Cultural Summary: Traditional Chinese Cultural Review-Draft

Traditional Chinese Cultural Review - Draft

Traditional Chinese culture must be viewed through the lens of cultural relativism to avoid misunderstandings which would ultimately transpire into ethnographic separatist’s ideals. Marriage, kinship, and family, encased by Confucius ideology, trademarks traditional Chinese culture and its patriarchal society as both intriguing and fascinating. The complexity to understanding marriage in the agrarian-state society of traditional Chinese culture is interpreting the cultural context as it relates to Confucianism, social hierarchy, family lineage, economic status, a division of labor and gender stratification.

Agrarian-State Society

An agrarian society is one whose socio-economics is based on the cultivation

Regardless of personal or professional evidence-based theories, Confucianism is the trademark cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture (Na, 2016). Confucianism is vitally important to the political and social order of traditional Chinese culture. The tenets of Confucian philosophy’s hierarchy revolve around five relationships: 1) Those who are ruled must obey their ruler, 2) Sons must obey their fathers, 3) Wives must obey their husbands, 4) Younger brothers must obey their older brothers, and 5) Friends must respect friends. Additionally, women were taught to obey man and children were taught to obey their parents and respect their elders (Video Education America, 2013). The forefront of Confucianism is founded upon respect and obedience which does not endorse or promote

All marriages were arranged marriages, although great care, expense, and diligence were taken to avoid incestuous relationships of partners sharing the same surname. Parents of eligible children would employ matchmakers who were intimately familiar with other eligible singles based on kinship identities. Additionally, they would ensure the chastity of a potential bride. A daughter whose virtue is clouded by scandals of promiscuity would be ostracized by her family and subsequently, be considered unmarriageable. Furthermore, a matchmaker would guarantee the marriage is advantageous compounding economic or political advancements to both families. Lastly, a matchmaker arduously worked as a negotiator between both families to navigate a settlement on bridewealth and