Tang Dynasty(618-907): Social Organizations

Sources

Social Stratification. Chinese society was stratified during the Tang dynasty, as it had been in previous dynasties. The shi(scholar-official class), which derived its social prestige and economic wealth not only from family inheritances but also from the academic degrees earned by men who passed the civil service examinations and obtained subsequent official appointments, was the top stratum of society. The nong (peasantry), which was the primary taxpaying body and bulk of the Chinese population, came next in the social strata. Occupying the level just below that of the nong were the gong (artisans). They were

the secondary taxpayers and producers of goods. On the bottom of the social structure was the shang (merchant class), whose members were condemned as social parasites. Discriminated against and restricted by imperial policies, they had been despised by the general public since ancient times. In reality, however, there were many cases throughout Chinese history in which great merchants not only enjoyed extravagant lifestyles but also were accepted into government service and the imperial court.

Examinations and the Scholar-Officials. The Tang dynasty continued the system of government schools and examinations of the previous dynasty. Specialized national schools were established in the capital. In addition, many prefectures and districts also ran official institutions to help talented students prepare for the examinations. The Ministry of Rites held examinations for students from the government schools and for nominees sent by local governments. There were two chief academic degrees: the xiucai (flowering talent) for current political issues, and the jinshi (presented scholar) for letters. The latter was the most prestigious degree and the primary passage to officialdom. Prior to being awarded a government appointment, those men who succeeded in obtaining the jinshi title had to enter a second series of examinations administered by the Ministry of Personnel. Applicants were tested and judged both on their written answers and on their physical appearance and verbal eloquence. The Tang examination system helped create a bureaucracy of merit that selected, by and large, the most talented men to run its government machine. Furthermore, the examination system fostered an intellectually unified nation, since those men who desired the degree and the subsequent imperial appointment had to acquire the same classical education. The system, however, was weighted overall in favor of the rich and powerful. Only those boys who were supported by wealthy families could sustain the lengthy education and preparation necessary for passing the examinations.

Sources

Woodbridge Bingham, The Founding of the T’ang Dynasty: The Fall of Sui and Rise of T’ang, a Preliminary Survey (Baltimore: Waverly, 1941).

John K. Fairbank and others, East Asia: Tradition and Transformation (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1973).

Herbert Franke and Denis Twitchett, eds., The Cambridge History of China, volume 6, Alien Regimes and Border States, 907-1368 (Cambridge Sc New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994).

Witold Rodzinski, A History of China, 2 volumes (Oxford & New York: Pergamon, 1979, 1983).

Arthur F. Wright and Twitchett, eds., Perspectives on the Tang (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1973).