E China province bans classes preaching female obedience

NANJING - The eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu has banned its training institutes from preaching being obedient wives under the guise of traditional Chinese cultures.

The Jiangsu education department said in a recent notice that the so-called "woman virtue class" is banned together with others teaching divination, feng shui and fortune telling.

The notice, which mainly targets privately-run training institutes, said "traditional Chinese studies" should not be used to spread the "dross of the feudal eras."

The "female virtue class" started to attract media attention in 2014 by citing ancient Chinese classics to promote ideas like "never divorce" and "don't hit back when being hit." Many have been shut down amid public criticism of male chauvinism and tarnishing traditional Chinese culture.