Gender Inequality In Ancient China

In China, gender inequality still exists between husbands and wives; however, ever since 1950, the tendency of gender positions shared in a marriage is increasing. Both traditional and modern marriages require dowries and bride prices from both families, whereas the economic grows, either one side of the family has to disburse more to the other family. Moreover, the one who has higher education or earn the most has the authority in household. Working inequality is still present in some cities of China, however, the unfairness has improved distinctly from the past. The divorce rate is increasing, since women have the right to divorce and freedom to choose. In ancient China, due to women had overwhelmed by domination of men in marriages, marriages …show more content…
As a husband, who had many excuses to divorce his spouse, such as “barrenness, licentiousness, failure to serve parents-in-law, loquacity, theft, jealousy, or serious disease,” these are the “7 grounds of divorce.” If the wife has met one of the grounds, the husband can divorce. However, the “7 grounds of divorce” could not apply on the husbands, women had no right to divorce. After a law code had published in late 1920 and early 1930, which arranged marriage had been repealed, sale of women were prohibited, and widows could be remarry. Moreover, women had the right to divorce if abandoned by husbands, suffered physical abuse, or attempted sale into prostitution by the husbands. In the mean time, husband could not launch divorce for barrenness, loquacity, theft, or jealousy. The Marriage Law of 1950 had protected women from many terrible behaviours, such as arranged marriages, concubinage, dowries, and child brides. According to the book, polygamy still exist in ancient China, which a person can have two or more spouses in a marriage; however, around 1990, China is only permitted monogamy, which is two partners in a marriage. When the 1950 Marriage Law has established, due to annoyed by the husband had concubinage, and saw some women had been abandoned by their husbands after the long year of war, it encouraged a trend of divorce. As men had chosen his wives in the past of China, women are going to choose their partners right now. Other than gaining the right of divorce, the Marriage Law had given women freedom to choose. In the article, it indicated that youths have freedom to choose their own marriage partners, and women attempt to divorce and possess properties ownerships. Nowadays, according to the news, as the growing divorce rate is increasing, which reflects women are gaining more social and economic freedom. More than 70% of divorce are