I imagine there might be some dissent from some of my male readers out there.  But, the more I think about it, the more it seems true to me that women, in their attention to social relationships, are generally better Confucians than men.  You can read it at China Daily here, or keep reading it below.  Comments and criticisms are welcome!

Women show up men on Confucianism ideals

By Sam Crane(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-08-11 09:43

Confucianism
was long used as an ideological tool to bolster patriarchal rule. If
you take the Venerable Sage’s writings seriously, however, there is
only one conclusion that is possible: Women, in general, come closer to
the moral ideals upheld by Confucius than men.

Think about it.
What is the most important virtue espoused by Confucius? The Analects
suggests caring for parents and elders. The second passage of Chapter I
reads:

"Master Yu said: ‘It’s honouring parents and elders that
makes people human. Then they rarely turn against authority. And if
people don’t turn against authority, they never rise up and pitch the
country into chaos. The noble-minded cultivate roots. When roots are
secure, the Way is born. To honour parents and elders isn’t that the
root of humanity?"

That’s pretty straightforward; the "root of
humanity," the basis of the greatest possible virtue. And when we work
on that root, we move toward broader social and political stability
from the inside out, progressing from secure family relations to
settled national conditions. That is the essence of Confucian thought.

Let’s
be honest. Who takes on most of the real family work of caring for
parents and elders? Is it husbands and sons, or is it wives and
daughters? Seems to me that women put more time into family care. And
when we factor in caring for children since, after all, Confucius told
us to "cherish the young" it is not even close. Women cultivate roots.
Men get out of the house for work or less "humane" pursuits.

As a
man, myself, I know what the first rebuttal is; we have to leave the
house and spend time at work to earn the money that keeps the family in
food and shelter and other material needs. There’s some truth to this.

Yet
this is precisely where the real challenge of Confucius can be seen.
While he understands that men have to leave the home to do right by the
family, limiting their time for care giving, he is very clear about how
to resolve what we moderns refer to as "work versus family conflicts."
He comes down unequivocally for family.

Nowhere is this more
evident than in the Confucian demand for a strict period of mourning
for deceased parents. In pre-Qin times the Confucians were adamant that
bereavement and commemoration continue for three years. The Moists,
followers of China’s earliest utilitarian thinker Mozi, argued that
this was unnecessary and a wasteful interruption of productive work.
Confucians countered that expressing such materialistic concerns was
unbecoming of a morally educated gentleman.

A three-year period
of mourning is obviously impossible in a modern economic context, but
if extrapolate this ancient debate to the present, Confucians would
argue that men should be willing to limit their time at work to
contribute more to the work of the family. Care of the family is
everyone’s primary duty; it is not "women’s work."

In advanced
industrial societies, traditional gender roles have been challenged and
changed. Men are doing more family work, but women are quick to point
out that they still carry the greatest burden. Modern Confucians, if
they are true to the contemporary implications of Confucius’ own
teachings, would have to side with the women.

And that leaves us
with another question. If women are closer to the root of humanity
through their family work, and if, as Confucius believes, the humane
should rule, then would a modern Confucian have to conclude that women
should rule? So much for the patriarchy.