China and the World: Women's Role

In China from very early times, men have been seen as the core of the family. The ancestors to whom a Shang or Zhou dynasty king made sacrifices were his patrilineal ancestors, that is, his ancestors linked exclusively through men (his father’s father, his father’s father’s father, and so on).

China ranks 87th among the 142 countries studied in measures of gender gaps in economic, educational and political participation, as well as health, so its efforts toward parity surpasses many countries in the world.

No woman has ruled over China since the 7th century, but the tides may be slowly shifting. How much power do Chinese women have?

Not all key roles in history were played by men, check out these powerful, influential women and their impact in Chinese history.

Half the sky, but not yet equal- China's feminist movement- Alice Hu

The family has traditionally been the basic unit of Chinese society, where women have long been charged with upholding society's values in their roles as wives and mothers. While the expected values changed from the imperial period to the Communist revolution to the modern day, this responsibility for women remained constant. Women were required to balance society's ideals with the reality of raising a family and maintaining a household.

Women's role in China- changes over time

Chinese women push ahead in gender equality

Gender and family in contemporary China (extension)