Compare And Contrast The Mongol Empire And The Qing Dynasty
The Mongols were primarily nomadic peoples who lived in the steppes of Mongolia; due to their brutal and conquering methods, they had control over much of Eurasia at the peak of their empire. The Mongol Empire lasted from 1206 to 1368. The Qing Dynasty, ruled by the Manchurians, was the last imperial dynasty of China. It lasted from 1644 to 1911. Although these societies are different in several ways, they are similar in important ways as well.
The Mongol Empire and Qing Dynasty’s are similar in that in both societies, family life formed the basis of social life. However, the role of women in these two societies varied greatly; in the Mongol empire, women had several basic rights and were considered wise1 whereas in the Qing dynasty, women were …show more content…
Although the conditions for Qing women, especially upper class ones, were slowly improving (there is some evidence of female writers, poets, and painters), women were still seen as far second-class and subordinate to men and had few, if any, rights. They were not allowed to divorce their husbands, and they could be sold into slavery or prostitution if their parents or husband so desired. Footbinding, a practice in which a girl’s feet are broken and her toes slowly folded under the soles of her feet in the hopes that she would become more marriageable, was a common practice. Concubinage was also commonplace, as was infanticide of female children. These practices show how a woman was judged in society—her worth was determined by her beauty, her ability to be married off for a good price, and her ability to bear male children. Like the structure of society and family life in Qing China, the place of women in society was based on Confucianism; Confucius’ teachings explicitly subordinated women to men. For example, an old Chinese proverb that has been passed down through the centuries is, “The most beautiful and talented daughter is not as desirable as a deformed
The Mongol Empire and Qing Dynasty’s are similar in that in both societies, family life formed the basis of social life. However, the role of women in these two societies varied greatly; in the Mongol empire, women had several basic rights and were considered wise1 whereas in the Qing dynasty, women were …show more content…
Although the conditions for Qing women, especially upper class ones, were slowly improving (there is some evidence of female writers, poets, and painters), women were still seen as far second-class and subordinate to men and had few, if any, rights. They were not allowed to divorce their husbands, and they could be sold into slavery or prostitution if their parents or husband so desired. Footbinding, a practice in which a girl’s feet are broken and her toes slowly folded under the soles of her feet in the hopes that she would become more marriageable, was a common practice. Concubinage was also commonplace, as was infanticide of female children. These practices show how a woman was judged in society—her worth was determined by her beauty, her ability to be married off for a good price, and her ability to bear male children. Like the structure of society and family life in Qing China, the place of women in society was based on Confucianism; Confucius’ teachings explicitly subordinated women to men. For example, an old Chinese proverb that has been passed down through the centuries is, “The most beautiful and talented daughter is not as desirable as a deformed