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Ban Zhao: The First Well-Educated Woman of Chinese History Ban Zhao was a very fortunate woman during the olden times of Han Dynasty. During those times, only females of much higher status in the society were able to receive education. The main reason was due to the lower classes not able to afford education fees. Furthermore people of that time considered daughters as burdens for once married; females seldom contribute back to the family. They were considered out of the family (pouring bucket of water out of the door when brides leave the house). So all they did before marriage was to help out in the family and learning sewing skills. Under the culture of young marriage, Ban Zhao married at the age of fourteen. I see her as someone strong, forced to face the reality of life at such a young age. At fourteen when the females nowadays are enjoying the prime time of their lives, Ban Zhao had to serve and please her mother-in-law, win the friendship of her husband's siblings and taking care of most heavy household chores. She might have to tolerate their unreasonable requests. To me, her greatest contribution to the Chinese Civilization was to compose the well-known "Lesson for Women" which was then followed by millions of women after her time. She had set a standard for an ideal woman of that period of time. Upon my understanding Ban Zhao actually supported some of Confucius teachings. In the "Lesson for Women", one can sense that some of her writings are based on Confucius teachings. However she opposed them in some other ways. Strict Confucius teaching required people of every class to stay in their positions and fulfill their own duties, but Ban Zhao insisted that females should have the same status education in as men: "...if one only teaches men and does not teach women, is that ignoring the essential relation between them?" (Nu Jie Husband and Wife) In my understanding, what Ban Zhao was trying to convey is about the equality of both male and female in certain aspects. Although males may be stronger than females, it does not make the females the inferior ones. She thinks that both males and females have different responsibilities of equal importance in the family, in the society and in the country. To remain proper relationship and rites, one cannot be without another. Though it may be blurry, she was trying to raise the status of the females in
the society and this contradicts Confucian teaching about people remaining in their positions and fulfills the duties that they should accomplish. In following Confucius teachings, she actually remained in her late husband's family for more than fifty years. Although we may feel that it is crude to her, she was probably honored and praised for doing so. It actually fits one of Chinese sayings,"When I am alive, I am the member of the (Cao) family. When I am dead, I am the ghost of the (Cao) family". ("""").
On the whole, in the sense of human behavior as a whole like filial piety, way of actions, way of speaking, way of thinking, Ban Zhao actually followed the teachings of Confucius. However, in Confucian teaching little was said about women. Perhaps during the chaotic time of the Warring Period, Confucius focused on the purification of human beings. The teachings and discussion about women might seem of little importance. Nonetheless, with her great contribution in the thinking of females, she should be considered as the Female Confucius ().