Traditional society saw women as virtuous wives and loving mothers.
Tips
culture
A key norm of Confucian family ideology. Lu Xun criticized the related 贤母良妻主义 (the 'good wife ideology') in 《坟·寡妇主义》 as limiting to women. Today the phrase is used both positively and critically, depending on context.
usage
Neutral-to-positive in everyday use, but can sound dated or patronizing in feminist discussion. Context matters a lot.