In the long history of China, there are many cultural traditions and taboos, some of which may be difficult for modern people to understand. Zhang Zhidong's ban on the use of the phrase "fangshi" (lit. "household affairs") is one of them. Why would this renowned reformer and educator at the end of the Qing Dynasty ban the use of these two words together? The answer to this question lies in his careful consideration and deep understanding of social customs.

Firstly, it's important to understand that Zhang Zhidong was a person who highly valued education and morality. He believed that language is a reflection of people's thoughts and actions, and therefore, the use of language should be very cautious. In his view, the phrase "fangshi" could cause some unnecessary misunderstandings and troubles.

In traditional Chinese culture, "fang" usually refers to a family or household, while "shi" refers to affairs or events. When these two words are combined, they could be misunderstood as referring to family affairs or clan affairs, which could cause embarrassment and confusion in certain situations. For example, if someone accidentally uses the phrase "fangshi" when discussing their work or studies, they may be misinterpreted as discussing private family or clan matters, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings.

Furthermore, Zhang Zhidong also considered the potential gender discrimination issues associated with the phrase "fangshi". In feudal society, women's status was often overlooked, and the phrase "fangshi" could be misunderstood as only referring to male matters, which undoubtedly disrespects women. Therefore, Zhang Zhidong decided to ban the use of the phrase "fangshi" to protect women's rights.

Overall, Zhang Zhidong's ban on the phrase "fangshi" stemmed from his careful consideration of language use and deep understanding of social customs. He hoped to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and troubles through this measure, while also protecting women's rights. His thoughtful approach and deep understanding of social customs are undoubtedly still worthy of our learning and reference today.

　　Disclaimer: The above content is sourced from the internet and the copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement of your original copyright, please inform us and we will delete the relevant content as soon as possible.