Chapter 15 Section 3:China: Patterns of

Life

1. Who did peasants rely 1. Who did peasants rely on?on?

Self-sufficient & self-reliantSelf-sufficient & self-reliant Relied on familyRelied on family HeadmanHeadman Had little contact with distant rulersHad little contact with distant rulers

2. Social Classes2. Social Classes

All people were not equalAll people were not equal Age, gender, education, and occupation Age, gender, education, and occupation

determined a persons place in societydetermined a persons place in society

3. Organization of Social 3. Organization of Social ClassesClasses

GentryGentry PeasantsPeasants ArtisansArtisans MerchantsMerchants SoldiersSoldiers

4. Gentry4. Gentry

Wealthy landowners, educated by Wealthy landowners, educated by Confucian classicsConfucian classics

They looked down on those who did They looked down on those who did physical laborphysical labor To show they didn’t have to work with their To show they didn’t have to work with their

hands they let their fingernails grow very longhands they let their fingernails grow very long

Government officials & scholars, Government officials & scholars, collected taxes and advised the emperorcollected taxes and advised the emperor

5. Majority of the People5. Majority of the People The vast majority were peasantsThe vast majority were peasants Owned land or tenant farmersOwned land or tenant farmers Paid taxes but avoided imperial Paid taxes but avoided imperial

governmentgovernment Feared the government’s harsh system of Feared the government’s harsh system of

justice and punishmentjustice and punishment

Enjoyed limited leisure timeEnjoyed limited leisure time Celebrated festivals & enjoyed tales told by Celebrated festivals & enjoyed tales told by

storytellersstorytellers

6. Describe differences 6. Describe differences between Gentry & Peasantsbetween Gentry & Peasants

Gentry Gentry no physical laborno physical labor government officialsgovernment officials time and wealth to time and wealth to

support the artssupport the arts

PeasantsPeasants physical laborphysical labor little to do with how little to do with how

nation was rulednation was ruled poor and most of poor and most of

their day workingtheir day working

7. Village Headman7. Village Headman

Kept orderKept order Resolved disputesResolved disputes Did not want to involve Imperial Did not want to involve Imperial

governmentgovernment

8. Social Mobility8. Social Mobility

EducationEducation Families would use their wealth to Families would use their wealth to

educate their sonseducate their sons Young men would then have to pass civil Young men would then have to pass civil

service examsservice exams ensured that officials shared Confucian ensured that officials shared Confucian

values and traditions.values and traditions. Women “marry up”Women “marry up”

Artisans & MerchantsArtisans & Merchants

Produced the goods the Gentry and Produced the goods the Gentry and peasants did notpeasants did not

Achieved social mobility through Achieved social mobility through educating their childreneducating their children

At times an entire village supported At times an entire village supported the education of only one studentthe education of only one student

9. Joint Families9. Joint Families

Ideal in ChinaIdeal in China Farming societiesFarming societies

By working together families could By working together families could produce what it needed to surviveproduce what it needed to survive

Patrilineal and PatrilocalPatrilineal and Patrilocal

10. Values of traditional 10. Values of traditional familyfamily

Family firstFamily first Respect for eldersRespect for elders Filial pietyFilial piety Duty Duty HarmonyHarmony

11. Reverence for Ancestors11. Reverence for Ancestors or Venerationor Veneration Filial PietyFilial Piety

Family’s interests before their ownFamily’s interests before their own Believed that the extended family included Believed that the extended family included

the living, the dead, & all future the living, the dead, & all future generationsgenerations

Ancestors lived in another world and Ancestors lived in another world and depended on descendants to provide them depended on descendants to provide them with necessitieswith necessities Without them the ancestors would become Without them the ancestors would become

ghosts & their descendants would sufferghosts & their descendants would suffer

12. Marriages12. Marriages Arranged MarriagesArranged Marriages

Gentry strengthened their position in societyGentry strengthened their position in society

Families consulted their ancestors for Families consulted their ancestors for approval approval

Go-Between (Matchmaker) worked out Go-Between (Matchmaker) worked out the details of the marriage the details of the marriage ex. the dowryex. the dowry

Priests studies birth dates to determine Priests studies birth dates to determine wedding day that would bring good wedding day that would bring good fortunefortune

13. Woman’s role 13. Woman’s role

Inferior to men---PatriarchalInferior to men---Patriarchal Girls were valued for their work and Girls were valued for their work and

motherhoodmotherhood Daughters births were not celebrated, Daughters births were not celebrated,

sons births reveredsons births revered When she married she left the family & When she married she left the family &

became part of her husband’s familybecame part of her husband’s family Under guidance of mother-in-lawUnder guidance of mother-in-law

14. Practice in 950AD14. Practice in 950AD Foot Binding – Foot Binding –

Painful Memories for China's Footbinding Survivors – NPR Hyperlink

Kept the feet smallKept the feet small Began at imperial court but spread to many parts of Began at imperial court but spread to many parts of

ChinaChina Women with bound feet were thought to be beautifulWomen with bound feet were thought to be beautiful to turn them into the prized "three-inch golden to turn them into the prized "three-inch golden

lotuses." lotuses." Feared that they would not be able to find a husband Feared that they would not be able to find a husband

for a daughter who had large feetfor a daughter who had large feet Banned in 1912Banned in 1912

Legend has it that the origins of footbinding go back as far Legend has it that the origins of footbinding go back as far as the Shang dynasty (1700-1027 B.C.). The Shang as the Shang dynasty (1700-1027 B.C.). The Shang Empress had a clubfoot, so she demanded that Empress had a clubfoot, so she demanded that footbinding be made compulsory in the court. footbinding be made compulsory in the court.

But historical records from the Song dynasty (960-1279 But historical records from the Song dynasty (960-1279 A.D.) date footbinding as beginning during the reign of Li A.D.) date footbinding as beginning during the reign of Li Yu, who ruled over one region of China between 961-975. Yu, who ruled over one region of China between 961-975. It is said his heart was captured by a concubine, Yao It is said his heart was captured by a concubine, Yao Niang, a talented dancer who bound her feet to suggest Niang, a talented dancer who bound her feet to suggest the shape of a new moon and performed a "lotus dance."the shape of a new moon and performed a "lotus dance."

Shoe For a Bounded Shoe For a Bounded FootFoot

-The shoe is slightly larger -The shoe is slightly larger

than a pack of cigarettesthan a pack of cigarettes

Body Modification is Body Modification is common in many common in many

CulturesCultures

How did tradition benefit How did tradition benefit Chinese society?Chinese society?

Creates orderCreates order