"Strong Houses" In China

Significant changes encompass in II-VI vols. And the scope of social order in China, Before the loss of political unity and the weakening of centralized power led to the strengthening of particular tendencies in society, the formation of closed class groups. There is an increase in clan corporations. The socio-political role of "strong home" is growing substantially.

They become centers of attraction of the surrounding population, falling from them in a different kind of dependence. Such attraction was provided either by force or by guarantees of protection during the described troubled time, for, as noted, they acquired armed detachments. Accordingly, their economic power also grew. In this connection, researchers consider it possible to say that at the indicated time "strong houses" take on the organizing role in society.

In accordance with the strengthening role of "strong houses", the significance of the rural community, which has long been noticeable in the life of Chinese society, has been weakened. Village elders lost their "official" status. There was a new type of settlement-tsun - at manors of "strong houses". Governmental authorities, in turn, tried to plant community associations on top, so that it would be easier to exercise control and tax functions, and also to prevent people leaving under the so-called patronage of "strong houses".

In the Northern Wei Empire, unions were created but 5, 25 and 125 households headed by the elders, and in Northern Qi - 10, 50, 100 households. However, these fiscal communities remained an artificial institution and could not replace the real rural communities that provided a certain share of self-government of the rural population. "Strong houses" in China ...

The increase in the meaning of "strong houses" and the weakening of the community led to a general decline in the status of ordinary people. "Acceded" and "guests" in the "strong crowbars" turned into inferior categories of the population associated with the patron bonded bondage. Their direct exploitation also grew.

"All those who went under the protection, did not pay duty to the treasury, but influential and strong houses collected from them a tax part of the crop, twice the tax established by the treasury." There was a special generalized term - "dastardly people" (jian jen), which denoted various categories of the under-qualified population, along with slaves, also available at the time described.

On the other hand, the all-in-one system strengthened the attachment of legally free peasants to the land, put them in the position of state-liable (for the receipt by the adult population of the land and its processing were considered mandatory). Therefore, the researchers talk about the process of transforming them into feudal-dependent ones that took place in the noted period, which, naturally, led to a decrease in their social status.

"Strong Houses" in China