Resumen de The Interrelationship between the Western Churches and the Chinese Female Education
Guaranteeing equal access to education for women is a prerequisite for improving social status and achieving equality between men and women. As a nation with a long ancient history and a late start of near-modern civilization, China almost had nothing about female education, even in the ancient texts of those philosophers as classics. When the geographical discovery era came, and many European countries started the first globalization on the sea, the stereotype of male superiority and female inferiority still imprisoned the soul in China, and the three obediences and four virtues were still the biggest obstacles to Chinese female education. It was only with the arrival of European missionaries who established churches throughout China that those women who had been shut out of traditional Chinese education had the opportunity to begin receiving some knowledge. The achievements of European missionaries and churches are mainly reflected: first, they completely broke the ban and pioneered women entering some schools; second, on the education system, men’s and women’s branches were formed, and a complete curriculum was formed from elementary school to secondary school to university; third, on educational content, European ideas on equality, freedom, and feminist emancipation were incorporated into the curriculum; fourth, they pay special attention to the female employment, and through the Western churches’ education to continue to increase the skills of female employment and provide more opportunity. The European educational civilization opened the door to Chinese women’s education. Although the European missionaries established churches in China because they needed to spread the gospel, most were relatively enlightened and attached significantly more importance to female education. In combing through more than 100 years of the development of women’s education, there are the following four points to inspire. First, female education conducted in the churches was the foundation and starting point. Under the influence of European missionaries, the publication of the Statute of the Women’s Normal School and the Statute of the Primary School in 1907 became the most important document in the history of female development. Second, it played an important role in the emancipation of Chinese women. It introduced women’s and men’s right to receive education and completely changed the backward and feudal concept. Third, female education produced the earliest female intellectuals in China, who were influential in the history of Chinese education throughout the 20th century. Fourth, from the origins of the development of contemporary education, openness is the best approach, and tolerance is the best attitude.
