The life of a peasant
The typical life of a peasant was not what you would normally imagine. It entailed many things not typically experienced in today’s modern society for the majority of people. This included farming land for their communities benefit, having to work for the government for at least 1 month per year, peasant women marrying men who they necessarily didn’t like but didn’t have a choice in the matter, not being able to go to school unless your family was wealthy and was only allowed if you were male.
Peasants in Ancient China led a very simple family life. Everyone in their household had to obey the father of the house. His wife and children had to obey him with all matters whether they liked it or not. Throughout their whole life, they had to respect their elders and parents, even if they were deceased. Also, within families the females were given no choice to who they wanted to marry. That was all determined by their father and mother and that was determined by whether their family was rich or was well known within their community and if they could provide for them. When the women were married they had to move in with their husband's family, and from that time on she had to obey her husband’s family, but especially her mother-in-law, she would have to obey her personally until she had a male baby. If a baby was born and it was a girl, they may have been put outside their house to die, because apparently women weren’t as valuable as men.
The education of ancient Chinese peasants was minimal to nil as education was mainly reserved as a right for the wealthy and powerful families of that era. If someone was able to have an education, they would have learnt about the teachings of Confucius and studied poetry as well as have learning calligraphy. In lieu of a standard or even a basic education, peasants were demanded to work. They most commonly worked on farms planting, sowing and harvesting crops. Of these crops, a percentage of them were given to the government as a tax, even if the crops didn’t grow or had died.
Ancient Chinese society would not have lasted if there had been no lower classes- majoritively peasants. They were essential in society because they provided food for their community by farming land. Their life was very tough and they all strived to make sure that their crops grew so that they would still have enough food to feed their family sufficiently. They tried to keep their crops alive during floods and droughts, but they were equally harsh conditions to deal with because too much water can be damaging and droughts meant that the crops would not be kept hydrated. Peasants were a necessary part of ancient Chinese society as they fed everyone and therefore, kept the community striving and healthy.
Peasants were the most crucial social class in ancient Chinese society.
Peasants in Ancient China led a very simple family life. Everyone in their household had to obey the father of the house. His wife and children had to obey him with all matters whether they liked it or not. Throughout their whole life, they had to respect their elders and parents, even if they were deceased. Also, within families the females were given no choice to who they wanted to marry. That was all determined by their father and mother and that was determined by whether their family was rich or was well known within their community and if they could provide for them. When the women were married they had to move in with their husband's family, and from that time on she had to obey her husband’s family, but especially her mother-in-law, she would have to obey her personally until she had a male baby. If a baby was born and it was a girl, they may have been put outside their house to die, because apparently women weren’t as valuable as men.
The education of ancient Chinese peasants was minimal to nil as education was mainly reserved as a right for the wealthy and powerful families of that era. If someone was able to have an education, they would have learnt about the teachings of Confucius and studied poetry as well as have learning calligraphy. In lieu of a standard or even a basic education, peasants were demanded to work. They most commonly worked on farms planting, sowing and harvesting crops. Of these crops, a percentage of them were given to the government as a tax, even if the crops didn’t grow or had died.
Ancient Chinese society would not have lasted if there had been no lower classes- majoritively peasants. They were essential in society because they provided food for their community by farming land. Their life was very tough and they all strived to make sure that their crops grew so that they would still have enough food to feed their family sufficiently. They tried to keep their crops alive during floods and droughts, but they were equally harsh conditions to deal with because too much water can be damaging and droughts meant that the crops would not be kept hydrated. Peasants were a necessary part of ancient Chinese society as they fed everyone and therefore, kept the community striving and healthy.
Peasants were the most crucial social class in ancient Chinese society.