Research On The Maternal Education In The Tang Dynasty

The family was the place where most mothers educated their children,and maternal education differed markedly from class to class.The royal family’s maternal education generally emphasised diligence,frugality,filial piety,loyalty to the emperor and respect for superiors,obedience to the rites and laws,and adherence to the law;the crown prince focused on virtue and reputation,while the general royal son was loyal to the rites and laws;the education of the princesses in the early Tang period favoured cultural competence,while after the Wu Zhou period maternal virtue and rites and laws became mainstream;the princesses became mothers and passed on the education they received to their children.The imperial mothers taught their children by word and example,and incorporated education into their daily lives.The mothers of the eunuchs were highly cultured and educated their children in a rich manner,influenced by Confucian culture.In the Tang dynasty,the method of obtaining scholars gradually changed from one that focused on the shade of the door to one that focused on the imperial examinations,and mothers also paid more attention to the content of the imperial examinations,mainly the Confucian classics such as the Book of Songs,the Book of Filial Piety and the Book of Shang Shu;the education of the eunuchs was different from one period to another,with similarities and differences,such as the early Tang period In later writings,mothers during the Wu Zhou period taught their children to be loyal to Li Tang rather than Wu Zhou;around the time of the An Shi Rebellion,mothers focused on educating their children in the idea of loyalty to the emperor;the political situation influenced the content of mothers’ education;although mothers could not directly participate in politics,they profoundly influenced the political process through the education of their children;the focus of educating daughters was on morality,Buddhism and talent.Moral education focused on chastity and obedience,while Buddhist education taught Buddhist scriptures,both of which were taught by example.Talented education focused on music and calligraphy.The mothers of the eunuchs taught both by word and by example,and were strict and compassionate in their approach to education.The mothers of the commoner class were usually motivated rather than taught themselves;they focused on ’filial piety’ education to prepare for the needs of the elderly,and on ’ritual’education for their children.Through motivation and moral education,some mothers succeeded in guiding their sons into the world of work.The education of the commoner mothers included motivation,leading by example and giving advice.Mothering had a profound impact on all levels of society,as mothers educated or influenced their own sons and daughters,while at the same time contributing to their own later changes in social and family status,thus creating a two-way interaction.