In ancient China, the Three Obedience and Four Virtues were an important moral norm that had a profound impact on the behavior and lives of women in ancient times. The three virtues refer to the unmarried subordinate father, the married subordinate to the husband, and the husband subordinate to the son, while the four virtues include the female virtue, the female speech, the female appearance, and the female merit.
The concept of three subordinates put women in a subordinate position in the family in ancient times. For example, an unmarried woman must follow her father's arrangements, including marriage. They may not have the right to choose their own partner, but are arranged by their parents. Once married, the woman is subject to her husband's wishes, and even after her husband's death, to her son's decisions.
The requirements of the Four Virtues also impose strict norms on women's behavior and morality. In terms of women's morality, women are required to maintain chastity, and if they lose their virginity, they may face severe social condemnation. In terms of women's speech, they need to be tactful, not to offend others, and to avoid verbal mistakes. Women's appearance, on the other hand, emphasizes the need for women to maintain a dignified appearance and a neat appearance, which may limit their freedom of expression in appearance. Women's skills require women to have certain housework skills, such as weaving and cooking, which makes women's lives mainly focused on the family.
These examples reflect the constraints and limitations imposed on women in ancient times by the Three Obedience and Four Virtues. Their personal rights and freedoms are greatly restricted, and society expects them to play the role of good wives and mothers in the family. However, it is important to note that these perceptions may vary from one historical period to another and in different social contexts, and that in modern society, people's perceptions of gender equality and individual freedom have changed considerably.
Although the specific content of the three obedience and four virtues may no longer be applicable in modern society, some of the values contained in them, such as respecting elders, paying attention to the family, and cultivating good moral character, still have certain positive significance. At the same time, we should also realize that moral concepts change with the times, and we need to treat traditional culture with an open and inclusive attitude, take its essence and remove its dross, and shape moral concepts that are in line with contemporary values.
The ancient Three Virtues and Four Virtues have limited women's development and freedom to a certain extent, but we should examine these concepts from a historical perspective and pursue more equal, free and pluralistic moral concepts in modern society to promote gender equality and personal all-round development.