China has very long history of societal role of men and women.

Therefore, with Chinese history changed, the Chinese societal role

would change. Today, I want to talk about the societal role of men
and women in different Chinese history timeline, such as dynasty,
revolutionary, and modern China.
First of all, in China from very early times, men have been seen as
the family. All family members were subordinate to the eldest male,
just as all loyal subjects were subservient to the Celestial Emperor.
Men can marry a lot different women; in particular emperor could
marry lots of wives and can choose one of them for his main wife.
Furthermore, other wives could not against their husband. According
to article states, during China's feudal epoch, society was malecentered. There was consequently a pervasive belief in man's
superiority over woman that continued as the ruling ideology
throughout feudal society. Women were thus regarded as little more
than bondservants in feudal China (Huo Jianying).
In the second half of the twentieth century, the family underwent
considerable change with respect to filial piety and the position of
women. When Chairman Mao built the New China, China was in the
war; China need more and more strong man to protect and built new
China, therefore, more and more women did not like their daughter
rather than son. Furthermore, more and more men can study even if
eating best foods, and girls just can stay at home to eat left foods.
There was most terrible thing in that time, the effects of advanced
technology, such as ultrasound detection, coupled with the
traditional preference for male offspring left China with a significant
gender gap and thousands of bachelors (Cara Abraham). However,
in the same century in China, Communist Revolution set out to
destroy traditional familial bonds by attacking the Four Olds--old
ideas, habits, customs, and culture--and by elevating women to an
equal position as comrades in arms. According to the article of
Womens Roles in China, there are some beneficial changes for
women embodied because Communist Party wanted to see as new
in the "new" China. Law of 1950 outlawed many harsh practices
directed against women, including arranged marriages, concubine,
dowries, and child brides. Women were also granted the right to file
for a divorce (Cara Abraham).
Last but not least, in modern China, with development of economy
and open mind, societal role of men and women gradually becomes
equality, even if there are more men than women in China. Women
and men have same chance to get education and jobs, and women
also are able to work to support in one family unit.
Reference

Huo, J. (2001, November 1). Chinese history - The Tang Dynasty

( 618 - 907 BC ) A Women of the Tang Dynasty. Retrieved
February 27, 2015, from
http://www.chinavoc.com/history/tang/women.htm
Abraham, C. (n.d.). Women's Roles in China: Changes Over Time
Tags: China, east asia, primary source world, primary sources,
women . Retrieved February 27, 2015, from
http://resources.primarysource.org/content.php?
pid=78888&sid=584078