Essay on Gender and the Status of Women, as Noted by European Observers

The European observers see the condition of Women to be different from men. They believe that women are pretty and attractive to most men. Women use a lot of make-up to increase their beauty as opposed to men counterparts (Michael and Berkeley, 1995, pg 275). They blackened their teeth artificially with different kinds of varnish to make their mouths unique. There were also other men who discolor their teeth at the age of 15 and 16 years. Women only do this when they have reached the age of marriage. At the same age, they also dye their hair black because most men regard black color as beautiful as compared to fair hair. Men were also concerned about their head than the beards. They keep their hair long and their head hair was drawn back from the middle of the skull. These men take almost the whole morning making their hair through combing and spraying it with scented oils. In most cases, they walk with umbrellas to protect their hair from rain and hot weather.

All women were of good looking and they seem graceful. Married women also stained their teeth black using the bark of trees (Michael and Berkeley, 1995, pg 251). They did not keep fair hair or did they have blue eyes but on rare occasions did they use perfumes or apply oil on their faces. These women are extraordinary because they do not wear filthy things that other women use. This makes them different from Japanese women who usually clean their faces with water from the pond. Japanese women do not use too much cosmetics and their men are very polite as compared to Chinese men. They are usually modest and they only become immodest after the death of their husbands and when they have acquired more wealth. They can also become immodest when they are overwhelmed with poverty since their childhood. They were different from Chinese women who are fond of using cosmetics before and after marriage.

The Worst women in the World are those who take alcohol. This usually happens only to the lowest women (Michael and Berkeley, 1995, pg 237). This cannot happen to married women because they are regarded as the most upright and faithful women in the World. Married women among the Japanese women do not take alcohol but behave in a respectful manner than Chinese Women. The Japanese women also embrace the holy faith as compared to other people in the World. Both men and women in Japan are very prudent and their actions are controlled by reason. In Japan men usually like hearing sermons on the best way, there can serve their God. They like one another and in most cases, they envy nobody (Michael and Berkeley, 1995, 269). Furthermore, they do not like gossiping and always respect fellow women. They always try to avoid conflicts and unnecessary troubles. Unlike women in the USA who are troublesome and do not fear their men. In Japan, gender is a very important thing. Women have the obligation of respecting their men. There are also gender roles as women play separate roles with main. Japanese women are concerned with a matter relating to food and household chores unlike other women around the World.

Work Cited

Michael Cooper and S. J. Berkeley (1995). An Anthology of European Reports on Japan, Michigan Classics in Japanese Studies Chapter 15-16 page234-291