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

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 fr om 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  daughter
  on  the 
occasion  of  her  marriage  and  subsequently  became  an  i
mportant  tutelary  text  that  circulated  among  elite  famili
es. 
By  the  time  this  text  was  written,  the  patterns  of  patr
ilocal  residence  and  patrilineal  descent  advocated  by  Ne
o‐
Confucian  reformers  early  in  the  Chosŏn  dynasty  had  b
ecome  well  established. 
 
 
 
Document  Excerpt  with  Questions  (Longer  selection  follo
ws  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  Colu
mbia  University  Press.  Reproduced  with  the  permission 
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  wit
h  her  husband.  Serving  your 
husband  lies  in  not  going  against  his  wishes.  Respect 
and  support  his  wishes  completely,  not 
going  against  even  one  word  or  decision  except  on  tho
se  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  DAUGHTE
R,  BY  SONG  SIYŎL 
Asia  for  Educators  l  Columbia  University  l  http://afe.ea
sia.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  Colu
mbia  University  Press.  Reproduced  with  the  permission 
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  wit
h  her  husband.  Serving  your 
husband  lies  in  not  going  against  his  wishes.  Respect 
and  support  his  wishes  completely,  not 
going  against  even  one  word  or  decision  except  on  tho
se  occasions  when  he  is  about  to  make  a 
completely  unacceptable  mistake.  Not  being  jealous  is  t
he  first  thing  in  serving  one’s  husband. 
Even  if  he  acquires  a  hundred  concubines,  accept  them
  with  equanimity.  No  matter  how  much 
he  loves  a  concubine,  do  not  get  angry  with  him;  inst
ead  show  him  more  respect.  Your  husband 
is  a  serious  scholar  and  will  not  indulge  in  women. 
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  this  m
atter.  Many  families  have  been  ruined  by 
women’s  jealousy.  Jealousy  nullifies  all  other  beautiful 
conduct.  Despite  intimacy,  husband  and 
wife  should  always  be  respectful  of  each  other.  Speaki
ng  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  to  t
his. 
How  to  Instruct  Children 
It  is  said  that  mothers  instruct  daughters  and  fathers  s
ons,  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  the  m
orning,  and  if  they  say  that  they  promised 
something  to  their  friends,  make  certain  that  they  carry
  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  your 
husband  take  over  his  instruction.  If  you 
take  care,  he  will  naturally  grow  up  to  be  a  proper  a
nd  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  preservatio
n  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  bedding.
  If  you  always  maintain  proper  conduct, 
the  child  will  naturally  be  well  behaved.  Children  take
  after  their  mother  in  many  ways:  they

are  in  the  mother’s  womb  for  ten  months,  and  before
  thirteen  years  of  age,  they  are  taught  by 
their  mother.  If  you  do  not  instruct  them,  children  wil
l  not  become  good.  It  is  the  same  with 
teaching  daughters.  Making  it  too  easy  for  your  sons  a
nd  daughters  for  fear  that  might  get  ill,  or 
being  concerned  only  with  their  comfort,  amounts  to  n
othing  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  necessary.
  It  is  best  to  be  careful  in  your  words.  If 
you  are  not  careful,  disputes  and  fights  will  ensue  eve
n  when  you  are  right,  not  to  mention 
when  you  are  wrong.  If  you  speak  of  the  faults  of  ot
her  people,  it  will  cause  resentment,  and 
fights  and  curses  will  follow.  Your  parents‐ in‐ law  and
  other  relatives  will  regard  you  as  a  beast;

slaves  and  neighbors  will  look  at  you  with  disdain.  W
ith  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  tha
t  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  empe
ror  will  bring  ruin  to  his  country  if  he 
does  not  regulate  his  spending.  If  an  ordinary  family 
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  famil
y  members.  Though  one  should  perform 
the  sacrifices  with  sincerity,  do  not  prepare  excessively
  or  waste  things.  Do  not  spend  too  much 
on  luxurious  clothes  or  food.  On  those  occasions  when
  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  use  it
  for  medicine  when  someone  gets  ill  or  to 
pay  for  other  emergencies.  If  there  is  no  need  for  tha
t,  then    uy  rice  fields  and  vegetable  fields  to 
leave  to  your  children.  In  managing  a  household,  there

is  no  better  way  than  frugal  spending. 
Other  Essential  Advice 
When  you  are  deciding  on  your  child’s  marriage,  be  s
ure  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  in
vestigated.  But  you  should  leave  things 
to  your  husband,  and  if  you  are  not  informed  of  certa
in  matters,  do  not  pretend  that  you  are, 
making  decisions  on  the  basis  of  superficial  knowledge.
  If  you  get  a  daughter‐ in‐ law  from  a 
family  a  little  less  well  off  than  you,  then  she  will  b
e  careful.  If  you  send  your  daughter  to  a 
family  a  little  better  off  than  you,  then  she  will  be  c
areful. 
 
There  are  no  virtues  greater  than  loyalty,  generosity,  a
nd  kindness.  If  you  happen  to 
become  involved  in  matters  of  great  consequence,  be  a
s  firm  and  precise  as  a  sharp  knife  in

executing  your  decision.  Do  not  listen  to  others  but  re
ly  on  your  own  judgment. 
 
It  is  best  not  to  demean  yourself.  The  ancients  did  no
t  demean  themselves  when  they 
met  great  predicaments.  Why  should  one  demean 
oneself  over  small  matters?  Seeking 
something  from  others  when  there  is  no  need,  acceptin
g  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  courag
eously  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  D
aigaku) 
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  love 
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  f
ail,  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  must
  carry  out,  and  never  rebel  against,  her 
father‐ in‐ law’s  commands.  On  every  point  must  she  in

quire  of  her  father‐ in‐ law  and  mother‐ in‐
law  and  accommodate  herself  to  their  direction.  Even  i
f  thy  father‐ in‐ law  and  mother‐ in‐ law  are 
disposed  to  hate  and  vilify  thee,  do  not  be  angry  wit
h  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  her  hu
sband  as  her  lord  and  must  serve 
him  with  all  worship  and  reverence,  not  despising  or  t
hinking  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  co
urteous,  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  instructions
,  the  wife  must  never  disobey  them.  In 
doubtful  cases  she  should  inquire  of  her  husband  and

obediently  follow  his  commands.  If  her 
husband  ever  asks  her  a  question,  she  should  answer  t
o  the  point;  to  answer  carelessly  would 
be  a  mark  of  rudeness.  If  her  husband  becomes  angry
  at  any  time,  she  must  obey  him  with  fear 
and  trembling  and  not  oppose  him  in  anger  and  forwar
dness.  A  woman  should  look  on  her 
husband  as  if  he  were  Heaven  itself  and  never  weary 
of  thinking  how  she  may  yield  to  him  and 
thus  escape  celestial  castigation. 
… 
A  woman  must  always  be  on  the  alert  and  keep  a  str
ict  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  hou
sehold;  she  must  not  grow  tired  of  weaving, 
sewing,  and  spinning.  She  must  not  drink  too  much  te
a  and  wine,  nor  must  she  feed  her  eyes 
and  ears  on  theatrical  performances  (kabuki,  jōruri),  ditt
ies,  and  ballads.  … 
… 
In  her  capacity  as  a  wife,  she  must  keep  her  husband
’s  household  in  proper  order.  If  the 
wife  is  evil  and  profligate,  the  house  will  be  ruined. 
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  indoci

lity,  discontent,  slander,  jealousy, 
and  silliness.  Without  any  doubt,  these  five  infirmities 
are  found  in  seven  or  eight  of  every  ten 
women,  and  it 
is  they  that  cause  women  to  be  inferior  to  men.  A  w
oman  should  counteract 
them  with  self‐ inspection  and  self  reproach.  The  worst
  of  them  all  and  the  parent  of  the  other 
four  is  silliness.  A  woman’s  nature  is  passive  (yin).  T
he  yin  nature  comes  from  the  darkness  of 
night.  Hence,  as  viewed  from  the  standard  of  a  man’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,  and  d
oes  not  comprehend  even  those  things  that 
will  bring  calamity  to  her  husband  and  children.  Nor 
when  she  blames  and  accuses  and  curses 
innocent  persons  or  when,  in  her  jealousy  of  others,  s
he  thinks  only  of  herself,  does  she  see  that 
she  is  her  own  enemy,  alienating  others  and  incurring 
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  Women,
”  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.  This 
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  kn
eeling  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  Lin  C
hih‐ yang’s  right  foot  on  her  lap  and  sprinkled 
alum  between  the  joints  of  the  toes.  Then  she  drew  a
ll  five  toes  tightly  together  and,  forcibly 
bending  the  whole  foot  over  till  it  took  on  the  shape
  of  a  drawn  bow,  swiftly  bound  it  up  with 
the  white  silk.  When  she  had  wound  the  silk  round  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  against 
him  and  the  two  others  holding 
on  to  his  feet,  Lin  Chih‐ yang  could  not  move  an  inc
h.  When  the  bindings  were  in  place  he  felt 
his  feet  burning  like  a  charcoal  brazier.  Wave  upon  w
ave  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  sei
zed  hold  of  Lin  Chih‐ yang  as  a 
hawk  seizes  a  sparrow  —
  there  was  no  question  of  his  being  the  master.  As  s
oon  as  they  had 
taken  off  his  shoes  and  undressed  him,  fragrant  water 
was  brought  for  his  bath.  They  changed 
his  coat  and  trousers  for  a  tunic  and  skirt,  and  for  t
he  time  being  put  socks  of  thin  silk  on  his 
dainty  great  feet.  They  combed  his  hair  into  plaits,  pi
nning  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  arr
anging  the  curtains  of  the  bed  invited  him 
to  take  his  seat  upon  it.   
 
Lin  Chih‐ yang  felt  as  though  he  were  dreaming  or  dr
unk,  and  could  only  sit  there  in 
misery.  Closely  questioning  the  palace  maidens,  he  disc
overed  for  the  first  time  that  the  ruler  of 
the  country  had  chosen  him  to  be  a  royal  concubine, 
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  pala
ce  maidens  came  in.  These  were  of 
middle  age,  all  tall  and  strong,  and  with  jowls  covere
d  in  hair.  One  of  the  maidens,  who  had  a 
white  beard  and  held  in  her  hand  a  needle  and  thread
,  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  go
t  hold  of  his  left  ear,  rolled  it  a  few  times 
and  stuck  the  needle  through.  The  pain  brought  continu
ous  shouts  and  cries  from  Lin  Chih‐
yang.  Both  ears  pierced,  white  lead  was  smeared  on  th
em  and  rubbed  in,  after  which  a  pair  of 
golden  earrings  of  the  “eight  jewel”  design  was  fixed 
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.  This 
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  kn
eeling  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  Lin  C
hih‐ yang’s  right  foot  on  her  lap  and  sprinkled 
alum  between  the  joints  of  the  toes.  Then  she  drew  a
ll  five  toes  tightly  together  and,  forcibly 
bending  the  whole  foot  over  till  it  took  on  the  shape
  of  a  drawn  bow,  swiftly  bound  it  up  with 
the  white  silk.  When  she  had  wound  the  silk  round  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  against 
him  and  the  two  others  holding 
on  to  his  feet,  Lin  Chih‐ yang  could  not  move  an  inc
h.  When  the  bindings  were  in  place  he  felt 
his  feet  burning  like  a  charcoal  brazier.  Wave  upon  w
ave  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  hurriedly
  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  of  n
o  plan,  all  he  could  do  was  entreat  the 
palace  maidens:  “My  brothers,  I  beseech  you,  put  in  a
  word  for  me  before  your  ruler:  I  am  a 
married  man,  I  have  a  wife,  how  can  I  become  a  co
ncubine?  And  these  big  feet  of  mine  are  like  a 
wandering  student  who  has  spent  years  without  presenti
ng  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  gratitud
e.” 
 
But  the  maidens  replied,  “Our  ruler  has  just  now  give
n  us  the  order  to  bind  your  feet 
and  then  invite  you  into  the  palace.  Who  then  would 
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  P
iety

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  parents.
  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  ove
r  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  pa
rents  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  fing
ers  with  a  needle.  It  bled,  and  when  the 
statues  saw  Lan,  they  wept.  Lan  discovered  the  reason
  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  P
iety 
 
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  moun
tains  gathering  firewood  a  guest  came  to 
the  house.  His  mother  had  made  no  preparations  and  s
he  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;  kneelin
g,  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  father
  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  j
oin  them.  But  Ge  burst  into  tears  and 
told  them  that  he  had  his  mother  with  him.  The  bandi
ts  could  not  bring  themselves  to  kill  him. 
They  took  up  residence  in  Xiapei.  Impoverished  and  wi
thout  shirt  or  shoes,  he  hired  himself  out 
as  a  laborer  to  support  his  mother.  He  gave  her  what
ever  she  needed. 
 
10.    Breast‐ Feeding  Her  Mother‐ in‐ law 
Madame  Zhangsun  was  the  great‐ grandmother  of  Cui  N
anshan  of  the  Tang  dynasty.  When  she 
was  old  and  toothless,  every  day  Cui’s  grandmother,  M
adame  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  goo
d  health.  One  day  she  fell  sick,  and  young 
s ( D B Q ) o n
f 4
and  old  gathered  about  her  as  she  announced,  “There  i
s  no  way  that  I  can  repay  my  daughter‐
in‐ law’s  goodness  to  me.  If  the  wives  of  my  sons  an
d  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  parents.
  This  is  the  extreme  of  love  for  parents. 
 
12.    Lying  on  Ice  Seeking  for  Carp 
Wang  Xiang  of  the  Jin  dynasty  was  young  when  his 
mother  died.  His  stepmother,  named  Zhu, 
was  unloving  toward  him  and  constantly  slandered  him
  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  and 
a  pair  of  carp  leaped  out.  He  took  them  home  and  g
ave  them  to  his  stepmother. 
 
13.    Burying  His  Son  on  Behalf  of  His  Mother 
The  family  of  Guo  Ju  in  the  Han  dynasty  was  poor. 
He  had  a  three‐ year‐ old  son.  His  mother 
reduced  what  she  ate  to  give  more  food  to  him.  Ju  s
aid  to  his  wife,  “Because  we  are  very  poor, 
we  cannot  provide  for  Mother.  Moreover,  our  son  is  s
haring  Mother’s  food.  We  ought  to  bury 
this  son.”  When  he  had  dug  the  hole  three  feet  deep
  he  found  a  great  pot  of  gold.  On  it  were  the 
words  “Officials  may  not  take  it,  commoners  may  not 
seize  it.”

16.   
After  He  Had  Tasted  Dung,  His  Heart  Was  Anxious 
Yu  Qianlou  of  the  Southern  Qi  dynasty  was  appointed
  magistrate  of  Zhanling.  He  had  been  in 
the  district  less  than  ten  days  when  suddenly  he  beca
me  so  alarmed  that  he  began  to  sweat.  He 
immediately  retired  and  returned  home.  At  that  time  hi
s  father  had  been  sick  for  two  days.  The 
doctor  said,  “To  know  whether  this  illness  is  serious  o
r  not,  you  only  need  taste  the  patient’s 
dung.  If  it  is  bitter,  it  is  auspicious.”  Qianlou  tasted 
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  ove
r  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  pa
rents  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  fing
ers  with  a  needle.  It  bled,  and  when  the 
statues  saw  Lan,  they  wept.  Lan  discovered  the  reason
  and  brought  forth  his  wife  and  divorced 
her. 
 
23.    Weeping  on  Bamboo  Made  Them  Sprout 
Meng  Zong  of  the  Three  Kingdoms  period  had  the  hon
orific  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  them, 
went  into  a  bamboo  grove,  leaned  against 
a  big  bamboo,  and  wept.  His  filial  piety  moved  Heave
n‐ and‐ earth.  Instantly  the  ground  broke 
open  and  several  bamboo  shoots  appeared.  He  picked  t
hem  and  took  them  home  to  make  soup 
for  his  mother.  When  she  had  eaten  it  she  was  cured.

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.  There
fore  women  had  female  teachers,  who 
would  explicate  the  sayings  of  old  and  cite  examples  f
rom  ancient  worthies  so  that  [the  women] 
would  carefully  adhere  to  the  principle  of  “thrice  obeyi
ng  (sancong)  [i.e.,  to  obey  one’s  father 
when  young,  one’s  husband  when  married,  and  one’s  s
on  when  old]  and  to  revere  the  four 
virtues  [i.e.,  proper  behavior,  speech,  demeanor,  and  em
ployment]  so  as  to  bring  glory  on  their 
husbands  and  not  bring  down  shame  on  their  parents. 
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,  chasti
ty,  and  martyrdom  [in  choosing  death 
over  remarrying]  are  inherent  in  one’s  Heaven‐ given  na
ture.  To  have  a  fine  reputation  that  lasts 
for  generations,  one  need  not  be  literate,  but  it  is  rar
e  that  someone  who  learns  to  recite  orally 
[accounts  about]  those  with  fine  lasting  reputations,  fail
s  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.  There
fore  women  had  female  teachers,  who 
would  explicate  the  sayings  of  old  and  cite  examples  f
rom  ancient  worthies  so  that  [the  women] 
would  carefully  adhere  to  the  principle  of  “thrice  obeyi
ng”  (sancong)  [i.e.,  to  obey  one’s  father

when  young,  one’s  husband  when  married,  and  one’s  s
on  when  old]  and  to  revere  the  four 
virtues  [i.e.,  proper  behavior,  speech,  demeanor,  and  em
ployment]  so  as  to  bring  glory  on  their 
husbands  and  not  bring  down  shame  on  their  parents. 
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  th
ose  [born]  in  rich  households  have  loose, 
proud,  and  extravagant  natures.  Their  heads  are  covered
  with  gold  and  pearls  and  their  entire 
bodies  with  fine  silks.  They  affect  lightheartedness  in 
behavior  and  cleverness  in  speech,  but 
they  mouth  no  beneficial  words  and  perform  no  good 
deeds.  Their  parents  and  sisters‐ in‐ law 
will  not  be  able  to  pass  on  reputations  for  worthiness
  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  their  w
riting  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  instruments 
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  might
  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  abstruse, 
they  are  difficult  to  understand;  being 
diverse,  their  quality  cannot  be  clearly  differentiated;  an
d  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  inhe
rent  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]  th
ose  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  (Yanshi  J
iaxun) 
 
…  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  bambo
o  can  be  minimized,  as  parental  strictness 
and  dignity  mingled  with  parental  love  will  lead  the  b
oys  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.  Children

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  an
d  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  formed  i
nto  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  are  n
ot  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  (Yanshi  J
iaxun) 
 
Preface 
Of  books  written  by  sages  and  worthies  that  teach  me
n  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  pattern 
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  parents.
  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  dignity
  and  reverence  as  if  we  were  visiting  the 
awe‐ inspiring  rulers  at 
court.  They  gave  us  good  advice,  asked  about  our  part
icular  interests, 
criticized  our  defects  and  encouraged  our  good  points 
‐ ‐   always  zealous  and  sincere.  When  I 
was  just  nine  years  old,  my  father  died.  The  family 
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  w
as  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  yea
rs  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  few,
  but  still  I  have  to  be  careful  always,  for  in 
every  instance  my  words  are  at  odds  with  my  mind,  a
nd  my  emotions  struggle  with  my  nature. 
Each  evening  I  am  conscious  of  the  faults  committed  t
hat  morning,  and  today  I  regret  the  errors 
of  yesterday.  How  pitiful  that  the  lack  of  instruction  h
as  brought  me  to  this  condition!  I  would 
recall  the  experiences  of  my  youth  long  ago,  for  they
  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  chapte
rs  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  mediu
m  ability  will  be  ignorant  unless  taught. 
The  ancient  sage  kings  had  rules  for  prenatal  training.
  Women  when  pregnant  for  three  months 
moved  from  their  living  quarters  to  a  detached  palace 
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  rules
  were  written  on  jade  tablets  and  kept  in  a 
golden  box.  After  the  child  was  born,  imperial  tutors  f
irmly  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  f
eeling  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.  Children  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  d
o  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  u
p,  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  i
nstinct.”  A  common  proverb  says,  “Train  a 
wife  from  her  first  arrival;  teach  a  son  in  his  infancy
.”  How  true  such  sayings  are!   

 
Generally  parents’  inability  to  instruct  their  own  childre
n  comes  not  from  any  inclination  just  to 
let  them  fall  into  evil  ways  but  only  from  parents’  be
ing  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  illn
ess  by  way  of  illustration:  how  can  we 
not  use  drugs,  medicines,  acupuncture,  or  cautery  to  cu
re  it?  Should  we  then  view  strictness  of 
reproof  and  punishment  as  a  form  of  cruelty  to  one’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  respect
;  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  the
  answer  is  that  this  was  indeed  the  case; 
gentlemen  did  not  personally  teach  their  children  [becau
se,  as  Yan  goes  on  to  show,  there  are 
passages  in  the  classics  of  a  sexual  kind,  which  it  wo
uld  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  this  f
ailing.  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,  tu
rns  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  de
grees  of  kinship  all  develop 
out  of  these  three.  Therefore  among  human  relationships
  one  cannot  but  take  these  [three]  most 
seriously.  … 
 
When  brothers  are  at  odds  with  each  other,  then  sons
  and  nephews  will  not  love  each  other,  and 
this  in  turn  will  lead  to  the  cousins  drifting  apart,  res
ulting  finally  in  their  servants  treating  one 
another  as  enemies.  When  this  happens  then  strangers  c
an  step  on  their  faces  and  trample  upon 
their  breasts  and  there  will  be  no  one  to  come  to  the
ir  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  other
s  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  a
nd  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  not 
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  refractory,
  when  an  elder  brother  is  friendly  but  the 
younger  arrogant,  when  a  husband  is  just  but  a  wife 
overbearing,  then  indeed  they  are  the  bad 
people  of  the  world;  they  must  be  controlled  by  punis
hments;  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  aw
arded,  the  people  will  not  know  how 
to  act.  The  use  of  clemency  and  severity  in  governing
  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  said,
  “Though  a  man  has  abilities  as  admirable 
as  those  of  the  Duke  of  Zhou,  yet  if  he  be  proud  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  sting
y.  Thrift 
means  being  frugal  and  economic  in  carrying  out  the  r
ites;  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  are  n
ot  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  …

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

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

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

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

Similar to 1Revise this essay. The words in red are the things that need (8)

More from cargillfilberto

More from cargillfilberto (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

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