Song Confucianism And The Construction Of Clan Culture In Song Dynasty

The Chinese society has become a binary system consisting of the aristocratic family politically influential for generations and the common people,since the Han Dynasty after the implementation of the equal-field system.At that time,the aristocratic families were the leading force in the society.During the Tang-Song Transition,as the equal-field system was abandoned and land privatization intensifies,the differentiation of the common people under the equal-field system gradually led to the emergence of a new common landlord class.In the meanwhile,the old aristocratic families gradually declined due to the reform on the imperial examination system,which has strengthened the dominant position of the emerging common landlords.The Tang-Song Transition,in nature,is the reconstruction of social strata and system caused by reform on land system.In terms of social strata,faced with the vicissitudes of fate,the common landlords,in hope to keep their wealth,turned to focus on traditional clan construction to keep the family prosperous;without the benefits of the equal-field system,the poor turned to the traditional clan system to keep subsistence.In terms of national governance,the Tang-Song Transition broke the old rules of governance,and it was urgent to reconstruct the social system,which was mainly reflected in the reconstruction of clan culture in the grass-root society.Therefore,both internal and external requirements led the Song Confucianism to analyze Confucian classics,reconstruct the ideal patriarchal society,promote the design and practice of relative theories and system,so as to accelerate the transition from the traditional aristocratic clan society to the common landlord clan society.As a leading force in the cultural movement,Song Confucianism played a decisive role in the cultural construction of the clan society of the Song Dynasty.Specifically,Song Confucianism contributed to the clan cultural development in the Song Dynasty in sacrifice and rituals,clan lineage,education,and clansmen protection.In terms of clan sacrifice and rituals,Song Confucianism provides philosophical foundation by putting forward the concept of Qi(气)in the exposition of the universe and ghost and god,emphasizing that sacrifice and rituals are the spiritual communication between clan members and ancestors;as to traditional connotation of sacrifice and rituals,Song Confucianism states that in sacrifice and rituals the deeds of the forth generation of a family cause no damage in moral principle,other families proceed the sacrifice of the childless,the alive need to dress as the substitute of the dead or ghost(用尸)in sacrifice and rituals,The son of an inferior member of the harem cannot offer the sacrifice(to his grandfather or father);as to the time of sacrifice,Song Confucianism combines customs and tradition,putting forward that people should offer sacrifice to their ancestors during Sishi(四时),Hanshi(寒食),Qingming(清明),Zhongyuan(中元);as to the place of sacrifice,Song Confucianism puts forward that offering sacrifice should take place in temples not near tombs,while believing that near-tomb sacrifice causes no damage in moral principle;they proposed temple worship,borrow from Buddhism and Taoism,and agreed on establishing portrait.As to the conflict between the traditional Confucian clan sacrifice and folk customs,Song Confucianism criticize and partially accept customs including cremation,Fengshui,Buddhist rites,incense-burning,and paper-burning.In general,in terms of clan sacrifice,Song Confucianismfollows Confucian classics and tradition,requiring to continue the old orders of rituals,while recognizing the influence of folk custom,which reflect the common landlord had their roots in the common people.As to the clan structure centering the law of the honored son(宗子法),Song Confucianism believes that social unrest results from the declination of the law of the honored son:the collapse of noble families which were relied by imperial family triggered social unrest.Song Confucianism states that the reconstruction of clan lies in the re-establishment of the authority of the law of the honored son and reshaping of the clan hierarchy centering the honored son.Apart from privileges in sacrifice,the law of the honored son also defines the right of the honored son in their inheritance of political and economic power.Song Confucianism states that in reshaping the law of the honored son it is essential to stipulate the privilege of the honored son in inheritance.Cases in the Song Dynasty reflects that in the grass-root society the honored son had the right to inherit family wealth.In terms of political power,the honored son always has the priority in inheritance no matter in imperial family or the families of the common literati.More specific forms should be introduced after the establishment of the rules of sacrifice,and political and economic hierarchy.The reconstruction of genealogy means to clarify the family relationship by using genealogy book.The style of the genealogy book mainly base on the two genealogy models created by Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi.In terms of clan education,Song Confucianism focuses on family instruction and clan school.As to the construction of family instruction,Song Confucianism follows the traditions in the Han and Tang Dynasties,emphasizing concerns with both family and the country,putting forward that maintaining a family can contribute to the administration of the country and that the strengthening of family tradition is the key to the prosperity of a family.The content of family instruction in the Song Dynasty can be categorized as family ethical education and family management education.Basic human relation ethics such as husband and wife,father and mother,brothers is stressed.In the management of family,Song Confucianism states that marriage should not be a tool for people to pursue wealth and fame,contract should be highly valued in business,education is key to family prosperity,and that female virtues are essential for the development of a family.As to clan education in the Song Dynasty,Song Confucianism stresses that the purpose of clan education is success in the imperial examination while not neglecting social responsibilities;its textbooks include Confucian classics and other important works in the Song Dynasty;the nature of clan education and its concentration on the imperial examination results in the specialization and professionalism of teachers;Song Confucianism also borrow rituals from Buddhism and Taoism,establishing sage-worship ceremony in clan education,which reflects the popularization of Confucianism and its integration with Buddhism and Taoism.Faced with the vicissitudes of fate,Song Confucianism promotes the construction of clan security.The poor also turned to the construction of clan security since they did not stand a chance during any natural and man-made disaster.Song Confucianism believes that after the squire-field system the welfare-field system(义庄制度)created by Fan Zhongyan complies with Confucian ideals;therefore,social benefit systems with clan as the center have been introduced to unite clan members and help the poor neighbors.Meanwhile,Song Confucianism improves the social relief system in the grass-root society and enhances thebenefit system centering clans.As to clan management,Song Confucianism puts forward that the construction of domestic discipline and clan rules should be enhanced so as to regulate the internal order and administration of clans.Domestic discipline and clan rules strengthen the social function of clan management and the welfare system of clans.In general,based on Neo-Confucianism,Song Confucianism constructs the social governance system of the society,which lays the foundation for the governance of the traditional Chinese society.In constructing the clan culture of the common people,Song Confucianism indicates salient duality features: it follows Confucian classics and tradition,and also integrates folk customs influenced by Buddhism and Taoism.It also contributes to the stability of society by defining hierarchy and resolve conflicts;on the other side,it led to authoritarianism,weakening of female rights,impediment to economic development,and inter-clan conflicts.Finally,the clan cultural construction in the Song Dynasty emphasizes the importance of family in the system of social governance: by defining orders,resolve conflicts,and improve welfare system with family,which provides insight in the social governance and family cultural construction in the transformation of the modern Chinese society.