Children in Ancient China Illustration

Children

Ancient China for Kids

In ancient China, the birth of a boy was always more important than the birth of a girl. Girls from poor families might be sold as servants to rich families. But kids in ancient China were loved. If a family had to give up a child, it was because they could not afford to feed them, not because they did not want them.

Kids lived with their parents, their grandparents, their aunts and uncles and cousins. They all lived in the same house! Their house had a shrine they used to worship their ancestors.

Kids played with toys, like marbles and kites. They helped their parents in the fields, unless they had hired help to do that for them. The girls helped their mother around the house.

Boys lived with their family all their lives. But girls moved to their husband's house once they married. Wives were no longer allowed to worship their own ancestors. They had to worship their husband's ancestors and be loyal to their husband's family. Marriages were arranged.

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