Qufu, a small town in Shandong Province, China, is known as the birthplace of Confucius — the great philosopher whose ideas continue to have a profound influence on East Asian values to this day. It was here, on 30 July 2026, that a female academic from Indonesia stood before an audience of international scholars, posing a significant question: does Confucius’s legacy truly support women’s equality in marriage?

Prof. Alimatul Qibtiyah, Ph.D., a permanent lecturer on the Master’s Programme in Islamic Communication and Broadcasting (KPI) at the Faculty of Da’wah and Communication (FDK), UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, presented a progress report on her research at the headquarters of the China Confucius Research Institute (CCRI). The presentation formed part of the prestigious “Qilu Visiting and Research Residency Programme”, attended by scholars from the United States, Bulgaria, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.

The theme addressed was not merely an academic issue. In many aspects of life, marriage still places women in a position where they are powerless to determine their own fate. “In society, there are still many unequal marriage rituals, which treat women merely as objects rather than as legal subjects equal to men,” said Prof. Alim — as he is commonly known. This symbolic inequality in marriage rituals, he argued, can have far-reaching consequences: it diminishes the happiness that is, in fact, the primary purpose of marriage.

Cross-Cultural Research

The research she is currently undertaking is entitled *Women’s Agency in Navigation and Renegotiation: A Transnational Comparative Study of Marriage Processes among Indonesian Muslims and Qufu Confucians*. This transnational comparative study examines how Indonesian Muslim women and women within the Confucian tradition in Qufu negotiate their roles and rights within marriage.

Prof. Alim — who is also active at the Kalijaga Institute for Justice (KIJ) and the Centre for Gender Mainstreaming and Children’s Rights (P2GHA) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga — announced that she had completed the first draft of her research at the international forum. Among the findings of her research were three key points: firstly, Chinese marriage law is considered to be highly gender-equitable — there is no legal division of roles that mandates the husband as head of the household or the wife as a housewife exclusively. Secondly, polygamy is strictly prohibited by national law; and thirdly, the concept of joint property (gono-gini) shares similar principles to that applicable in Indonesia, despite the different cultural backgrounds.

Reference Book

Now entering the second month of his residency, Prof. Alim plans to focus on writing a popular book entitled *Egalitarian Marriage in Indonesia and China*. This book is intended to serve as an alternative guide for the various parties involved in the administration of marriages — ranging from the government and wedding organisers to the wider public.

“Through this comparative study, it is hoped that a deeper understanding of Confucian values and marriage law in China will enrich the discourse on gender equality and strengthen Indonesia’s international academic networks,” said Prof. Alimatul Qibtiyah, Ph.D., FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga

Islam and Confucianism in Dialogue

During her research activities, Prof. Alim also visited the Confucius Temple, the Confucius Mausoleum, the Confucius Museum, and the Qufu Mosque in Shandong. At this historic mosque, she discovered an inscription that bears witness to the long-standing dialogue between Islam and local traditions.

伊儒会通

Yi Ru Hui Tong (‘Integration and Common Ground between Islam and Confucianism’)

以儒诠经

Yi Ru Quan Jing (‘Interpreting the Qur’an from a Confucian Perspective’)

These two mottos, carved into the mosque’s walls, bear witness to the legacy of earlier Chinese Muslim scholars who harmoniously engaged in dialogue between Islamic values and local traditions — a legacy of harmony that feels particularly relevant in the context of Prof. Alim’s current research.

From Confucius’s birthplace, Prof. Alim brought back more than just academic data. She brought back a story of how two great civilisations — Islam and Confucianism — once, and perhaps still can, engage with one another on the most universal of values: justice, equality and happiness in marriage. (kh)