Suzhou Ming Social Life Ming period (1368 to 1644) one of the great eras of orderly government and...

Suzhou Ming Social Life

Ming period (1368 to 1644) one of the great eras of orderly government and social stability in human history. 100,000,000 + population enjoyed 276 years of relative peace.

Suzhou: Ming Social Life

The population was organized into military, artisanand civilian categories. They were registered in thetax lists under their households and landholdings.

Households were obliged to provide labor serviceaccording to the number of registered adult malesbetween sixteen and sixty years of age.

Public works labor service was one of the adult maleresponsibilities. This service was organized underthe “li-jia” system, under which each 110 neighboringhouseholds formed a “li” or “village”. Each year oneof the 10 leading families superintended 1/10 of theremaining 100 households, to form a “jia” or “section”,responsible for local labor service during the year.


The founding emperor, Hong Wu, reinstated the CivilService Examination System for selection of officialsat every level of government:

Preliminary examinations in the County Town (Xian)

Prefectural examinations two of every three years,successful passing of which won the Xiucai degree. TheXiucai degree holders would be re-examined, usuallyevery 3 years. They were also authorized to take thequalification exam for the highest level exam of all --

the Jinshi, from among whom the highest rankingofficials in the empire were chosen. These Jinshialso had to take periodic re-evaluation exams.


In general, from the 14th to the early 19th centuries,the Chinese economy seems to have grown in almost all itsaspects -- population, area of cultivated land, volume offoreign trade, production of handicaft and industrialgoods, and even in the use of money.

Transportation and communication all advanced under theMing administration, first to ensure safe delivery oftax grain from the southern producers to the northernparts of the country, especially after the capital wasmoved from Nanjing to Beijing under the reign of YongLe.


Now, let’s take a closer look at Suzhou during the Mingperiod, as depicted in the famous scroll painting by theMing painter Qiu Ying, “Riverside Scenes at the Qing-Ming Festival”


Courtyardhome, seenfrom above


A bride being carriedoff to her new home,with carriers andporters


Here we see a “MarriageDate Calculator”, and tohis right, a store that isadvertising “qing-xiao”, a“Cut-throat Sale”


A manufacturer of tinimplements, storefrontwith manufactory behind


Gold-inlaid lacquerwarestore; incense factory;mobile puppet theatreon the street; court-yard home below


Store selling grains,rice and beans, thesupplies being delivered by theboat.


Ceramics storefront.Notice the Suzhougarden behind thestorefront, with aswing, bamboo, andTaihu stones.


A lumber company on the waterfront, forconvenient shipping,receiving, and sales.Is that a Buddhistmonk wearing a stupahat?


Noodle shop below; behind, a “singingyoyo”; above, a manpaying for a goat?


Precious metal jewelrystore at upper left; acarpentry; below,residences


Shoe repair shop on left;woodworking shop on right


Silk and Satin merchanton right; letter-writingservice to his left (most of the populationwas illiterate, and hadto hire letter-writers.We write our own letters today, but stillhire calligraphers formore beautiful writing)


Palanquin stopping by a docked boat


Silver exchange shopon a crowded bridge


“Authentic” herbalmedicine shop;Arts and craftsshop; fan salesmanon the street


Goods delivered to your door


“Hall of AssembledWorthies” Bookstore,advertising “ancient andmodern poetry and proseby famous writers”


Flower shop on the left,“Southern GoodsDistribution” storefronton the right.


Herbalist above;pack animals carryinggoods to market;residence below


“Male and FemaleInternal and ExternalMedical Clinic” (left);“Former Residence ofGovernor Zhou” (right)


Pediatric Clinic andstreet scene


Puppet show in front of an Academy


Upper right: a turtlesoup restaurant; middle,a guest house with atennent examining aportrait painting; below,salesmen and a personin a palanquin.


Even in the most stablesocieties, there will bethe occasional street-fight. Each combatantis holding onto the other’s long hair, andthree others are tryingto pull them apart.Notice the taxi passengerbeing pulled at lower left


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Suzhou Ming Social Life Ming period (1368 to 1644) one of the great eras of orderly government and...

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