I found this article on Patriarchy quite a useful read - the section about patriarchy in religion is interesting, particularly the bit on (ancient) Chinese patriarchy:
"Chinese philosopher *Mencius outlined the Three Subordinations: A woman was to be subordinate to her father in youth, her husband in maturity, and her son in old age. Repeated throughout ancient Chinese tradition, the familiar notion that men govern the outer world, while women govern the home serves as a cliché of classical texts and Confucianism."
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Patriarchy
Staying with Mencius, it would seem his own mother played a prominent role in his life - reinforcing the long held concept of Mother being the supreme role for a woman. (Hopefully, not any longer).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mencius
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