1. Chinese Society in the 17th Century A society under stress….

2. Chinese Dynasties Ming, 1368-1644 Ch’ing, 1644-1912 –The Death of Woman Wang describes the period of the 1660s-1670s Nationalist Era, 1912-1949 Communist Era, 1949-present

3. China

4. Shantung (Shandong), China

5. Our Sources and Location The Observers –Feng K’o-ts’an: wrote the Local History –Huang Liu-hung: the Magistrate –P’u Sung-Ling: the writer and story teller China –Shantung Province in Northeast China T’an-Ch’eng County –T’an-Ch’eng City and surrounding countryside

6. T’an-Ch’eng County 1622: White Lotus Rising 1641 Bandits 1643 Manchu invasion 1644 Ming Dynasty Collapses 1649 Floods 1650 Bandits 1651 Floods 1659 Floods 1668 Earthquate 1671 Locusts

7. Four Small Crises Stabilizing the economy after natural and political disasters Widows raising their children Feuds among clans or households The murder of an adulterous wife

8. Dominant Chinese Religious System: Confucianism Founded by Confucius, born 551 BCE A strong ethical, humanistic, and philosophical system Principles of li, ri, yen Analects

9. Elements of Confucian Thought Li: doing the proper thing at the proper time to build the ideal society Ri: righteousness, reciprocity, doing the right thing for the right reason Ren: kindness, empathy, living in harmony with others In the west, we might speak of the Golden Rule

10. Economics and Tax System County is rural Population has declined from 200,000 to 60,000 Land under cultivation has declined from 3.75 m acres to 1.5m acres Crops: wheat. kaoliang Major taxes were on land and on people (registered adult males) People owed ‘service’ as well, road work, repairing dikes, etc. Collection was a problem

11. Chinese Social Groups Shih (officeholders and scholars) Farmers Artisans Merchants ----- People of ‘mean status’

12. Chinese Examination System Hsien - county or preliminary exam Fu - Licentiate or baccalaureate exam- given every 2-3 years, may be repeated Chu-jen - Provincial examination, given every 3 years Chin-shih - Metropolitan examination, also triennial, merits post by emperor

13. Family Patterns and Patriarchy All male heirs inherit and may remain in parental household Women leave home of origin at marriage to reside in household of their inlaws Women bind their feet (footbinding) from about age 6 Continuing the lineage is important to family