Female Virtue and the State in China

Chinese Femininity and Social Control: Gender‐Role Socialization and the State

“…While each dynasty may have stressed particular aspects of women's virtue, all dynasties shared the same general wish to preserve and protect "traditional" values. The imperial governments clearly stated their agenda: "to promote good actions" during the Han, "to make them known to their communities (as examples)" under the Tang: to transform the "[moral] atmosphere" in the Qing (Elvin 1984).…”

“…Local gazetteers published stories of virtuous women in which "female chastity was an integral part of the complex of values representing local moral standards to the outside world" (Mann 1992 :43). The imperial state constructed memorial arches (Fang) honoringvirtuous and chaste women, and exempted households led by chaste widows from corvCe duties (Elvin 1984, Mann 1992 Heying Jenny Zhan 1991, Chen 1984. By the Ming dynasty, stories of virtuous women numbered in tens of thousands.…”

Interlocking Patrimonialisms and State Formation in Qing China and Early Modern Europe

“…On the other hand, slaves and servants were marginalized in Chinese families, especially in the late-imperial period. One reason was the gradual disappearance of great manors since the Song Dynasty, which greatly reduced the existence of dependent laborers-working slaves (see Elvin 1984). 1 Second, household slaves/ servants in China were not property possessed and freely disposed of by their owners.…”

Widows in the Kinship, Class, and Community Structures of Qing Dynasty China

“…local communities. On these points see also the 8 Although the eighteenth century was a pe-discussion in Qiao (1971), Elvin (1984), and Hsieh riod of rapid population growth, the numbers of an£ l Spence (1981:32-35). chaste widows reported in local gazetteers increase he suggests, local gentry were drawn to the support of new public institutions to affirm the values that marked and expressed their status.…”