The Comparative Study On The Peasants In Tang And Song Dynasties

There have already been many research results of the peasants of the Tang and Song Dynasties in the academic circles. Using the previous research results for reference, the study applies the multidisciplinary methods such as the history, anthropology, folklore to make a comparative study on the peasants of the Tang and Song Dynasties. The paper contains the following aspects:Part One discusses the constitution of the peasants. There are great differences in the constitution of the peasants under the regulations involving the family grading, the legal status and the bearing of the taxes and corvee in the Tang and Song Dynasties. The differences are also revealed in the status of land ownership. As to the constitution of the peasants who cultivate their own lands, the differences are mainly revealed in the composition of the main body, the source and quantity of land, the production autonomy, the bearing of the taxes and corvee, the internal construction and so on. As to the constitution of the peasants who cultivate others' lands, the differences are mainly revealed in the composition of the main body, the legal status, the obligations to the State, mode of the production and operation and so on.Part Two expounds the change of the relationship between peasants and the State in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Firstly, the pattern of control on the peasants by the State has changed. The changes include the way of land obtaining from granted by the State into a private trade, the objects and contents of the taxes and corvee, the rural governance by the government towards self-governance. Secondly, the way of the assistance by the State to the peasants has changed. One aspect is reflected in the policies of supporting agriculture, such as the setting of the officials, the methods and effects of land management, the objects and contents of reducing taxes and corvee, the policies and ways of popularization of agricultural technology. Another aspect is reflected in the assistance policies and measures. The relief, storage and the assistance institutions all have changed. All the changes reflect the estranged relationship between the State and the peasants. Thirdly, the ways of the peasants' adjustment to the regulation of the national policies have changed. The exact manifestations are the changes of the reasons of escaping and the directions, the gradual differentiation of the peasants and the formation of the "new peasants", the daily resistance towards the real resistance and so on. All of these reflect the deep change in the relationship between the State and the peasants in the Tang and Song Dynasties. The relationship between the State and the peasants has witnessed a transition. The relationship between the State and the peasants has entered a new stage in the Song Dynasty.Part Three explores the remarkable differences in the production life and social life of the peasants in the Tang and Song Dynasties. In the respect of agricultural production life, the agricultural production technology has made a great progress, the agricultural planting structure and farming patterns have changed a lot, and the commercialization of the agricultural products has unprecedentedly deepened. In the respect of the social life, the mutual help in the villages has changed from the economical way to the way of force, and the reasons and main bodies of the trades in the villages have changed a lot. The changes in the life outside the villages are revealed in the peasants' growing dependence on the market and the cities, the changing activities in the belief places outside the villages and so on. In the respect of the clan life, the peasants' dependence on the economy, politics and spirits of the clan has increased more and more. The changes in many respects in the production and life of the peasants in the Tang and Song Dynasties have proclaimed the fact that the peasants of the Tang and Song Dynasties have changed wholly.In the daily life, the daily life of the peasants in the Song Dynasty has shown some new changes compared with that of the peasants in the Tang Dynasty. The changes are reflected in the facts that the peasants in the Song Dynasty have become busier in the fields and the agricultural operation has manifested new features, and the production and business operation appeared new characteristics.In the cultural life, the peasants in the Song Dynasty have showed slight changes in the social ethics in their family life, their life inside and outside the villages and their settlement of the unexpected incidents. The peasants in the Song Dynasty have lived in the social environment deteriorated, so their life style and ideas have changed dramatically.Overall, the farmer groups of the Tang and Song Dynasties have shown some dramatic changes both in the macro level and in the micro level. The changes are multi-level and they are revealed in the living surroundings, living conditions, the life of the individual peasants and so on. In conclusion, the peasants of the Tang and Song Dynasties have quietly witnessed transformation in the development process of the history. The peasants of the Tang Dynasty have succeeded the peasants in the middle ancient times since the Wei and Jin Dynasties. And the peasants of the Song Dynasty have set a precedent for the peasants of the following feudal dynasties. We can learn the spirit of the times from the peasants of the Tang and Song Dynasties which is inspiring for us to solve the current issues on peasants.