old and cite exampl
es from ancient worthies so that [the women]
would carefully adhere to the principle of “thrice o
beying (sancong) [i.e., to obey one’s father
when young, one’s husband when married, and one’s
son when old] and to revere the four
virtues [i.e., proper behavior, speech, demeanor, and
employment] so as to bring glory on their
husbands and not bring down shame on their parent
s. With the decline of education today,
women in the inner quarters have really ceased to
be governed by rites and laws. …
… Alas, [moral sentiments of] filiality, prudence, ch
astity, and martyrdom [in choosing death
over remarrying] are inherent in one’s Heaven‑given
nature. To have a fine reputation that lasts
for generations, one need not be literate, but it is
rare that someone who learns to recite orally
[accounts about] those with fine lasting reputations,
fails to follow their good example.
Q u e s t i o n s :
1. As you read these lines, what do you conclude are the
author’s thoughts on
the purpose of female education?
2. Are the purposes of female education as indicated here
fundamentally
different from the purposes of the education of males at the
same time?

s ( D B Q ) o n
P R E F A C E T O M O D E L S F O R T H E I N N E R Q
U A R T E R S , B Y L Ü K U N
f 2
rights
reserved.
Preface to Models for the Inner Quarters
By Lü Kun
The early kings valued the instruction of women. T
herefore women had female teachers, who
would explicate the sayings of old and cite exampl
es from ancient worthies so that [the women]
would carefully adhere to the principle of “thrice o
beying” (sancong) [i.e., to obey one’s father
when young, one’s husband when married, and one’s
son when old] and to revere the four
virtues [i.e., proper behavior, speech, demeanor, and
employment] so as to bring glory on their

husbands and not bring down shame on their parent
s. With the decline of education today,
women in the inner quarters have really ceased to
be governed by rites and laws. Those born in
villages are accustomed to hearing coarse words and
those [born] in rich households have loose,
proud, and extravagant natures. Their heads are cove
red with gold and pearls and their entire
bodies with fine silks. They affect lightheartedness i
n behavior and cleverness in speech, but
they mouth no beneficial words and perform no go
od deeds. Their parents and sisters‑in‑law
will not be able to pass on reputations for worthin
ess or filiality, and neighbors and relatives
will hear only of their obstinacy —
all because they are uneducated.
At the high end are those [women] who wield thei
r writing brushes and aspire to [develop]
their talents in sao poetry so as to brag that they
are superb scholars. At the low end are those
who strum vulgar [tunes] on their stringed instrumen
ts and sing lascivious words, almost like
prostitutes —
all because of the spread of depraved instruction.
If in its myriad forms, education
for the women’s quarters is like this, then how mi
ght the governance of the inner [quarters] be
rectified?
Various books for the instruction of women
have been prepared by the ancients. But being
numerous, they are difficult to master; being abstrus
e, they are difficult to understand; being
diverse, their quality cannot be clearly differentiated;
and being dull and flavorless, they cannot

move others to feel awe. … Alas, [moral
sentiments of] filiality, prudence, chastity, and
martyrdom [in choosing death over remarrying] are i
nherent in one’s Heaven‑given nature. To
have a fine reputation that lasts for
generations, one need not be literate, but it
is rare that
someone who learns to recite orally [accounts about]
those with fine lasting reputations, fails to
follow their good example.
Pr imary Source Docume nt
with Que st ions (DBQs)
E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N
S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I
J I A X U N )
Introduct ion
It was common for successful men in China and elsewhere in
East Asia to write down “House Instructions” for the
benefit of their heirs and descendants. As you read these
instructions, you may think about what their purposes in
doing so may have been. This particular set of house
instructions was written by Yan Zhitui (531-591), who was from
a leading family of scholars and officials of the period of north-
south division (317-589). Accordingly, he served four
different, short-lived dynasties, including several whose rulers

were foreigners — men of Turkic warrior clans who
ruled northern China.
Docume nt Exce rpts with Que st ions (Longer selection
follows this section)
rights
reserved.
Excerpts from House Instructions of Mr. Yan (Yansh
i Jiaxun)
… as soon as a baby can recognize facial expressi
ons and understand approval and disapproval,
training should be begun so
that he will do what he is told
to do and stop when so ordered.
After a few years of this, punishment with the ba
mboo can be minimized, as parental strictness
and dignity mingled with parental love will lead th
e boys and girls to a feeling of respect and
caution and give rise to filial piety. I
have noticed about me that where there
is merely love
without training this result is never achieved. Childr
en eat, drink, speak, and act as they please.
Instead of needed prohibitions they receive praise;
instead of urgent reprimands they receive

smiles. Even when children are old enough to
learn, such treatment is still regarded as the
proper method. Only after the child has
formed proud and arrogant habits do they try
to
control him. But one may whip the child to death
and he will still not be respectful, while the
growing anger of the parents only increases his
resentment. After he grows up, such a child
becomes at
last nothing but a scoundrel. Confucius was right
in saying, “What is acquired in
infancy is like original nature; what has been forme
d into habits is equal to instinct.” A common
proverb says, “Train a wife from her
first arrival; teach a son in his
infancy.” How true such
sayings are!
Pr imary Source Docume nt, with Que st ions (DBQ) on
EXC ERPTS F RO M HOUSE INSTRUCTIONS OF MR. YA
N (YA NSHI J IA XUN)
Asia for E duca tors | Columb ia Universi ty | http ://a fe.ea
sia .columbia .edu Pa ge 2 of 6
Que st ions :

1. How does Mr. Yan’s advice on child-rearing fit with modern
Western
notions?
2. On what grounds can Mr. Yan compare the training of a child
to the training
of a wife? What assumptions does this imply about newly
married wives?
A wife
in presiding over household supplies should use wine
, food, and clothing only as the
rites specify. Just as in the state, where women ar
e not allowed to participate in setting policies,
so in the family, they should not be permitted
to assume responsibility for affairs. If they are
wise, talented, and versed in the ancient and
modem writings, they ought to help their
husbands by supplementing the latter’s deficiency.
No hen should herald the dawn lest
misfortune follow. …
Que st ions :
3. What roles does Mr. Yan prescribe for women?
4. How do Mr. Yan’s prescriptions compare to those of female
authors such as
Ban Zhao and Song Ruozhao?

Longe r Se le ct ion
rights
reserved.
Excerpts from House Instructions of Mr. Yan (Yansh
i Jiaxun)
Preface
Of books written by sages and worthies that teach
men to be sincere and filial, to be careful in
speech and circumspect in conduct, and to take one
’s proper place in society and be concerned
for one’s reputation, there are more than
enough already. Since the Wei and Jin periods
prudential writings have reiterated principles and
repeated practices as if adding room upon
room [to the household] or piling bed upon
bed. In doing the same now myself, I do
not
presume to prescribe rules for others or set a patt
ern for the world, but only to order my own
household and give guidance to my own posterity.
…
The habits and teaching of our family have
always been regular and punctilious. In my
childhood I received good instruction from my paren

ts. With my two elder brothers I went to
greet our parents each morning and evening to ask
in winter whether they were warm and in
summer whether they were cool; we walked
steadily with regular steps, talked calmly with
good manners, and moved about with as much dign
ity and reverence as if we were visiting the
awe‑inspiring rulers at
court. They gave us good advice, asked about our
particular interests,
criticized our defects
and encouraged our good points ‑‑
always zealous and sincere. When I
was just nine years old, my father died. The famil
y members were divided and scattered, every
one of us living in dire straits. I was
brought up by my loving brothers; we went
through
hardships and difficulties. They were kind but not
exacting; their guidance and advice to me
were not strict. Though I read the ritual texts, and
was somewhat fond of composition, I tended
to be influenced by common practices;
I was uncontrolled in feelings, careless
in speech, and

slovenly in dress. When about eighteen or nineteen
years old I learned to refine my conduct a
little, but these bad habits had become
second nature, and it was difficult to get
rid of them
entirely. After my thirtieth year gross faults were f
ew, but still I have to be careful always, for in
every instance my words are at odds with my min
d, and my emotions struggle with my nature.
Each evening I am conscious of the faults committe
d that morning, and today I regret the errors
of yesterday. How pitiful that the lack of instructio
n has brought me to this condition! I would
recall the experiences of my youth long ago, for t
hey are engraved on my flesh and bone; these
are not merely the admonitions of ancient
books, but what has passed before my eyes
and
reached my ears. Therefore I leave these twenty ch
apters to serve as a warning to you boys.
Instructing Children
Those of the highest intelligence will
develop without being taught; those of great
stupidity,
even if taught, will amount to nothing; those of m
edium ability will be ignorant unless taught.
The ancient sage kings had rules for prenatal traini
ng. Women when pregnant for three months
moved from their living quarters to a detached pala
ce where they would not see unwholesome
sights nor hear reckless words, and where the
tone of music and the flavor of food were
controlled by the rules of decorum [rites]. These ru
les were written on jade tablets and kept in a

golden box. After the child was born, imperial tuto
rs firmly made clear filial piety, humaneness,
the rites, and rightness to guide and train him.
The common people are indulgent and are
unable to do this. But as soon as a baby
can
recognize facial expressions and understand
approval and disapproval, training should be
begun so that he will do what he is told to do
and stop when so ordered. After a few years of
this, punishment with the bamboo can be minimized,
as parental strictness and dignity mingled
with parental love will lead the boys and girls to
a feeling of respect and caution and give rise to
filial piety. I have noticed about me that where th
ere is merely love without training this result
is never achieved. Children eat, drink, speak,
and act as they please. Instead of needed
prohibitions they receive praise;
instead of urgent reprimands they receive smiles. Ev
en when
children are old enough to learn, such treatment
is still regarded as the proper method. Only
after the child has formed proud and arrogant habit
s do they try to control him. But one may
whip the child to death and he will still
not be respectful, while the growing anger of
the
parents only increases his resentment. After he grow
s up, such a child becomes at last nothing
but a scoundrel. Confucius was right in
saying, “What is acquired in infancy is like
original

nature; what has been formed into habits is equal
to instinct.” A common proverb says, “Train a
wife from her first arrival; teach a son in his inf
ancy.” How true such sayings are!
Generally parents’ inability to instruct their own chil
dren comes not from any inclination just to
let them fall into evil ways but only from parents’
being unable to endure the children’s looks
[of unhappiness] from repeated scoldings, or to
bear beating them, lest it do damage to the
children’s physical being. We should, however, take
illness by way of illustration: how can we
not use drugs, medicines, acupuncture, or cautery to
cure it? Should we then view strictness of
reproof and punishment as a form of cruelty to on
e’s own kith and kin? Truly there is no other
way to deal with it. …
As for maintaining proper respect between
father and son, one cannot allow too much
familiarity; in the love among kin, one cannot
tolerate impoliteness. If there is impoliteness,
then parental solicitude is not matched by filial res
pect; if there is too much familiarity, it gives

rise to indifference and rudeness.
Someone has asked why Chen Kang [a
disciple of Confucius] was pleased to hear
that
gentlemen kept their distance from their sons, and t
he answer is that this was indeed the case;
gentlemen did not personally teach their children [be
cause, as Yan goes on to show, there are
passages in the classics of a sexual kind, which it
would not be proper for a father to teach his
sons.] …
In the love of parents for children, it is rare
that one succeeds in treating them equally. From
antiquity to the present there are many cases of th
is failing. It is only natural to love those who
are wise and talented, but those who are wayward
and dull also deserve sympathy. Partiality in
treatment, even when done out of generous motives,
turns out badly. …
Brothers
After the appearance of humankind, there
followed the conjugal relationship; the conjugal
relationship was followed by the parental;
the parental was followed by the
fraternal. Within
the family,
these three are the intimate relationships. The other
degrees of kinship all develop
out of these three. Therefore among human relations
hips one cannot but take these [three] most
seriously. …
When brothers are at odds with each other, then s

ons and nephews will not love each other, and
this in turn will lead to the cousins drifting apart,
resulting finally in their servants treating one
another as enemies. When this happens then stranger
s can step on their faces and trample upon
their breasts and there will be no one to come to
their aid. There are men who are able to make
friends with distinguished men of the
empire, winning their affection, and yet are
unable to
show proper respect toward their
own elder brothers. How strange that they
should succeed
with the many and fail with the few! There are o
thers who are able to command troops in the
thousands and inspire such loyalty in them
that they will die willingly for them and yet
are
unable to show kindness toward their own
younger brothers. How strange that they should
succeed with strangers and fail with their own flesh
and blood! …
Family Governance

Beneficial influences are transmitted
from superiors to inferiors and bequeathed by
earlier to
later generations. So if a father is not loving, the
son will not be filial; if an elder brother is no
t
friendly, the younger will not be respectful; if
a husband is not just, the wife will not be
obedient. When a father is kind but the son refrac
tory, when an elder brother is friendly but the
younger arrogant, when a husband is just but a wi
fe overbearing, then indeed they are the bad
people of the world; they must be controlled by p
unishments; teaching and guidance will not
change them. If rod and wrath are not used
in family discipline, the faults of the son
will
immediately appear. If punishments are not properly
awarded, the people will not know how
to act. The use of clemency and severity in gover
ning a family is the same as in a state.
Confucius said, “Extravagance leads to insubordination,
and parsimony to meanness. It is better
to be mean than to be insubordinate.”1 Again he s
aid, “Though a man has abilities as admirable
as those of the Duke of Zhou, yet if he be prou
d or niggardly, those other things are really not
worth being looked at.”2 That is
to say, a man may be thrifty but should not be
stingy. Thrift
means being frugal and economic in carrying out th
e rites; stinginess means showing no pity for
those in poverty and urgent need. Nowadays those
who would give alms are extravagant, but
in being thrifty are stingy. It would be proper to

give alms without extravagance and be thrifty
without being stingy. …
A wife
in presiding over household supplies should use wine
, food, and clothing only as the
rites specify. Just as in the state, where women ar
e not allowed to participate in setting policies,
so in the family, they should not be permitted
to assume responsibility for affairs. If they are
wise, talented, and versed in the ancient and
modem writings, they ought to help their
husbands by supplementing the latter’s deficiency.
No hen should herald the dawn lest
misfortune follow. …
The burden of daughters on the family is heavy in
deed. Yet how else can Heaven give life to the
teeming people and ancestors pass on
their bodily existence to posterity? Many people
today
dislike having daughters and mistreat their own flesh
and blood. How can they be like this and
still hope for Heaven’s blessing? …
It is common for women to dote on a son‑in‑law
and to maltreat a daughter‑ in‑law. Doting on a
son‑in‑law gives rise to hatred from brothers; maltre
ating a daughter‑in‑law brings on slander
from sisters. Thus when these women, whether they
act or remain silent, draw criticism from
the members of the family, it is the mother who
is the real cause of it. …

1 Analects 7:35.
2 Analects 8:11.
A simple marriage arrangement irrespective of
social position was the established rule of our
ancestor Qing Hou.3 Nowadays there are
those who sell their daughters
for money or buy a
woman with a payment of silk. They compare
the rank of fathers and grandfathers, and
calculate
in ounces and drams, demanding more and offering
less, just as if bargaining in the
market. Under such conditions a boorish son‑in‑law
might appear in the family or an arrogant
woman assume power in the household. Coveting ho
nor and seeking for gain, on the contrary,
incur shame and disgrace; how can one not be car
eful?
3 Qing Hou was the posthumous name of Yin Zhit
ui’s ninth‑generation ancestor. His name was Yan Ha

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