that although scholars tend to discuss China in universalizing terms, a significant amount of variation has always existed in the country in all realms of social organization, including the family and extended lineage systems, a point explored in great detail in Ebrey and Watson (1986). While all of China might, in the time period under discussion, adhere to both patriarchal and Confucian ideals about the structure of the family, patrimony, proper methods of determining and extending lineage, etc., different regions would have varied both in their interpretations of these ideals and in their enthusiasm i
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