Female Chastity in Chinese Culture

中國文化中的節烈觀念

本文主旨在以中國文化中的節烈觀念為例，為一文化中基本價值之演化建立一模式。文中指出：（一）在宋代以前節烈僅為女子德行之一。宋以後，由於理學家的倡導，政府的鼓勵（如明太祖），節烈逐漸成為女子最重要甚至是全部的德行。同時社會對之也特別重視起來。（二）宋代以後，不但社會對節烈特為重視而且對實行節烈的方法亦特別苛求起來，社會不但要女子為夫守節甚至要求其殉夫。五四時代激進人士攻擊節烈最烈，並據之以視整個中國傳統道德為吃人的禮教。本文希望能以節烈為例，說明近人心目中之中國傳統道德或社會實乃宋代以後發展之結果，非自古如此也。

After various attempts at partial reform had failed, China was in the mood for the revitalization at the turning of this century. New culture or better known as the May Fourth Movement marked the peak of such mood. Leaders of the May Fourth Movement seeking to establish a completely new culture severely attacked the traditional one. In reaction, conservatives cried for revival and preservation of traditional Chinese culture. While both sides aimed at Chinese culture as a whole, nevertheless both singled out some special aspects as the targets for their fighting. Female chastity and filiel piety were two such targets. The conservatives believed that these two aspects were the keys of old order, to revive and promote them were therefore necessary to revive the traditional Chinese culture. The reformers, too, realized the importance of these two aspects. They believed that female chastity and filiel piety were symbols of the inhuman and uncivilized face of traditional Chinese socity, and should be destroyed before new cultural elements could be introduced into China. Because of its inseparable relationship to the female liberation movement, female chastity has remained central issue much longer than filiel piety. Severe attack on the traditional idea of female chastity have been continued in various major campaigns conducted by Chinese Communists, the most notable being the Marriage Law Campaigns in 1950 and 1953.