英文摘要
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In Classical China, the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period predate China's unification under the Qin dynasty. This was a time of intellectual ferment in which philosophers of different states considered the crisis of their time and sought ideas to avert the collapse of the world as they knew it. Although they displayed sharp disagreement on many issues, they yet showed considerable consensus in their discussions on the relationship between "men and women" (nannü 男女) and its connection to the maintenance of a harmonious social order. This article examines pre-Qin philosophical views on nannü, specifically how categories of men and women were conceived, as well as its connection to an ideal of world maintenance. Almost all of the philosophers asserted ideas of natural binaries (including "Heaven and Earth" or Yin 陰 and Yang 陽) indicating that not only were men and women fundamentally different (and complementary), but also that any erosion of this difference would have a negative impact on the larger social/moral/universal order. Accordingly, as a part of a larger effort toward restoration, they advanced suggestions for safeguarding female virtue and re-establishing "normal" gender relations. In this way, these debates reflect the impact of the transformation and disorder of their time. Following this review, the essay then considers the influence of the views of the pre-Qin philosophers on the long-term development of China's culture. Here we see a profound influence on historical ideas of men and women, extending to stereotypes of gender still present in society today.
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