Impact of Ancient Chinese Poetry and Tales on Gender Norms and Self-Awareness - Essay Example

Impact of Ancient Chinese Poetry and Tales on Gender Norms and Self-Awareness Introduction Spirit and self in medieval china portrays self-awareness through characterization and character appraisals. Characters in the book have been allocated thirty-six different personalities that have been used to show the transition of self-awareness in the book (Qian 7). The fall of the Han Confucian moral codes was the main reason for the need to cause self-awareness in the society. The process was contributed to by most of the emerging elites and scholars at the time that had knowledge on the need for self-awareness in the society. The Wei-Chin spirit originated from various aspects of intellectual and spiritual life of Wei-Chin (Qian 10). Their lives were based on ideologies that included the complex learning and judgment of humans based on their character traits. The Han Confucian moral codes had been a source of knowledge for a long time during vetting procedures by scholars who voted for bureaucratic leaders on behalf of the society. After the preferred changes, self-awareness became the source of character appraisal based on psychological, ethical, and social morals (Qian 12). It was theoretically based on Hsüanhsüeh that involved the re-evaluation of Han Confucianism. It made an individual aware of his/her character traits and the manner in which they were of great significance to the society. Self-awareness was also used to cause consciousness of the weak and elusive aspects of human nature. Increase in scholars at the time led to competition because of the recognition fight in the society. The more they sought recognition the more they caused desire for uniqueness and awareness on self-knowledge. The competition led to a mutual effect where scholars would gain their recognition and at the same time create the need for self-awareness. Men self-awareness fulfillment The poems have been used to enlighten on the roles of the male gender with response to their self-awareness. Reflections on their self-awareness have been done through the allocation of various personalities in the poems. Themes have also revealed actions by the poet to reveal how men reacted to different activities in the society to show their levels of self-awareness. Different male characters have exposed the ways used to cause awareness that led to respect and honor from other members of the society. Men used their masculine powers to create self-awareness. According to poem 11, the poet shows the strength of a man who uses his carriage to move away together his burdens to a better place. He is strong as he is seeing engaging the never-ending winds and hills while covering the large distances. He is also old and claims that a man has to do something that earns him respect before he dies. According to the poet, a man’s success before meeting his death contributes to honor. Self-awareness will lead to an individual achieving knowledge on his/her talents. Through self-confidence, one can quickly attain anything that he/she wants since one cannot always be as strong as a rock. The man has used his self-awareness to go and settle his burdens in another town before he dies. If he dies without any burdens, he becomes a man of honor to the community. Men used ghostly and immortal powers to prove their self-awareness. From poem 10, the poet shows how the Herdboy Star is seen using his powers to see his partner, the weaving Maiden on the other side heaven river. The maidens father had decided to punish her by putting them in contrasting verges of the Milky Way, and required them see one another on annually basis. The Herdboy Star did all he could to prove his love for the Emperor of Heavens daughter. Use of these powers shows that The Herdboy was aware of his love for The Weaving Maiden and was ready to do anything to meet him. Use of ghostly powers is evident in poem 4 where it shows how the man sees the womans beauty. It was like ghostly beauty that was a symbol of the immortal queens and women who were known to seduce men easily. Men also used force to fulfill their awareness in the society. According to poem 4, the poem claims that the character should whip up his horses and force his way to power before he faces competition from other men. He also claims that there is no need for a man to stay poor, live in bitterness and later be dishonored before his death. A man is to show his ability by use of power to make profits and become a respectable person in the society. Sharing of the same wish was also a way that men could express their self-awareness. A man would share a wish or a decision that he wanted to be respected. Through the sharing, he would get support from other community members especially those in respectable bureaucratic positions. From poem 4, the character refers sharing the same mind as having a similar mind. It helps to create awareness of social activities in an ethical perspective since the respected people in the society are elites. Men practiced polygamy to fulfill their self-awareness. The number of wives portrayed a man’s respect levels. It showed that he was able to take care of a larger population, which symbolized the community. Poem 17 shows that the men were free to bring other women home as long as they had different qualities. “The new wife is good at weaving gauze, Old wife was good at weaving plain stuff” pg 103 However, it is a violation of women rights. The female gender in the poem does not want another woman being married because she believes she has all the qualities. The character can also be found jealous asking her husband if he still loves her or the new wife. Women self-awareness fulfillment Women have been allocated their qualities and activities to help them highlight self-awareness. The poet has used singing as one of the ways that identify most women in the society. Women would sing to reveal different emotions they had in mind. It was also used to cause awareness through the type of lyrics that composed a song. However, those who knew the songs would understand the lyrics. Songs were used as a channel of communication between women artists and other members of the society. “Let the talented sing fine phrases; he who knows music will understand. One in mind, we share the same wish” pg 97 Women referred to as the weak gender used pity to gain respect and honor. Those who were felt mercies upon were the music listeners who followed the song’s actions. Women who had other followers due to sympathy had their dreams of proving their self-awareness practices fulfilled. Women also valued their husbands as a sign of self-consciousness. They did not want their husbands to go to war since they took long, and by the time they came back the women were old and could not bear children. Poem 7 shows evidence on how a woman claims that her husband left her and forgot her like a forgotten footprint. She remembers the good times they had before he left for the war and how it has changed over time since he went to the war. “A thousand miles apart, we made our vow, Far far - mountain slopes between us. Thinking of you makes one old” Pg 99 Self-awareness in women was a major move for the female gender since it made them aware of their roles and rights. They came to comprehend that they had a role, to take care of their husbands and families. To seek happiness in lonely times, they would move out into the trees at night to pass the time while waiting for their husbands. Those who worried about aging fast before their husbands had returned opted for portions while others committed suicide. Conclusion The campaign for self-awareness is evident in the book and the poems. Its adoption has led to various results to both genders in the societies. They have become conscious of their roles in the society based on beliefs and traditions. Those who have embraced self-awareness have earned respectable and honorable positions in the society. Works Cited Qian, Nanxiu. Spirit and self in medieval china. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 2001. Print. Watson, Burton. The Columbia book of Chinese poetry: from early times to Thirteenth Century. New York (N.Y.): Columbia University Press, 1984. Print. Read More