science

Three Obediences and Four Virtues

Three Obediences and Four Virtues is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Three Obediences and Four Virtues rather than just read about it. In short: The Three Obediences and Four Virtues (Chinese: 三從四德; pinyin: Sāncóng Sìdé) is a set of moral principles and social code of behavior for maiden and married women in East Asian Confucianism, especially in ancient and imperial China. Women were to obey their fathers, husbands, and sons, and to be modest and moral in their actions and speech.

Key takeaways

Three Obediences and Four Virtues belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Three Obediences and Four Virtues to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Three Obediences and Four Virtues from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Three Obediences and Four Virtues (Chinese: 三從四德; pinyin: Sāncóng Sìdé) is a set of moral principles and social code of behavior for maiden and married women in East Asian Confucianism, especially in ancient and imperial China. Women were to obey their fathers, husbands, and sons, and to be modest and moral in their actions and speech.

Terminology The two terms ("three obediences" and "four virtues") first appeared in the Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial and in the Rites of Zhou respectively, which codified the protocol for an elegant and refined culture for Chinese civilization. The protocol was originally meant to define the various parts of a harmonious society and was not intended as a rule book. This code had a strong impact on ancient and imperial China. It went on to influence other East Asian civilizations, such as Japan and Korea, and prescribed East Asian social and philosophical thought even into the twentieth century.

Three Feminine Obediences The Three Obediences instruct that a woman is obligated not to act on her own initiatives and must submissively obey or follow:

her father at home, before getting married (未嫁从父; Wèijiàcóngfù; or 在家从父; Zàijiācóngfù) her husband after getting married (既嫁从夫; Jìjiàcóngfū; or 出嫁从夫; Chūjiàcóngfū) her sons in widowhood after her husband's death (夫死从子; Fūsǐcóngzǐ)

Four Feminine Virtues The Four Feminine Virtues are:

Feminine Conduct (婦德; Fùdé) Feminine Speech (婦言; Fùyán) Feminine Comportment (婦容; Fùróng) Feminine Works (婦功; Fùgōng) Ban Zhao (49–120 CE), the first known female Chinese historian, elaborated on these in her treatise Lessons for Women (Chinese: 女誡; pinyin: Nǚjiè; Wade–Giles: Nuchieh):

Speaking about these four, woman's virtue requires neither unparalleled talents nor exceeding brilliance; woman's speech requires neither rhetorical eloquence nor sharp words; woman's appearance requires neither a beautiful nor a splendid look or form; woman's work demands no unsurpassable skills.Exhibit tranquility (you 幽 [/ qing 清]), unhurried composure (xian 閒/閑), chastity (zhen 貞), and quietude (jing 靜). Safeguard the integrity (jie 節) of regulations. Keep things in an orderly manner. Guard one's action with a sense of shame. In movement and rest, it is always done in proper measure. This is what is meant by woman's virtue. Choose words [carefully] (ze ci 擇辭) when speaking. Never utter slanderous words. Speak only when the time is right; then, others will not dislike one's utterances. This is what is meant by woman's speech. Wash (guan wan 盥浣) clothes that are dusty and soiled, and keep one's clothing and accessories always fresh and clean. Bathe regularly, and keep one's body free from filth and disgrace. This is what is meant by woman's bearing. Concentrate on one's weaving and spinning. Love no silly play nor laughter. Prepare wine and food neatly and orderly to offer to the guests. This is what is meant by woman's work.

See also Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues Chbab srey - Cambodian traditional code of conduct for women Good Wife, Wise Mother

References

Bibliography Kelleher, M. Theresa (2005). "San-ts'ung ssu-te". In Taylor, Rodney L.; Choy, Howard Y.F. (eds.). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Confucianism. Vol. 2 N-Z. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 496. ISBN 9780823940813. Knapp, Keith (2015). "Sancong side 三从四德 (Threefold obedience and four virtues)". In Yao Xinzhong (ed.). Encyclopedia of Confucianism. Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 9781317793489.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Three Obediences and Four Virtues

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Three Obediences and Four Virtues claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Three Obediences and Four Virtues before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Three Obediences and Four Virtues ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Three Obediences and Four Virtues

In research: Three Obediences and Four Virtues appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Three Obediences and Four Virtues in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Three Obediences and Four Virtues is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Confucian ethics, East Asian philosophy, Filial piety, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Three Obediences and Four Virtues outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Three Obediences and Four Virtues in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Three Obediences and Four Virtues means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Three Obediences and Four Virtues out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Three Obediences and Four Virtues in simple terms?

Why does Three Obediences and Four Virtues matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Three Obediences and Four Virtues?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Three Obediences and Four Virtues.