在这个制度里妇女担当的是什么角色

3　在这个制度里妇女担当的是什么角色　What was a woman's role in this system?

A woman had no legal status.She could not inherit property from her father or husband and had no money of her own.She was throughout her life subservient to and dependent upon men—first her father，then her husband，and finally her sons.A widow was usually not allowed to remarry.

A woman did achieve some status by giving birth to sons.She could even look forward to being able to play a dominant role when the brides of her sons were brought into household.If a family prospered，the wife could expect other wives and concubines to be added to the household，especially if she had failed to produce a son.

In ancient China it was normal and socially acceptable for a man to take more than one wife，especially if the first wife did not produce male offspring，provided that the family's income made it possible to support additional wives.Men of means were legally allowed to have as many concubines as they wanted.A number of emperors were notorious for the size of their harems.A concubine might be called by a variety of terms，usually involving the syllable qie(妾，concubine).In modern Chinese，a wife is normally referred to as a taitai(太太)while a concubine is referred to as a“little taitai(小太太)”.However there was always a distinction between the first wife and a secondary wife or concubine.The first wife was normally expected to have a superior position above later wives or concubines，and many may have welcomed their assistance as well as their company.

Notes: 1)inherit 继承 2)subservient 充当下手的 3)dependent 依靠的 4)dominant 占优势的 5)offspring子孙，后代 6)harem 妻妾，女眷