Beijing: A Chinese province has shutdown a "female virtue class" run by a traditional Chinese study school following criticism that it taught women to be obedient housewives by preaching morals like "grin and bear" violent acts and "never divorce".
"If you are hit, don't hit back; If you are scolded, don't yell back," the Mengzheng Traditional Chinese Study School, which operates in Dongguan City in Guangdong Province taught in its "female virtues" class.
It has been asked to close the class following severe online public criticism?that it aims to preach women to be obedient wives under the guise of traditional Chinese culture, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Investigators said the class is against social morals and sought profit under the disguise of charity.
The Mengzheng Traditional Chinese Study School, which operates the class, was also not licensed for running educational programmes, the publicity department of Dongguan government told Xinhua.
The school operated 12 such classes a year, each recruiting about 50 members.
Its lecturers apparently cited Confucius' works and other ancient Chinese classics to support its ideas telling women to "grin and bear it" and "never divorce".
Southern Weekly newspaper reported one lecturer claimed that a woman should cut off her womb and breasts if she wishes to be an iron woman.
Reports earlier this month have triggered huge controversy on the internet, with many comments accusing it of tarnishing traditional Chinese culture and showing blatant male chauvinism.
"I wonder if there is a 'male virtue class'," one microblogger commented.
