WOMEN IN EARLY CHINA
During the Shang dynasty, most women stood behind the shadows of the men. The military and political contributions of men brought them into sharp focus, and most males guided their families when the classes were performing ceremonies to honor the spirits of their dead ancestors. This, in fact, made men look much more important than women in the early Chinese society. After the Shang dynasty, very few queens had temples built in honor of their memories.
In early China, ancestors were exceedingly important. When commemorating their departed family members, men were always much more than the women; women were always acknowledged by their husbands when these rituals were performed. Another thing is that most temples built by the Chinese were dedicated to men; not women. Temples built in honor of a woman were little to none, which supports the fact that men were respected in the afterlife much more than women were. |