what it was like...
Life in ancient China was very hard for women. Men ruled their wives and daughters. If the father were to die the son of the father would then resume control of the family. Parents were the ones to choose who their son or daughter married the children had no say in it. Baby boys were valued much higher than girls. Boys would be taken care of so they could grow up and continue the family name, while baby girls were often left out to die. Boys usually worked on farms but a small amount of them did go to school to learn how to read and write. Upper class officials were referred to as mandarins. Anyone who could pass the test to become one could, but many failed.