2-3 page essay East Asia history and gender

P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q s )

E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N ) I n t r o d u c t i o n It was common for successful men in China and elsewhere in East Asia to write down “House Instructions” for the benefit of their heirs and descendants. As you read these instructions, you may think about what their purposes in doing so may have been. This particular set of house instructions was written by Yan Zhitui (531-591), who was from a leading family of scholars and officials of the period of north-south division (317-589). Accordingly, he served four different, short-lived dynasties, including several whose rulers were foreigners — men of Turkic warrior clans who ruled northern China. D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t s w i t h Q u e s t i o n s (Longer selection follows this section) From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 541-546. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Excerpts
from
House
Instructions
of
Mr.
Yan
(Yanshi
Jiaxun)
 


…
as
soon
as
a
baby
can
recognize
facial
expressions
and
understand
approval
and
disapproval,
 training
should
be
begun
so
that
he
will
do
what
he
is
told
to
do
and
stop
when
so
ordered.
 After
a
few
years
of
this,
punishment
with
the
bamboo
can
be
minimized,
as
parental
strictness
 and
dignity
mingled
with
parental
love
will
lead
the
boys
and
girls
to
a
feeling
of
respect
and
 caution
and
give
rise
to
filial
piety.
I
have
noticed
about
me
that
where
there
is
merely
love
 without
training
this
result
is
never
achieved.
Children
eat,
drink,
speak,
and
act
as
they
please.
 Instead
of
needed
prohibitions
they
receive
praise;
instead
of
urgent
reprimands
they
receive
 smiles.
 Even
 when
 children
 are
 old
 enough
 to
 learn,
 such
 treatment
 is
 still
 regarded
 as
 the
 proper
 method.
 Only
 after
 the
 child
 has
 formed
 proud
 and
 arrogant
 habits
 do
 they
 try
 to
 control
him.
But
one
may
whip
the
child
to
death
and
he
will
still
not
be
respectful,
while
the
 growing
anger
of
the
parents
only
increases
his
resentment.
After
he
grows
up,
such
a
child
 becomes
at
last
nothing
but
a
scoundrel.
Confucius
was
right
in
saying,
“What
is
acquired
in
 infancy
is
like
original
nature;
what
has
been
formed
into
habits
is
equal
to
instinct.”
A
common
 proverb
says,
“Train
a
wife
from
her
first
arrival;
teach
a
son
in
his
infancy.”
How
true
such
 sayings
are!


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N )

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 2 o f 6

Q u e s t i o n s :

1. How does Mr. Yan’s advice on child-rearing fit with modern Western notions?

2. On what grounds can Mr. Yan compare the training of a child to the training of a wife? What assumptions does this imply about newly married wives?



A
wife
in
presiding
over
household
supplies
should
use
wine,
food,
and
clothing
only
as
the
 rites
specify.
Just
as
in
the
state,
where
women
are
not
allowed
to
participate
in
setting
policies,
 so
in
the
family,
they
should
not
be
permitted
to
assume
responsibility
for
affairs.
If
they
are
 wise,
 talented,
 and
 versed
 in
 the
 ancient
 and
 modem
 writings,
 they
 ought
 to
 help
 their
 husbands
 by
 supplementing
 the
 latter’s
 deficiency.
 No
 hen
 should
 herald
 the
 dawn
 lest
 misfortune
follow.
… Q u e s t i o n s :

3. What roles does Mr. Yan prescribe for women? 4. How do Mr. Yan’s prescriptions compare to those of female authors such as

Ban Zhao and Song Ruozhao? L o n g e r S e l e c t i o n From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 541-546. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Excerpts
from
House
Instructions
of
Mr.
Yan
(Yanshi
Jiaxun)
 


Preface
 Of
books
written
by
sages
and
worthies
that
teach
men
to
be
sincere
and
filial,
to
be
careful
in
 speech
and
circumspect
in
conduct,
and
to
take
one’s
proper
place
in
society
and
be
concerned
 for
 one’s
 reputation,
 there
 are
 more
 than
 enough
 already.
 Since
 the
 Wei
 and
 Jin
 periods
 prudential
writings
have
reiterated
principles
and
repeated
practices
as
if
adding
room
upon
 room
 [to
 the
 household]
 or
 piling
 bed
 upon
 bed.
 In
 doing
 the
 same
 now
 myself,
 I
 do
 not
 presume
to
prescribe
rules
for
others
or
set
a
pattern
for
the
world,
but
only
to
order
my
own
 household
and
give
guidance
to
my
own
posterity.
…
 
 The
 habits
 and
 teaching
 of
 our
 family
 have
 always
 been
 regular
 and
 punctilious.
 In
 my
 childhood
I
received
good
instruction
from
my
parents.
With
my
two
elder
brothers
I
went
to
 greet
our
parents
each
morning
and
evening
to
ask
in
winter
whether
they
were
warm
and
in
 summer
 whether
 they
 were
 cool;
 we
 walked
 steadily
 with
 regular
 steps,
 talked
 calmly
 with
 good
manners,
and
moved
about
with
as
much
dignity
and
reverence
as
if
we
were
visiting
the


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N )

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awe‑inspiring
rulers
at
court.
They
gave
us
good
advice,
asked
about
our
particular
interests,
 criticized
our
defects
and
encouraged
our
good
points
‑‑
always
zealous
and
sincere.
When
I
 was
just
nine
years
old,
my
father
died.
The
family
members
were
divided
and
scattered,
every
 one
 of
 us
 living
 in
 dire
 straits.
 I
 was
 brought
 up
 by
 my
 loving
 brothers;
 we
 went
 through
 hardships
and
difficulties.
They
were
kind
but
not
exacting;
their
guidance
and
advice
to
me
 were
not
strict.
Though
I
read
the
ritual
texts,
and
was
somewhat
fond
of
composition,
I
tended
 to
be
influenced
by
common
practices;
I
was
uncontrolled
in
feelings,
careless
in
speech,
and
 slovenly
in
dress.
When
about
eighteen
or
nineteen
years
old
I
learned
to
refine
my
conduct
a
 little,
but
these
bad
habits
had
become
second
nature,
and
it
was
difficult
to
get
rid
of
them
 entirely.
After
my
thirtieth
year
gross
faults
were
few,
but
still
I
have
to
be
careful
always,
for
in
 every
instance
my
words
are
at
odds
with
my
mind,
and
my
emotions
struggle
with
my
nature.
 Each
evening
I
am
conscious
of
the
faults
committed
that
morning,
and
today
I
regret
the
errors
 of
yesterday.
How
pitiful
that
the
lack
of
instruction
has
brought
me
to
this
condition!
I
would
 recall
the
experiences
of
my
youth
long
ago,
for
they
are
engraved
on
my
flesh
and
bone;
these
 are
 not
 merely
 the
 admonitions
 of
 ancient
 books,
 but
 what
 has
 passed
 before
 my
 eyes
 and
 reached
my
ears.
Therefore
I
leave
these
twenty
chapters
to
serve
as
a
warning
to
you
boys.

 
 Instructing
Children
 Those
of
the
highest
intelligence
will
develop
without
being
taught;
those
of
great
stupidity,
 even
if
taught,
will
amount
to
nothing;
those
of
medium
ability
will
be
ignorant
unless
taught.
 The
ancient
sage
kings
had
rules
for
prenatal
training.
Women
when
pregnant
for
three
months
 moved
from
their
living
quarters
to
a
detached
palace
where
they
would
not
see
unwholesome
 sights
 nor
 hear
 reckless
 words,
 and
 where
 the
 tone
 of
 music
 and
 the
 flavor
 of
 food
 were
 controlled
by
the
rules
of
decorum
[rites].
These
rules
were
written
on
jade
tablets
and
kept
in
a
 golden
box.
After
the
child
was
born,
imperial
tutors
firmly
made
clear
filial
piety,
humaneness,
 the
rites,
and
rightness
to
guide
and
train
him.

 
 The
 common
 people
 are
 indulgent
 and
 are
 unable
 to
 do
 this.
 But
 as
 soon
 as
 a
 baby
 can
 recognize
 facial
 expressions
 and
 understand
 approval
 and
 disapproval,
 training
 should
 be
 begun
so
that
he
will
do
what
he
is
told
to
do
and
stop
when
so
ordered.
After
a
few
years
of
 this,
punishment
with
the
bamboo
can
be
minimized,
as
parental
strictness
and
dignity
mingled
 with
parental
love
will
lead
the
boys
and
girls
to
a
feeling
of
respect
and
caution
and
give
rise
to
 filial
piety.
I
have
noticed
about
me
that
where
there
is
merely
love
without
training
this
result
 is
 never
 achieved.
 Children
 eat,
 drink,
 speak,
 and
 act
 as
 they
 please.
 Instead
 of
 needed
 prohibitions
they
receive
praise;
instead
of
urgent
reprimands
they
receive
smiles.
Even
when
 children
are
old
enough
to
learn,
such
treatment
is
still
regarded
as
the
proper
method.
Only
 after
the
child
has
formed
proud
and
arrogant
habits
do
they
try
to
control
him.
But
one
may
 whip
 the
 child
 to
 death
 and
 he
 will
 still
 not
 be
 respectful,
 while
 the
 growing
 anger
 of
 the
 parents
only
increases
his
resentment.
After
he
grows
up,
such
a
child
becomes
at
last
nothing
 but
a
scoundrel.
Confucius
was
right
in
saying,
“What
is
acquired
in
infancy
is
like
original
 nature;
what
has
been
formed
into
habits
is
equal
to
instinct.”
A
common
proverb
says,
“Train
a
 wife
from
her
first
arrival;
teach
a
son
in
his
infancy.”
How
true
such
sayings
are!



P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N )

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 4 o f 6


 Generally
parents’
inability
to
instruct
their
own
children
comes
not
from
any
inclination
just
to
 let
them
fall
into
evil
ways
but
only
from
parents’
being
unable
to
endure
the
children’s
looks
 [of
 unhappiness]
 from
 repeated
 scoldings,
 or
 to
 bear
 beating
 them,
 lest
 it
 do
 damage
 to
 the
 children’s
physical
being.
We
should,
however,
take
illness
by
way
of
illustration:
how
can
we
 not
use
drugs,
medicines,
acupuncture,
or
cautery
to
cure
it?
Should
we
then
view
strictness
of
 reproof
and
punishment
as
a
form
of
cruelty
to
one’s
own
kith
and
kin?
Truly
there
is
no
other
 way
to
deal
with
it.
…
 
 As
 for
 maintaining
 proper
 respect
 between
 father
 and
 son,
 one
 cannot
 allow
 too
 much
 familiarity;
 in
 the
 love
 among
 kin,
 one
cannot
 tolerate
 impoliteness.
 If
 there
 is
 impoliteness,
 then
parental
solicitude
is
not
matched
by
filial
respect;
if
there
is
too
much
familiarity,
it
gives
 rise
to
indifference
and
rudeness.

 
 Someone
 has
 asked
 why
 Chen
 Kang
 [a
 disciple
 of
 Confucius]
 was
 pleased
 to
 hear
 that
 gentlemen
kept
their
distance
from
their
sons,
and
the
answer
is
that
this
was
indeed
the
case;
 gentlemen
did
not
personally
teach
their
children
[because,
as
Yan
goes
on
to
show,
there
are
 passages
in
the
classics
of
a
sexual
kind,
which
it
would
not
be
proper
for
a
father
to
teach
his
 sons.]

…
 
 In
the
love
of
parents
for
children,
it
is
rare
that
one
succeeds
in
treating
them
equally.
From
 antiquity
to
the
present
there
are
many
cases
of
this
failing.
It
is
only
natural
to
love
those
who
 are
wise
and
talented,
but
those
who
are
wayward
and
dull
also
deserve
sympathy.
Partiality
in
 treatment,
even
when
done
out
of
generous
motives,
turns
out
badly.
…
 
 Brothers
 After
 the
 appearance
 of
 humankind,
 there
 followed
 the
 conjugal
 relationship;
 the
 conjugal
 relationship
was
followed
by
the
parental;
the
parental
was
followed
by
the
fraternal.
Within
 the
family,
these
three
are
the
intimate
relationships.
The
other
degrees
of
kinship
all
develop
 out
of
these
three.
Therefore
among
human
relationships
one
cannot
but
take
these
[three]
most
 seriously.
…
 
 When
brothers
are
at
odds
with
each
other,
then
sons
and
nephews
will
not
love
each
other,
and
 this
in
turn
will
lead
to
the
cousins
drifting
apart,
resulting
finally
in
their
servants
treating
one
 another
as
enemies.
When
this
happens
then
strangers
can
step
on
their
faces
and
trample
upon
 their
breasts
and
there
will
be
no
one
to
come
to
their
aid.
There
are
men
who
are
able
to
make
 friends
with
distinguished
men
of
the
empire,
winning
their
affection,
and
yet
are
unable
to
 show
proper
respect
toward
their
own
elder
brothers.
How
strange
that
they
should
succeed
 with
the
many
and
fail
with
the
few!
There
are
others
who
are
able
to
command
troops
in
the
 thousands
and
inspire
such
loyalty
in
them
that
they
will
die
willingly
for
them
and
yet
are
 unable
to
show
kindness
toward
their
own
younger
brothers.
How
strange
that
they
should
 succeed
with
strangers
and
fail
with
their
own
flesh
and
blood!
…


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N )

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 5 o f 6


 Family
Governance
 Beneficial
influences
are
transmitted
from
superiors
to
inferiors
and
bequeathed
by
earlier
to
 later
generations.
So
if
a
father
is
not
loving,
the
son
will
not
be
filial;
if
an
elder
brother
is
not
 friendly,
 the
 younger
 will
 not
 be
 respectful;
 if
 a
 husband
 is
 not
 just,
 the
 wife
 will
 not
 be
 obedient.
When
a
father
is
kind
but
the
son
refractory,
when
an
elder
brother
is
friendly
but
the
 younger
arrogant,
when
a
husband
is
just
but
a
wife
overbearing,
then
indeed
they
are
the
bad
 people
of
the
world;
they
must
be
controlled
by
punishments;
teaching
and
guidance
will
not
 change
 them.
 If
 rod
 and
 wrath
 are
 not
 used
 in
 family
 discipline,
 the
 faults
 of
 the
 son
 will
 immediately
appear.
If
punishments
are
not
properly
awarded,
the
people
will
not
know
how
 to
act.
The
use
of
clemency
and
severity
in
governing
a
family
is
the
same
as
in
a
state.

 
 Confucius
said,
“Extravagance
leads
to
insubordination,
and
parsimony
to
meanness.
It
is
better
 to
be
mean
than
to
be
insubordinate.”1
Again
he
said,
“Though
a
man
has
abilities
as
admirable
 as
those
of
the
Duke
of
Zhou,
yet
if
he
be
proud
or
niggardly,
those
other
things
are
really
not
 worth
being
looked
at.”2
That
is
to
say,
a
man
may
be
thrifty
but
should
not
be
stingy.
Thrift
 means
being
frugal
and
economic
in
carrying
out
the
rites;
stinginess
means
showing
no
pity
for
 those
in
poverty
and
urgent
need.
Nowadays
those
who
would
give
alms
are
extravagant,
but
 in
being
thrifty
are
stingy.
It
would
be
proper
to
give
alms
without
extravagance
and
be
thrifty
 without
being
stingy.
…
 
 A
wife
in
presiding
over
household
supplies
should
use
wine,
food,
and
clothing
only
as
the
 rites
specify.
Just
as
in
the
state,
where
women
are
not
allowed
to
participate
in
setting
policies,
 so
in
the
family,
they
should
not
be
permitted
to
assume
responsibility
for
affairs.
If
they
are
 wise,
 talented,
 and
 versed
 in
 the
 ancient
 and
 modem
 writings,
 they
 ought
 to
 help
 their
 husbands
 by
 supplementing
 the
 latter’s
 deficiency.
 No
 hen
 should
 herald
 the
 dawn
 lest
 misfortune
follow.
…
 
 The
burden
of
daughters
on
the
family
is
heavy
indeed.
Yet
how
else
can
Heaven
give
life
to
the
 teeming
people
and
ancestors
pass
on
their
bodily
existence
to
posterity?
Many
people
today
 dislike
having
daughters
and
mistreat
their
own
flesh
and
blood.
How
can
they
be
like
this
and
 still
hope
for
Heaven’s
blessing?
…
 
 It
is
common
for
women
to
dote
on
a
son‑in‑law
and
to
maltreat
a
daughter‑
in‑law.
Doting
on
a
 son‑in‑law
gives
rise
to
hatred
from
brothers;
maltreating
a
daughter‑in‑law
brings
on
slander
 from
sisters.
Thus
when
these
women,
whether
they
act
or
remain
silent,
draw
criticism
from
 the
members
of
the
family,
it
is
the
mother
who
is
the
real
cause
of
it.
…
 
































 






















 1
Analects
7:35.
 2
Analects
8:11.


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N )

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 6 o f 6

A
simple
marriage
arrangement
irrespective
of
social
position
was
the
established
rule
of
our
 ancestor
Qing
Hou.3
Nowadays
there
are
those
who
sell
their
daughters
for
money
or
buy
a
 woman
 with
 a
 payment
 of
 silk.
 They
 compare
 the
 rank
 of
 fathers
 and
 grandfathers,
 and
 calculate
in
ounces
and
drams,
demanding
more
and
offering
less,
just
as
if
bargaining
in
the
 market.
Under
such
conditions
a
boorish
son‑in‑law
might
appear
in
the
family
or
an
arrogant
 woman
assume
power
in
the
household.
Coveting
honor
and
seeking
for
gain,
on
the
contrary,
 incur
shame
and
disgrace;
how
can
one
not
be
careful?

 
































 






















 3
Qing
Hou
was
the
posthumous
name
of
Yin
Zhitui’s
ninth‑generation
ancestor.
His
name
was
Yan
Han.