China, feminism and the legacy of Confucius

The feminist heart of Confucian philosophy

As the double burden of paid work and family demands leads Chinese women to think twice about marriage and children, we can rush to blame Confucianism’s sexism. But this is a mistake, writes Sor-hoon Tan. We need to separate Confucian philosophy from the oppressive patriarchal norms of its time. Confucian values of care and cultivation can enrich today’s feminism and support equal opportunities for all.

 

Is Confucianism a tradition that views women as inferior and subjugates them to men, whether fathers, husbands or even sons? Early twentieth century New Culture movement intellectuals who considered Confucianism antithetical to modern life certainly thought so. He-Yin Zhen (何殷震,1884− ca.1920), who may well deserve the title of the first Chinese feminist, also placed the blame of Chinese women’s oppression on Confucian teachings. The belief that gender inequality in Chinese society is rooted in Confucianism is practically conventional wisdom except in specialized academic discussions.

Consider a well-known passage from the Analects (17.25): “It is only women and petty persons who are difficult to provide for. Drawing them close, they are immodest, and keeping them at a distance, they complain.” This has often been cited to demonstrate Confucian denigration of women. “Petty persons” are ethically deficient in contrast to exemplary persons (junzi 君子) in the Analects, so the passage appears to question women’s moral character and capacity.

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