Women's Biological Threat to Confucian Social Order: An Examination of Gender Constructs through an Analysis of Pre-modern Chinese Literature
Loading...
Date
2018
Authors
Pellouchoud, Megan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Cultural views embedded within an array of pre-modern Chinese literature unveil social
and gender constructs designed to promote Confucian social order. Confucian culture
prioritizes the reproduction of sons, in order to maintain ancestor worship and social
order, whereas literature from this period does not celebrate the female’s biological
role in reproduction. Instead, women’s biological role in reproduction is characterized
as unfavorable and disrupting to social order, while the social role of motherhood is
idealized and represented as stabilizing to social order. Consequently, the biological
processes associated with female reproduction are ranked on a hierarchical scale
reflecting women’s social position that conforms with Confucian gender hierarchies and
social mores. An interpretation and analysis of traditional Chinese literature reveals
that the positive aspects associated with the social role of motherhood override the
negative aspects associated with the biological role. Within this construct, the
biological role of motherhood was restrained by depictions of pollution and represented
as inferior to the social role. Furthermore, female reproductive power was framed as
secondary to men. These societal views parallel Confucian social and gender
hierarchies that promote the female role of biological reproduction as a threat to
social order.
Description
10 pages
Keywords
Gender constructs, Gender, Confucian culture, Social order, Reproduction, Chinese literature