The Atlanta constitution., 1900-07-30
WOMEN In CHINA.

WOWEN I'm SiiifHs
Woman's influence in China Is greater
than is commonly supposed. Records of
the great fiowery kingdom are full of
examples of women famous for their
learning. heroisn and nigh principle.
Sometimes women achieve absolute power
over the hougehold. for there is popular
saying, "She eats rice with her husband"
which is used to express the rule of the
female tyrant. The most astonishing in
stance of feminine power today is, or
course he career of the dOwager en-
press. Eszi-Chi 1t IS said that today the
greatest mandarin OF China would far
rather face the Emperor Kwangsa than
the secluded lady whose nrmness mas
often been tried and never teen broken.
She is still the power which rules the
colossal country of 800 OVO,tJJ people, u
country subject to colossal disasters of
food famine, epidemics. earthquakes and
Instruction. and which IS now in the
throes of revolution and warfare. As an
instance of the empress dOwaSer's
strength, it may be recalled that she
deposed her strongest yiZicr. Prince Kuug,
in 1865. by mere decree III The Fekin
Gazette because he overratet his impOr-
tance." In common with all other ma
tions. the women OF China represent the
most feTvent religious element They are
said TO .ndorse enthusiastically the boxers
movement. and 10 be lighting with passion
to help rid the country o. the detesied
missionary.
That the women of China do not lack
courage is proved BY the fact that they
sometimes seek suicide as relief from un-
happy marriages and uncOngenial hJs-
bands wou.G frequently be murdered were
it not for special punlshments. 'lgnOmin-
GUS and slow" devised for all women who
should attempt homicide. The mere ex-
istence Of this law proves the necessity
for Il. Again. not long ago, fifteen young
girls of Canton threw themselves into the
river to escape from marrying the hus-
bands chosen Tor them.
Two other recent examples prove the
heroism OF the Chinese women OF hlSn
degree daughter of the Chinese mlh-
lister TO London. Kwo-Sung Taon, was
married at the age of seventeen When
her husband fell i'll and all food failed 10
nourish him she cut slice of her arm
and put il in the broth. When ne died she
tried TO CON NIT suicide. out Of grief. and
would eat nothing but gold leaf, to induce
death. II failed to poison her. and she
then starved TO death. Her sisteT-in-la".
Mrs. Kwo, a sister of the Marquis TsenS,
tried also to follow her husband 10 the
land OF spirits, but the use Of quantities
Of gold leaf failed. and she finally took
compassion on her children, agreed 10 I've
and managed her father-!n-law's properly
while he was in London. Ii Hung Chang
penned a memorial to the dragon throne.
requesting that these two women should
be awarded a sign of imperial approval
Notwithstanding the degraded condition
of women Of the lower classes. the female
ideal is high in China, and the annals Of
the past show a long series Of virtuous
and heroic women. who have made an in
dellibIe impression upon the national
mind The mother of the great sage,
Confucius IS held as a model, for. as his
father died when the child was three
wears of age. his training was accom-
plished by his mother, who. II IS said,
cave him the founda ton for his great
moral maxims The next philosopher OF
irnportance. Mencius. was also indebted
"a his mother for the formation Of his
character and mind. as well as his phi
losophy.
Woman's lot in China IS, however not
an enviable one. She is not received Into
the world with joy and IS given very
little education. At twelve she Is banlshed
from all companionship to become the
1-o1ine Girl who sits in the house." until
bay marriage. when she weds some one
eb, has never seeen. Then she must obey
her husband and her mother-in-lawi she
may not come into contact with men or
the outside world; and, as a rule, sne
cannot read. She may, however, receive
ladies and return their calls. The patrl-
archaI system is so universal that the
father is a deSpotic ruler over his family,
and a married woman becomes so en-
tireIv a part of her husbands family that
ebe has 10 yield her duty and obedience
10 her husbands parents. who frequently
treat her more as slave than daughter
in-law. The doctrine flIculcated In the
Chinese classics IS that woman has
three stages of obedience FIRST TO her
father: second, to her husband (after she
IS married), and third, TO her son ur her
husband dies) when he reaches manhood.
The old proverb goes, "blen WISH thelF
bows to be like wolves, and fear lest they
should be timid: their girls they wish 10
be like mice, and fear lest they should
have the boldness of the tiger" The laws
established 2300 years ago are in favor
today and among them no rules are
stricter than those which provide for
keeping women in bondage
Chinese books of instruction for girls
consist chiefly OF eXhortatlonS TO dis
charge their duties as daughters, wives,
mothers and daughters-in-law The
"Girls' Four Books" to which two IA
NOUS emperors wrote prefaces, contain
the best idea OF how the female mind and
character must be trained Nodesty gen
tIeness, self-sacritice, wisdom, respect
for elders and Il Virtuous disposition must
be a woman's equipment in life There
is no pressing need for intellectual edu-
cation. However, about 100 in QSery
10000 women read, and that means read
with understanding the great books of
philosophy and literature, the works of
China's sages and poets. Such cases are
found among the aristocratic classes, and
men of letters frequently teach their
wives and daughters not only the art of
reading, but that of writing, and go so far
as to publish their literary efusions.