Study of Family in the Song Dynasty

Author: Xing Tie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: This book is based on historical methods and draws on the research approaches and methods of related disciplines such as anthropology and sociology to conduct an in-depth and meticulous examination of the family during the Song Dynasty. It provides an in-depth analysis of China's family division methods and holds significant importance for studying the characteristics of China's socio-economic development. The manuscript, grounded in historical methods and drawing on the research approaches and methods of related disciplines—such as anthropology, sociology, and legal studies—conducts an in-depth and meticulous examination of major topics related to the Song Dynasty family, offering unique insights. The manuscript is divided into three parts: Upper, Middle, and Lower, each elaborating on three important topics of Song Dynasty family research:
1. The Formation and Connotation of the "Song-Type Family." The evolution of ancient Chinese family structures underwent three stages, with the "Song-Type Family" being another significant stage following the "Han-Type Family" and the "Tang-Type Family." The author argues that the formation of the "Song-Type Family" was directly related to Song Dynasty tax and labor systems and the household classification system. The "Song-Type Family," shaped by the socio-economic foundation of the Song Dynasty, represents the optimal balance between a family's ability to support and its needs for support. Property was owned by the family, not the clan, and unlike modern times, it was not individually owned—only family property, no individual property—marking the primary feature of property ownership in Chinese history. Additionally, the author discusses the special cases of large, multi-generational cohabiting families during the Song Dynasty, family interpersonal relationships, the status of women in the family, and the relationship between the family and the clan.
2. The Impact of the Song Dynasty Household Classification System on Family Economy. The Northern and Southern Song Dynasties were the periods when the household classification system was most developed and its role most fully realized. The main body of the system during this time was the five-tier rural household classification system, with the primary focus being on rural households. At the same time, the Song Dynasty also introduced a formal classification system for urban households. The author believes that classifying rural households into five tiers was primarily for the levy of labor and differential duties, and it was closely related to all aspects of the tax and labor system. The rural five-tier household system was the main basis for the Song Dynasty's fiscal system. It also achieved a high degree of accuracy and refinement in reflecting the economic strata and lives of rural families. Furthermore, the author examines the economic lives of households outside the five-tier system, such as tenant households. He argues that renting oxen for farming was a significant sign of the expansion of tenant relationships during the Song Dynasty and an important factor affecting the economic lives of tenant households.
3. Family Inheritance and the Transmission of Family Lineages. In the same historical stage of ancient societies, Western Europe, Japan, and South Korea practiced an inheritance system where only the eldest son inherited, while younger sons generally had no right to inherit property. In contrast, China commonly adopted the practice of equal division of property among all sons. All sons had the same rights to inherit property. Taking this as a starting point, the author delves into the division of property in direct-lineage blood families during the Tang and Song Dynasties, the rights of women during the division process, and the relationship between property inheritance and the transmission of family lineages. Family property inheritance was once a marker used by some scholars to distinguish ancient China from medieval Europe. They believed that under Europe's eldest son inheritance system, other brothers had to fend for themselves, accelerating colonial activities and shaping the history of colonial expansion, thereby altering the global landscape. Japanese scholar Tatsuo Hayashi also argued that one reason for Japan's rapid economic development was that it "destroyed the family." Therefore, an in-depth analysis of China's family division methods is of great significance for studying the characteristics of China's socio-economic development.