Throughout the course of the three chapters a couple of aspects really stood out to me. To begin with, trade was extremely important and had a huge impact on the lives of many people. Trade not only encouraged individuals of the working class to specialize in particular products but also sell them in distant markets. Trade for some became a social mobility, allowing for those of elite groups the opportunity to distinguish themselves from commoners by having prestigious goods such as silk, tortoise shell, and jade. T.rade also transformed political life. The wealth accumulated from taking trade created and sustained states. Trade also became the vehicle for the spread of religious ideas, technological innovations etc.
Another important area of discussion is the role of women. Chinese homes became the primary site of textile production and women were making a large contribution to the household. In the Song dynasty the role of women was characterized by subordination under Confucian beliefs. Women and men needed to be separated in every domain of life. "The duty of husbands to be resolute and wives to be docile." What is interesting is that a mans masculinity and horseback riding capability was overshadowed by a new admiration for a man who had "refined pursuits of calligraphy, scholarship, painting, and poetry. Feminine qualities of a women were emphasized such as the weakness and delicacy, and were viewed also as a distraction to men and their "permissible and introspective life." Binding of the feet also became a rite of passage even though they often underwent extreme pain from broken bones to maintain a delicate small appearance and in order to fit into small intricately woven slippers.
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