中国古代妇女“贞节”观念的演化

Evolution of the Concept of Chastity of Women in Ancient China

社会存在决定社会意识。南宋之前,贞操、守节之类观念还未成为社会的主流价值观深入人心,女性对婚姻有较大的自主权,离婚和改嫁很正常,社会舆论对此持开放包容的态度,妇女的名誉身价也不因此而损减。南宋时期,随着民族矛盾的激化、社会结构的变化,重在思想控制进而社会控制的程朱理学大受推崇,成为社会主流意识形态,禁锢人们思想意识的道德标准、伦理纲常日益强化,妇女的婚姻自由受到严苛地压抑和束缚,'贞节'观念遂成为妇女婚变后沉重的精神枷锁。

Social existence determines social consciousness.Before the Southern Song Dynasty,the concepts of chastity and chastity preservation had not been deeply rooted in the mainstream values of the society and women had greater autonomy in marriage.It was very common to divorce and remarry.The public opinion was keeping an open and encompassing attitude and the reputation and social status of women wouldn’t get damaged because of this.During the Southern Song Dynasty period,along with the intensified ethnic conflicts,the change of social structure,Neo-Confucianism focusing on mind control and social control was highly respected and became the social mainstream ideology.The moral standards and ethical laws which imprisoned people’s ideology got increasingly strengthened and the women’s freedom of marriage was strictly oppressed and constrained.The concept of chastity became the heavy mental shackle of women after marriage crisis.