Yuan Dynasty, The Local Elite And Grass-roots Society

The Local Elite, which grew up to a powerful stratum step by step, has been rising since Tang & Song Dynasty. It acts as a hinge between the government and the multitude and promotes the intercourse between them, meanwhile, it contributes greatly to the society running and the smooth rule order thanks to its strength. The subject of the article is the Local elite groups of the provinces Jiangzhe & Jiangxi of Yuan Dynasty. For one thing, I want to make a deep analysis of every aspects of the groups; then I should narrate the stories of the Local elite and then give them an objective comment. The contents are as follows:Chapter one deals with the interaction between the Local elite groups and government. I probe into their support of economy, suggestions on politics, help to insure local security and so on, thereby, in my opinion, the Local Lord groups are efficacious guarantee of the local administration and security.Chapter two is my narration of the Local elite groups' contribution to the local basic constructions, which helps to ensure the normal running of local society and control the local affairs.Chapter three is on Local elite's composing civil dissension. By analysissing the causes of the Local elite groups, I wish to make it clear that they obtain both autorization of the subjects and the government.Chapter four is my comment on the Local elite groups' contribution on education. The core of chapter five is the groups' education for free, and in this section, the education affairs in South China(Jiangnan) of Yuan Dynasty are recounted in detail, and it seems that their education for free promotes the civilization and wisdom of the Multitude, developes the local education and civilizes the ethos, so it is quite beneficial.Chapter five deals with the relation between Local elite groups and social security, and focuses on their helping out the prole, philanthropy in calamities and intervening in the contracts and financial affairs. Compared with the government. the Local elite groups are more predominant and efficient in social security.Chapter six focuses on the relation between Local elite and their clans. The Local elite by offering farmlands and education for free, and establishing rules for their clans stabilize the clan structure, and offer the material foundation and rule safeguard.Chapter seven is mainly on the Fathers. As a special Local elite group, their role as the agency between government and Multitude is unique. Firstly, they back up the government and make its policy understood by the populace, furthermore, they are also of great help to local administration; meanwhile, as delegate of the Multitude, they can also make their circumstance known by the government, whereupon theMultitude's interests are insured. As leaders of the Multitude, they secure the local society by their causes efficiently.