Analysis Of The Features Of The Marrige System And Marrige Types In The Tang Dynasty

Family, as the cell of society, plays a basic and constant role in social stability and development. Marriage symbolizes the beginning and forming of the family. Different eras have different matrimonial beliefs and matrimonial system, while different matrimonial system has formed different marriage types. The civilization and prosperity in the Tang Dynasty is not an accident; it is closely linked to the system of the society. This thesis aims at clarifying the content of the matrimonial system of the Tang Dynasty, as well as the influence and historical characteristics of the Tang Dynasty's matrimonial type.This study has made an adequate description of marriage: its definition and historical development. The thesis begins with the definition of marriage, claiming that marriage, as a kind of legal relation, refers to the combination of man and woman which is affirmed by certain social system after human being enter the class society in which the nation and law come into being. It argues that marriage is the product of the development of productive forces, and proves that the matrimonial system and marriage type are closely related to the social development. It explores on some legal conditions of the matrimonial system in Tang dynasty, such as the legal marriage age, the class restriction on marriage, clan restriction on marriage, the right of choosing spouse, the right of divorce, and the right of remarriage, etc. From which we can conclude that matrimonial system is superstructure, and it is one of the most important political systems of each dynasty. Based on the social and economic development as well as special customs, matrimonial system is constituted and reflects the interest tendency and the guiding line of the rulers.In the body, the thesis explores the marriage types in Tang Dynasty. The thesis mainly discusses four major marriage types: marriage grounded on money takes money as the necessary of marriage, and it has similarities and differences with mercenary marriage, which is legitimate; marriage grounded on family status takes status as the criterion of getting married, which is popular in Wei-Jin North-South Dynasty and the early period of Tang Dynasty, but it declines in the middle and later period of Tang Dynasty; in the marriage grounded on talent, talent means all kinds of abilities before the Sui Dynasty, while in Tang Dynasty, it mainly refers to literator who is good at literature, which is influenced by the imperial examination system. Political marriage is a type of marriage to take marriage as a means to achieve certain political purpose, mainly existing in bureaucratic class with various types. We can say that marriage belief and system of a certain period defines the marriage types of the specific period, while the marriage type fully manifests the content of the matrimonial system of this period. At the same time, some conventional traditions and the law in Tang dynasty affect the forming of various types of marriage in Tang Dynasty.In addition, this thesis introduces some special marriage types, including the abnormal marriage of eunuch, two-wife marriage and forced marriage. etc All this marriage types reflect the characteristics of Tang Dynasty: free and profound inclusiveness, distinctive times, practical and flexible openness.All in all, matrimonial system and marriage type are the manifestation of the political, economic and culture development in certain period; they reflect the historical characteristics of this period, from which we can summarize the development and evolution rules of feudal marriage relations in China.