Liu Ye'er felt a deep sense of lament in her heart as she said, "Two sayings have long been misunderstood. The phrase 'Only women and petty men are difficult to provide for' actually uses 'women' to refer to one's wife at home, while 'petty men' refers to one's children. We do not use the word 'provide for' when speaking of outsiders. This is actually a discussion on family education. In the past, families often had a division of roles where the father was strict and the mother was kind; mothers were prone to spoiling children, while fathers were tasked with strict discipline. However, the measure of severity is truly hard to grasp—too lenient, and it fails to educate; too strict, and it may trigger resentment from mother and child. That is why Confucius made such a remark. In reality, he never meant to look down upon women.
"Then there is the saying, 'Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest.' Bearing and raising children is the only way for humanity to multiply and continue life. If everyone chose not to reproduce, then humanity, nations, and countries would all face the danger of extinction. Therefore, having children is not just a personal matter; it concerns the fate of the nation and the people.
"Everyone must also understand one point: the phrase is 'having no descendants is the greatest,' not 'having no sons is the greatest.' This does not reflect a bias toward men over women; it has simply been misinterpreted by later generations. You must …
Chapter 399