| dc.description.abstract | ＂Gender Equality＂ is a continuously debated issue in ancestral worship organizations. In early Hakka society, these organizations were significant social structures with the primary purposes of ancestor worship, promoting filial piety, and preserving clan culture. Additionally, Western scholars have noted the economic importance of these organizations to their members. As times have changed, traditional values may conflict with gender equality principles in current legal systems. The debate centers on whether women can qualify as inheritors in these traditionally male-centered organizations, sparking significant academic discussion.
This article examines the issue of inheritors and related questions, exploring whether gender discrimination persists in Hakka ancestral worship organizations under the influence of Constitutional Interpretation No. 1 of 2023. It investigates whether traditional cultural values are changing with the times and policy advancements and the actual state of gender equality in these organizations.
The study found that some Hakka ancestral worship organizations are beginning to recognize families lacking male descendants by accepting female descendants as qualified inheritors when revising their regulations. Traditionally, unmarried children lost their inheritor status upon marriage, but this has changed. Married women now retain their inheritor status and inheritance rights. However, many Hakka ancestral worship systems still have internal rules to screen out non-surname members, requiring descendants of married women to inherit with their mother′s surname to preserve inheritance rights and prevent a mix of surnames in the future.
Most respondents hold conservative views on same-sex marriage, considering it contrary to traditional values and not yet widespread, thus reluctant to discuss it deeply. Only a few respondents indicated that if an inheritor were in a same-sex marriage, a meeting would be convened to discuss the issue, and decisions would be made on whether to include the inheritor and their spouse based on collective discussion outcomes. This indicates that managers tend to respect collective decisions with an open attitude when facing real situations.
Many Hakka clans still hold reservations about women serving as inheritors, viewing it as a violation of the patrilineal and consanguineous traditional purpose. Such opposition means that women still face multiple pressures from family and society in their struggle for rights. With legal policy changes and gradually opening social attitudes, the fight for women′s status in Hakka ancestral worship organizations will inevitably develop in diverse ways. As it stands, there is still a long road ahead in this struggle. | en_US |