Therefore, socio-cultural historical approach is very helpful to be applied in this study since there must be relation between author’s life history and hisher work.
B. Review on the Social Roles of Chinese Women
1. The Confucian Family System
As said in The Modern Book of China by McAleavy, Confucianism became the most pervasive doctrine to promote the belief in women’s “natural place” 5.
Confucius himself did not inherently denigrate women, although he placed them at the lower end of the patriarchal family structure. Yet, through the ages the assumption
that men’s and women’s social places and expected behaviors were quite distinct, was based on Confucian hierarchical precepts. These precepts were reinforced by
prescriptive advice manuals like Lessons for Girls. Written by the female historian Ban Zhoa Han dynasty, ca. 45-120 C.E., Lessons became one of China’s most
durable sources of advice about female behavior. One excerpt tells women to “yield to others; let her put others first, herself last” 5. Confucian family system is a
doctrine that regulated every aspect of human activity and formed the basis of entire structure of the state. It was said that “the Feudal principalities were seen as the prime
need of mankind to resolve the problems of peaceful coexistence and harmony with the universe. There are several principles which occur in the Confucian family
system” 5.
In addition, Moise defines, “The general thrust of Confucianism was the importance of proper human relationships. Subordinates should be reverent and
obedient towards their superiors, while superiors should be benevolent and just” 12.
Therefore, Bushnel also supported that power and family status were considered to be very important during the early 1900’s. It can be understood that
Chinese women are placed to be passive, obedient and oppressed.
McAleavy described that Confucian principle is to serve parents during their life and when they die to bury them and to sacrifice to them.” Not to have a son was
the most heinous of all forms of unfillial conduct. Marriage was thus a moral obligation and a failure by the wife to give their husband a heir was a strong reason
for husband if they could afford it, to try and supply the deficiency from a concubine. Last opportunity, husbands at least adopt a successor who could sustain the part of a
son” 6. McAleavy also explained “the Confucian ideal that families should be
undivided through the generations, contributing by their labors to their joint support. Such a group would retain its identity although its members were constantly
changing, for, apart from birth, and death, daughters would leave the family to marry while other girls came into it as brides” 8.
McAleavy added that wife and concubine were distinct not merely in degree but in kind, and as concubine was limited in practice to a relatively small part of the
population 10.
McAleavy concluded that the Confucian System of the family had salient features, the veneration of ancestors, respect towards parents and seniors, and desire
for sons, and was common to all classes of Chinese society 10.
2. Foot Binding and Concubine
