tòng tử
Definition
- Noun (Historical / Confucian Social Principle):
- To follow one's son: A feudal Confucian doctrine dictating that a widow must submit to the authority of her eldest son after her husband's death. It represents the third of the "Three Obediences" (tam tòng) for women.
- The obedience of a widow: The specific state or practice of a woman transferring her allegiance from her deceased husband to her son.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Quan niệm "tam tòng" bao gồm: tại gia tòng phụ, xuất giá tòng phu, phu tử tòng tử." (The "Three Obediences" concept includes: at home, obey your father; married, obey your husband; husband dead, obey your son.)
- Chế độ phong kiến áp đặt "phu tử tòng tử", khiến người phụ nữ góa bụa không có quyền tự quyết." (The feudal system imposed "fuzi tongzi," leaving widowed women with no right to self-determination.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in historical, sociological, or feminist critiques of traditional East Asian patriarchal systems. It is not used in modern daily conversation.
- It is a key component in discussing the "tam tòng tứ đức" (Three Obediences and Four Virtues), the traditional ethical code for women.
Variants and Related Words
- Tam tòng (n): The Three Obediences. The full principle to which "tòng tử" belongs.
- Tòng phụ (n): The obedience to one's father (the first obedience).
- Tòng phu (n): The obedience to one's husband (the second obedience).
Synonyms
- Filial submission (of a widow): The act of a widow submitting to her son's authority.
- Posthumous obedience: Obedience transferred after the husband's death.
Related Concepts
- Patriarchy: A social system where men hold primary power, which this principle exemplifies.
- Feudal ethics: The moral codes of a feudal society, often criticized for repressing women's autonomy.
- Tứ đức (n): The Four Virtues (cong, dung, ngon, hanh) – often paired with the "Three Obediences."