Community & Family
Power in Age
Throughout the history of China, and even now, people believed that with age comes wisdom. In ancient China, elderly were respected for the knowledge and experience they possess. The oldest member of each family usually took control of the household until they pass away. Even after death, family members would offer sacrifices like pottery and goods to their deceased ancestors as they believed the deceased still exists as spirits.
Family
Family was valued throughout ancient China: people looked after one another and often worked collectively. For middle class and working class families, healthy teenagers and adults often went out to do labour during the day, while the children looked after the elderly that was no longer fit to work.
Education
Families that could afford education often sent their sons to school, which were often in temples. However, during the Han Dynasty, the emperor paid for education, and girls also began to receive schooling. School usually started since the age of 6, starting at 6 am in the morning to 4 pm in the afternoon, and children don't finish until 17. Children were educated everyday of the week as there were no weekends, they learnt to read, write, paint and also memorised works of Confucianism.
Throughout the history of China, and even now, people believed that with age comes wisdom. In ancient China, elderly were respected for the knowledge and experience they possess. The oldest member of each family usually took control of the household until they pass away. Even after death, family members would offer sacrifices like pottery and goods to their deceased ancestors as they believed the deceased still exists as spirits.
Family
Family was valued throughout ancient China: people looked after one another and often worked collectively. For middle class and working class families, healthy teenagers and adults often went out to do labour during the day, while the children looked after the elderly that was no longer fit to work.
Education
Families that could afford education often sent their sons to school, which were often in temples. However, during the Han Dynasty, the emperor paid for education, and girls also began to receive schooling. School usually started since the age of 6, starting at 6 am in the morning to 4 pm in the afternoon, and children don't finish until 17. Children were educated everyday of the week as there were no weekends, they learnt to read, write, paint and also memorised works of Confucianism.
Male Dominance
During olden Chinese times, males were respected more than females. Society believed that men were superior over women as men carried down the family name and dominated more power. When giving birth, people typically hopes to conceive a boy. If the baby was a boy, they would be well-catered and fed, whereas parents would treat baby girls with a lot less care and affection. Females had a much higher death rate than males throughout childhood. During the Ancient China era, males were often educated and females were not, however, as teaching and schooling advanced, females also began receiving education. After education, men are allowed to keep living with their parents and women were sent to live in their husbands household. Women were told to obey their husband and family in law, often looking after the household and cooking as the men did labour. In the Han Dynasty, Ban Zhao, a female author wrote a novel called "Lessons for Women", the novel describes the role and position of women within society.
During olden Chinese times, males were respected more than females. Society believed that men were superior over women as men carried down the family name and dominated more power. When giving birth, people typically hopes to conceive a boy. If the baby was a boy, they would be well-catered and fed, whereas parents would treat baby girls with a lot less care and affection. Females had a much higher death rate than males throughout childhood. During the Ancient China era, males were often educated and females were not, however, as teaching and schooling advanced, females also began receiving education. After education, men are allowed to keep living with their parents and women were sent to live in their husbands household. Women were told to obey their husband and family in law, often looking after the household and cooking as the men did labour. In the Han Dynasty, Ban Zhao, a female author wrote a novel called "Lessons for Women", the novel describes the role and position of women within society.