Homework: Pan Chao: Foremost Woman Scholar of China

[Marcos Rico]

This document tries to convey the qualities and rules that the ideal Chinese woman must follow (according to old traditions). According to the text a woman must be humble, industrious, and worship the ancestors. It also talks about the proper  roles of husband and wife in their marriage. The text says that women must have four womanly qualifications, virtue, words, bearing, and work.

This text was produced to teach women the proper way that they are expected to behave.

I believe that it was effective in the past, since we are still reading it.

The first 2 paragraphs could go under the heading of: Educated, but unprepared for marriage. The author claims to feel unprepared for her role as a wife and mother, even thought she was educated academically and trained in good manners.

Paragraphs 3-7 could go under the heading of: Early start on the three basic lessons. Teach girls that they are lowly and weak, teach them to work with kitchen utensils, teach her to worship her ancestors.

Paragraphs 8-15, Proper roles in marriage. It sets the expectations for proper behavior of husband and wife.

Paragraphs 16-23, Four Womanly qualifications. It explains what are womanly virtue, womanly words, womanly bearing, and womanly work.

 

“...wearing the Gold and Purple,...”

“...that you still have not learned the proper customs for married women.”

“On the third day after the birth of a girl the ancients observed three customs:

first to place the baby below the bed;

second to give her a potsherd with which to play;

And third to announce her birth to her ancestors by an offering.”

“The Way of husband and wife is intimately connected with Yin and Yang.”

This writing was meant as Lessons for married Women.