Clues to Marriage in Ancient China

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Clues to Marriage in Ancient China
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A Qing Dynasty wedding. The two parents are
seated. The bride is wearing the blue hat,
presenting tea to the mother. The groom usually
wears a cross forming an "X" in front of him.
Sometimes the "X" includes a giant bow or flower,
though not in this picture,
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageEveryday_Life_i
n_Old_China_06.jpg
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Ban Zhaos Lessons for a Woman

• Why would she give this kind of advice to her
  daughters?
• What evidence do you find in her essay to support
  your answers?

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• From reading Ban Zhaos advice for women, what do
  you think she sees as the purpose of marriage?

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• What is the one issue on which Ban Zhao disagrees
  with her cultures traditional expectations for
  women?

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Comparing the two writings

• How are the two writings similar? How are they
  different?

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• Which of the two do you think are more content in
  life Ban Zhao or the character in Fu Hsüans
  poem? Give evidence from the writings to
  support your answer(s).

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• Why, in your opinion, do these two sources
  present somewhat different views on the
  male-dominated society and marriage structures of
  the Han period?

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Woman by Fu Hsüan

• Would it change your opinion of the poem Woman
  if you knew that Fu Hsüan (the author) was male?
  
• The author was, in fact, a man.
• Does that affect your response to the poem in any
  way?