What are the four virtues of ancient women in China?

The "Four Virtues" were originally the cultivation and accomplishment of the four necessary qualities of court women-morality, speech, tolerance and skill, which included the four traditional educational contents of "women's studies", so Confucianism called it "four teachings" and also called "four lines". Originally originated from the palace women's education, it belongs to "ceremony" (etiquette observed by women) and "duty" (responsibility assumed by women), and soon expanded to train upper-class families to assume female roles. When the girl was ten years old, she was educated by a female teacher at home-teaching "gentle delivery, obedience" (morality, speech, forbearance, pliancy and obedience), holding hemp (spinning hemp thread, ancient clothes were mostly hemp, ge and silk), treating silkworm cocoons, weaving and making clothes, and learning a series of jobs (work, weaving, sewing and preparation) three months before marriage. After the training is completed, a sacrificial ceremony will be held to make the woman obedient. It can be seen that "four virtues" serve the morality of "three obedience". The "four virtues" were later summarized as requirements for all women. According to Zheng Xuan's explanation, "women's virtue is chastity and obedience, women's words are rhetoric, women's capacity is gentle delivery, and women's work is diaosi." Later generations have been making new explanations.

"Women's Virtue"

Women's virtue is the most important one in women's education, and Zheng Xuan's chastity obedience is the core of women's virtue. "Chastity" is to stick to chastity, keep a clean body and be loyal to her husband. "Shun" means "submission" in the Book of Rites, and it is polite to in-laws, husbands and even all family members. Ban Zhao, a female educator in the Han Dynasty, especially pointed out in "Women's Virtue" that "women don't have to be unique" (meaning that they don't have to have special talents, which is the original basis of the popular "women's virtue without talents" in the Ming Dynasty), and "quietness, chastity, shame and discipline" means having women's virtue. Ban Zhao pays more attention to the cultivation of women's moral quality. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the standard of "women's morality" was more specific and detailed, and there were detailed norms for women in different situations and roles: as wives, husbands and uncles (in-laws) should be obedient and gentle, and as wives, they should "get rid of jealousy" and help their husbands take concubines; As a mother, you should be able to "teach your son" and "be kind to your stepmother"; When you get along with your family, you should "get along with your uncle and sister (brother-in-law and sister-in-law)" and "get along in harmony". If the family is poor, it is necessary to "live a poor life", to be rich and to be frugal. You also need to have a series of virtues such as "respecting the body", "loyalty", "chastity" and "revenge".

Women's words

The provisions on women's words in "Ethics" were originally for the sake of "benefiting the country with one's mouth" (eloquent women will subvert the country) "The Book of Songs? In "Elegance", after scolding Zhou Youwang, he praised "a woman has a long tongue, and she is the only one" (a gossip is the chief culprit of national subjugation). However, speaking is also a necessary accomplishment and skill. Zheng Xuan's explanation of "women's talk" is "rhetoric", which means being good at coping and speaking appropriately. Ban Zhao thinks that "women's words" don't need to be glib and eloquent, just consider whether the words are appropriate, don't hurt people with ugly words, don't grab words, don't say more, and don't be annoying. If a big family hates women, it will sow discord among family members, and a talkative woman will be punished, which constitutes one of the "seven major problems". Lan Dingyuan's "Women's Studies" gave concrete and positive guidance to "women's words", saying that "women's words are not expensive, but expensive (appropriate)". Different appropriate words are needed in various occasions, such as encouraging husbands, teaching children, gently persuading, being good at observing, showing wisdom and avoiding disasters ..... all need to be used to achieve the expected purpose. Therefore, "women's words" need the cultivation of wisdom and knowledge.

Women's ability

Confucianism has special standards for women's appearance modification, while Confucius advocates emphasizing morality over color.