Chinese Modern History: The Qing Dynasty Last Regal Dynasty Of China

Chinese Modern History
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Chinese Modern History
The Qing Dynasty was the last regal dynasty of China. Formed in 1636 governing China from 1644 to 1912, the Dynasty underwent various transformation that saw the late generations depart from most of the ideals instituted by the parents. The initial Qing Dynasty was guided by Confucian teachings but the later generations departed from the initial Confucian teachings. According to Confucianism, the relationship between a child and parent was considered important in society. The obedience that a child owed to his or her parent was seen as the primary bond that brought order to the family. Confucianism believed that a well-ordered family would automatically lead to a well-ordered state and society. Even though many generations abided by their parents teachings, the later generations departed from most of their parental teachings thus posing a challenge to the parent-child relationship, which was the bond that held the Qing Dynasty together. This paper examines the parent-child relationship in the area of the roles of women in the society and the education system.
In her book titled Revolution and Its Past: Identities and Change in Modern Chinese History, author Keith Schoppa highlights some of the challenges faced by the parent-child relationship in Qing China. According to Schoppa, one of the biggest changes in this relationship was in the manner in which women were treated in the society. In the original Confucian thinking, women were not allowed to have any say in the societal matters. Instead, women were only allowed to stay at home and contribute to the teaching of their children especially in math and literature. In the Confucian way of life, this was an important arrangement as it ensured that women and men had different roles to play in the building the society. While boys from rich families were allowed private tutors, women only received education from their mothers and as such, they had very little opportunity of advancement. The later leadership in the Qing Dynasty challenged this relationship.
One of the apparent breakaway from the traditional Confucian thought took place during the mid-nineteenth century. According to Schoppa, the societal roles and place of women in the Taiping society were clearly superior to those of other women in the Qing Dynasty (p. 145). Whereas women in the traditional Confucius tradition were under the benevolence of their male relatives, the Taiping society ensured that women were allocated land in the same breath as their male counterparts. For a long time, the education system in China only favored men and excluded women. However, the Taiping society changed this rule and women were allowed to sit for the civil service examinations. The exams offered to women were based on the Bible and the diverse teachings of Hong Xiuquan. As women were allowed to take the civil service exams, a large number of them were allowed to hold office in the bureaucracy The Taiping society also allowed women to participate in military units something considered scandalous among the older generations.
In the earlier Chinese tradition, women were only allowed to appear in social functions to offer entertainment. In the earlier g...