Confucian thought and the practice of family ethics in lower-class society in Northern China during the 17th century

Abstract

Both the government and the scholars of the Ming and Qing dynasties made great efforts to inculcate Confucian family ethics in society. However, through a study of the day-to-day practices of lower-class families in 17th century North China, this paper points out that during this era, due to taxation, poverty, and warfare, the nuclear family, rather than the multigenerational family, was more common among the common people. Filial piety, a cornerstone of Confucian ethics, was not seriously practiced in the society, either. In the literature of the time, the topic of “shrewish wives” received ample attention, reflecting a social reality. In addition, the strict requirements for women’s chastity were seriously challenged. In examining the ethical situation in Chinese society, therefore, it is important to pay attention not only to the decrees of the rulers and the dogmas of the cultural elite, but also to the practices of the people and to the differences, tensions, and compromises in ethical practices among different social classes.