China was impacted significantly in the years 100-1600 C.E.

as it came under

political disunity known as the three kingdoms period, yet remained heavily under

Confucian values. Confucianism began in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E - 220 C.E.) and was

slightly discredited but never truly disappeared after the Hans collapse; it was officially

revived in the Sui Dynasty. Because of the heavy influence of Confucianism, patriarchy was

another constant part of Chinese culture.

After the Han Dynasty collapsed in 220 C.E., China experienced 330 years of severe

political disunity. The reason the Han Dynasty collapsed included invasions from various

nomadic people such as the Xiongnu, Jurchen, and Khiten, along with peasant revolts that

led to a weakening state such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 184 C.E. These invasions

happened for various reasons. Peasants were treated very unfairly and rallied together about

landlessness and poverty, leading to a weakening Han Dynasty. Along with that came the

Tribute System for non-Chinese which was implemented among the nomadic peoples of the

north. Due to these various factors, the Han collapsed and was replaced by a decentralized

period. This disunity led to decreased trade, decreased population, and a decrease in

urbanization.

Although the Confucian Han Dynasty fell, Confucian values did not fall with it. Even

as Buddhism began to come in after 220 C.E., it never overtook Confucianism which was

even revived with the emergence of the Sui Dynasty (589 - 618 C.E.). This was known as

neo-Confucianism that incorporated Buddhist and Daoist values while bringing back the

examination system and an importance on superior/inferior relationships. Confucianism was

important to Chinese culture because it placed an emphasis on family life, ancestor

veneration, and education which had all been important to Chinese life previously. Chinese
bureaucratic elites went through examination systems based on Confucian values during the

Han Dynasty, for example. Due to a constant presence of Confucianism even through a time

of decentralization, it was still a major part of Chinese culture 300 years after it first

emerged.

Patriarchy was another continuous pattern in Chinese society, likely because of the

heavy Confucian influence. women were meant to submit to their father, then eventually to

their husbands, and then eventually to their sons, which was known as the three obediences.

Women were seen as lowly, shown the concept of yin/yang as yang was the masculine and

related to heaven while yin was seen as feminine and related to the earth and its subjects.

This was more than likely because men were seen as more fit to be officials and educated.

Womens purposes were more domestic and private. This pattern is recurrent in almost every

known society but can definitely be compared to patriarchal values of classical India. India

had the caste system of Hinduism, much like the importance of Chinas Confucianism. This

caste system allowed mainly upper-class men - priests known as brahmins - to enjoy lavish

lifestyles. This was similar to the Chinese elite who were educated men being the only ones

to enjoy lavish, privileged lives. India developed in a different part of the world, yet still

had the presence of patriarchy.

While China experienced devastating political disunity, it still retained many

Confucian and patriarchal values in its culture. When its centralized form dissolved, the

economy was weakened along with the people's morale. However, China has always been

able to rely on Confucianism as an outline for its society.