In class we discussed the social status of women in Chinese history and culture. A documentary we watched referred to baby girls as “small happiness” whereas baby boys were “big happiness”. A daughter was not considered a part of the family because she was raised to be put in an arranged marriage, at a young age, and leave her family to move in with her husband and his family. Women were expected to stay in the house, raise children, clean, and cook. Giving birth and producing an offspring to inherit their wealth was essential to families, so it was important for the women to birth a son. Women were oppressed throughout Chinese history. An example of this is foot binding. Women were considered ugly if they had big feet, so they would bind their feet by wrapping all their toes, except the big one, under their feet and walk on them to make their feet smaller. This painful experience was normal and expected of women. It wasn’t until 1912 that foot binding was banned. This is just one example of how Chinese women have historically been oppressed.
Today Chinese women have gained autonomy due to the developments in education and laws protecting their rights and interest. Although there have been improvements, Chinese women’s relationships with men remain unequal. The situation has been evolving over the last three decades. The advances in women’s access to education is beneficial but they struggle in the field of employment. Reduction in jobs available for women and inequalities between men and women’s salaries create challenges and insecurities in the work field. Today the relationships between husband and wife still have the focus of marriage and reproduction. It’s common that women are dependent on men on an economic level and in regards to decision-making. Although there is progress seen by social modernisation, living standards, and economic reforms, that has not resulted in all individuals being perceived as equally valuable. On the whole, the status of Chinese women often remains inferior to the status of men, specifically in public life, and roles within the family.
https://journals.openedition.org/chinaperspectives/6013?file=1