Confucian scholars in early China played a significant role in shaping women's gender roles. They believed in maintaining strict social hierarchies and promoted the idea of filial piety, which emphasized obedience and submission to authority figures. Women were expected to be obedient daughters, obedient wives, and obedient mothers. Confucianism reinforced the patriarchal norms of Chinese society and restricted women's access to education, public life, and political participation. As a result, women were confined to the private sphere and their primary role was considered to be homemakers and caretakers for their families.
