Ancient China - Women Authorities

First wife and mother-in-law's authorities.

 

The first or principal wife in ancient China held a position of significant authority and respect within the household and society, fundamentally different from that of concubines. 

 

Her role was primarily defined by the following responsibilities: 

Management of the Household

The wife was the undisputed mistress of the inner domestic sphere. Her duties included: 

• Managing finances: She oversaw the household's budget and resources.
• Supervising servants and concubines: All other women in the household, including concubines and maids, were under her authority and were expected to be subservient to her.
• Organizing daily life: She managed food preparation, silk production, and textile work within the home, which were crucial to the household economy. 

Bearing Legitimate Heirs 

The primary goal of marriage in ancient China was to produce a male heir to carry on the family name and continue the patrilineal line. 

• Legal Mother: Children born to concubines were considered, by law and custom, to belong to the principal wife, who raised them as her own. These legitimate (di) sons had higher inheritance status than the concubines' (shu) sons
• Filial Duty: Bearing a son greatly helped the wife become fully accepted into her husband's family. 

Social and Ceremonial Duties

The wife had social standing that a concubine could never achieve. 

• Formal Status: She was married in a grand, formal wedding ceremony, and her name was recorded in the family genealogy, ensuring her memory and the right to have a tomb plaque in the ancestral hall
• Representation: She participated in her husband's social life and domestic religious rituals, representing the family in the internal sphere.
• Adviser: Wives, particularly those in elite families, were sometimes involved with important political and social events by observing and offering advice to their husbands from behind screens. 

Legal and Social Protections

Unlike a concubine, who could be divorced arbitrarily, a wife could not be easily divorced or demoted without a valid reason, such as one of the "seven misconducts for divorce". Law codes, such as the Tang law, even prescribed punishment for a man who demoted his wife without good cause. 

In essence, the first wife was the cornerstone of the domestic structure, holding a position of power, respect, and legal protection that was central to maintaining family order and lineage in a society governed by Confucian principles. 

༻❁༺

The mother-in-law, in ancient China, held significant power and authority within the domestic sphere, primarily derived from her age and generational seniority within the patriarchal Confucian family system. Her primary role was to manage the household, guide and discipline her daughter-in-law, and ensure the family adhered to Confucian principles. 

Key Roles and Powers of the Mother-in-Law  

• Matriarch of the Household: As the senior female in the household (especially if no senior male was present or involved in domestic matters), the mother-in-law was the ultimate authority on all domestic affairs. The new bride became subordinate to her husband's parents immediately upon marriage.
• Enforcer of Filial Piety and Virtue: The mother-in-law was responsible for educating and warning her daughter-in-law about female virtues, social rules, and the crucial duty of filial piety (xiao), which mandated complete obedience and service to elders. A daughter-in-law's failure to be filial was a legally and socially punishable offense.
• Control over Property and Finances: To prevent the dispersion of family wealth, daughters-in-law had no economic rights or private property. Any gifts received had to be presented to the parents-in-law. The mother-in-law managed the household's finances and resources.
• Influence over Marriage and Divorce: Mothers-in-law had a significant say in choosing their son's wife. Furthermore, poor service to the in-laws was one of the seven legitimate grounds for a man to divorce his wife, effectively giving the mother-in-law the power to force a divorce.
• Discipline and Punishment: Parents-in-law were legally empowered to administer corporal punishment to their daughter-in-law. The state often supported and even enforced severe punishments for unfilial behavior.
• Teaching and Delegation: A key function was to pass on housekeeping skills, family protocols, and the management of household duties to the daughter-in-law. As the mother-in-law aged, she was expected to hand over household management to the successor gradually.