Study of the status of women in the family and the Chinese community from the point of view of the Confucianism

While Daoism and Buddhism are the influencial religions in China beside Confucianism, but the latter, benig the state religion before the dissemination of Communism, is considered as the most dominant one at the first glance. Confucianism is expected to let the whole enjoy its especial outlook towards ethics, moral issues in daily life and human dignity. At the same time, verviewing the Chinese society reveals a footprint of discrimination in most groups of the society, especially the women. As a result, this thesis aims at surveying the developments of the problem of gender, women and their limitations throughout the different periods in China, regarding the main religions, especially Confucianism as much as possible. The first chapter of the thesis deals with general issues regarding religions in China and the emergence of Confucianism. It also surveys the relationship between Confucian ethics and gender through introducing especial teachings of the religion. In chapter two we survey the developments of the problem of gender, women and their limitations throughout the different periods in China. The chapter is closed with the conclusion where we attempt to elaborate the effects of Confucianism on the problem of woman in the country.