Final answer:
Women in Southeast Asia generally had higher social status and more freedom compared to those in China and India, partially due to less stratified social structures and selective adaptation of foreign cultures. However, the spread of Buddhism and Hinduism introduced some patriarchal elements, with the status of women varying across regions and over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatment of women in Southeast Asia differed significantly from their counterparts in China and India. In Southeast Asia, the social structure was less stratified, and women enjoyed a higher status, particularly in peasant communities, compared to women in China, who lived under strict Confucian values that emphasized subservience. Indigenous cultures in Southeast Asia were also more adaptable and selective in their adoption of foreign cultural practices, often modifying them to fit local contexts.
While Indianized states and the penetration of Buddhism and Hinduism brought some changes, often integrating patriarchal components, the impact on women's status was not as uniform or severe as in China, where the Confucian ethos and later events, such as those involving the Japanese military during World War II, demonstrated strong patriarchal tendencies. Southeast Asian women were often more involved in their communities' spiritual life, especially during the early spread of Buddhism which offered them greater independence and freedom within a still somewhat patriarchal religious structure.
In certain regions, like Champa, historical records suggest an even higher status for women. However, the pervasive influence of colonialism and local interpretations of imported cultures inevitably produced mixed outcomes for women's rights and status across different parts of Southeast Asia.