The Song Dynasty was a time of prosperity and advancement. The Song society underwent a commercial revolution. Advances were made in agriculture and technology. However, most women in Song society experienced the opposite: they lost rights and were isolated and mistreated, especially compared to how they lived during the previous Tang dynasty. Keep reading to learn more about Song women and how they were treated during this time.
Fig. 1: Song Dynasty Sculpture of a Woman's Head
Women in the Song Dynasty: History
The Song dynasty emerged after the Tang dynasty collapsed around 960 CE. The Song dynasty was established in the middle of the tenth century, as parts of China were reunified by a leader named Zhou Kuangyin. The Song dynasty ran from approximately 960-1279 CE, with Zhou Kuangyin leading the dynasty from the beginning. He was the dynasty's first emperor and was known as Emperor Taizu.
The Song Dynasty was a prosperous time known as a commercial revolution! New technological advances, agricultural advances, and more went on to add to the dynasty's success. However, it wasn't just a time of change for commerce, business, and trade. The Song dynasty was a time of change for women, too.
Confucianism and Women during the Sing Dynasty
The Song Dynasty saw a rise in government strength and increased the popularity of Confucian ideas. What did this mean for the women of the Song dynasty? Well, it meant they had to live their life in a pretty specific way.
Early followers of Confucianism believed that there were specific roles for men and women and certain behaviors that should be expected from each. One idea stands out from the rest: the inhumane notion that women were always less than men.
Women in the Song dynasty had their lives restricted, especially when compared to the Tang dynasty. The Tang dynasty was radically different from the Song dynasty.
- Women during the Tang dynasty enjoyed some freedom and power.
- Women in the Song dynasty were isolated and mistreated.
Many women in the upper social classes had their feet bound, an abusive custom that severely changed the structure of a woman's feet and left her with permanent mobility issues.
How does this compare to life for women under other dynasties? The Tang dynasty, which occurred prior to the Song dynasty, was a time of freedom for women. Many of the leaders of the Tang dynasty were women. Men and women were on more equal footing, with women engaging in business, politics, and even military defense. Daughters of imperial nobles were married off to create political alliances. These daughters were to act as diplomats after their marriage. This was a pretty important role, accentuating how different life was for women in the following regime: the Song dynasty.
Fig. 2: Shoes for Bound Feet
Roles of Women in the Song Dynasty
What were women's roles in the Song dynasty? Essentially, women in the Song Dynasty were responsible for having male children, running their households, managing servants, and keeping themselves isolated, so their husbands would be happy.
The idea that women were less than men was prevalent in Song society. However, it's important to note that sometimes women were less than other women. If you were a woman, you would often live in your mother-in-law's home and care for all your husband's family members.
Social status impacted the women of the Song dynasty. Wives of nobles and aristocrats lived on large estates, and some had access to education. These elite women were expected to manage servants and family members when they grew up.
Did you know? Sometimes upper-class husbands would bring home a concubine, who was part wife, part domestic employee. She could be expected to birth children while being treated like a member of the staff.
Women in the Song Dynasty Status
Generally, the status of women declined during the Song dynasty. Previously, during the Tang dynasty, women were allowed to be out and about on the street, and some were able to participate in politics.
However, the Confucian beliefs that guided the Song dynasty did not align with that. The Confucian beliefs kept women at home. Girls lived at home until they were married and were expected to give birth to boys. Proving her husband with boys would become the only way a woman was respected in her home.
Did you know? Widows in the Song dynasty were forbidden from remarrying. Widowed mothers could sometimes remain secure and powerful in their families, but other widowed women faced hardships due to their isolation.
Upper-class Women in the Song Dynasty
Some upper-class women experienced foot binding as young girls. This was done to demonstrate status and the ability to obey the philosophical ideas of Neo-Confucianism. Theoretically, if you were a girl who had her feet bound, your actions revealed to others in society that you were willing to follow orders and do whatever was necessary to ensure your family's reputation. Foot binding was a status symbol as it demonstrated to others that a man did such a great job providing for his family that his wife didn't even have to walk.
Did you know? As foot-binding became more popular for women, the number of female dancers declined.
Working-class Women in the Song Dynasty
Peasants formed the largest part of Song society. Modern society does not know much about these women. Most of these women were illiterate, so they did not write about themselves or keep any documents detailing their lives. Peasant women did not have their feet bound, as they had to work in fields and perform other types of labor.
Life in the Song dynasty was difficult for many women. Women were subjected to having their feet bound, and widowed women struggled to survive as they had to remain chaste after the passing of their husbands.
Rights of Women in the Song Dynasty
Generally, Chinese women were the property of a male relative. This could be a woman's husband, brother, or father. Chinese women inherited their social status from their families, and their standing was linked to their husband's status.
Women in the Song dynasty had their rights diminished over time. During the Tang dynasty, women could participate in the outside world. During the Song dynasty, they were almost banished to their homes. It is assumed that peasant women in the Song dynasty worked in the fields with their husbands, while wealthier women worked in the home.
Some point to Neo-Confucianism for the decline in women's rights, while others think that the problem is larger than that. Many look to other factors, such as legal or economic issues. An example of this was the imperial Chinese inheritance laws of the time.
Did you know? Chinese women could inherit a portion of their father's estate when he died. This was the opposite of what most European women at the time experienced.
Importance of Women in the Song Dynasty
After reading about how the women of the Song dynasty were mistreated, you might be doubting if they were really important. The answer to that is yes, they were!
When young women in the Song dynasty were married, they left their birth families to live with their husbands and family. Caring for her husband and his family would become her new job.
If a woman were fortunate to birth sons to her husband, she would gain a modicum of respect and importance in her home. Occasionally, an older woman would gain a bit of power in her family.
Fig. 3: Foot Binding.
Foot Binding
Foot binding was the action of breaking and binding a young girl's foot to change the size and shape of her feet permanently.
The phrase "lotus feet" is used to describe feet that were broken and bound. One would put "lotus shoes" on her feet.
Lotus feet, or bound feet, were a status symbol in the Song dynasty. Many perceived bound feet as being a sign of femininity. The cold, hard truth is that it was an excruciating process that inflicted permanent mobility issues on young girls and women.
Foot binding would go in and out of style, influenced by the region and social class. No matter when or where it happened, it was still a terrible thing to inflict upon young girls and women.
Foot binding officially stopped in the early 20th century.
Fig. 4: Song Dynasty Painting
Women in the Song Dynasty: A Summary
The Song dynasty is generally known for being a time of prosperity and advancement. It was also a time when most women lost their social standing and became isolated and mistreated.
Why did this happen? Many believe this is because Song Dynasty saw a rise in government strength and increased popularity of Confucian ideas.
In what ways did women's lives change during the Song dynasty? Women lost a lot of freedom and were expected to remain in their homes, which they were solely responsible for running. They were also responsible for raising their children (preferably male children). The restrictions that women lived under became greater and greater. Women were overwhelmingly expected to remain indoors, serving their families and raising children. They were expected to run a household and manage servants as well.
Women in the Song dynasty lived severely restricted lives. The most potent example of the hardship Song women faced was foot binding. While at the time, it was perceived as being a symbol of elite social status, it is now viewed as abuse and mutilation.
Women in the Song Dynasty - Key Takeaways
- Most women in the Song Dynasty lost out of freedom and respect, especially when compared to the previous Tang dynasty.
- Women were often isolated in their homes, tasked with raising children, caring for their families, and managing servants.
- Many women in the elite parts of society had their feet bound.
- Many believe that the Song dynasty's poor treatment of women can be attributed to the rise in popularity of Neo-Confucianism.
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