| Since 80'of the past century, the revival of social history has, in certain extent, contributed to the conversion of mode of historical studies, i.e., from the existing political history that focuses on major events and key historical figures as research domain into more enriched social lives. Gentry, as intermediary roles acted for communicating government officials and civilians, have drawn the eyeballs of academic intellectuals. After 90's, the progress of historic studies confronted with issues of how to further deepen and elaborate extensive researches, while obviously theoretical objectivities alone can hardly foster all fundamental researches. China is noted with vast territories and striking regional differences, an overall comprehensive cognition of the entire status quo of the country can only be achieved when researches are set foot upon massive regional investigations. Owing to the situation that added attentions were concentrated_on special factors, the most permanent features in the later period will be the flourishing scenarios in research of regional history.The objectivity of this thesis is intended to stress on gentry's aspect in modern time Gansu, in compliance with the trend of current history studies.It is widely recognized among academic fields that the imperial examination used to be the primary route in forming the gentry identifications, besides receiving of scholar titles by donation or receiving official titles by military merit should also be defined as gentry. The former is considered as paradoxical route and the later un-paradoxical. There are varied assertions towards the forming of concrete gentry due to the differentiated viewpoints held by scholars, in particular, the judging of contemporary bureaucrats and minor merit bearers like Shengyuan (student who passed imperial exam in county level) and Jiansheng (title of imperial student)The contemporary bureaucracy instilled impact in various forms to either the native places where the gentry lived or remote places where the gentry held his office. It is upon realized this fact that Zhang Zhongli included contemporary bureaucrats into range of gentry. As for the contention whether lower ranked Shengyuan and Jiansheng are in range of gentry, I, the author tentatively propose to resolute the issue resting upon regional differences. To cite Gansu region in Qing Dynasty for case study, due to the fact that Gansu was marked with backwardness, where there were less number of high ranking gentries, like Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and Juren (successful candidate in the imperial examination at the provincial level in the Ming and Qing dynasties). Accordingly, they should be ranked as gentry nominations considering the actual social function played by those lower ranking gentries. Therefore, I basically agreed with the definition made out by Zhang Zhongli regarding the determination of gentries.During late Qing Dynasty, the structure of gentry society had undergone a tremendous flux, reflected with increasing number of gentries with high proportion of un-paradoxical gentries which triggered by the social turmoil called Dao Xian, while in Gansu this phenomenon is exemplified with Hui Rebellion in Reigning Period of Tongzhi. For sake of exigency of raising fund for huge military expenditures and measures to be taken for stabilizing social orders, the Qing government was marked with excessive adding of number of imperial students, abnormal donations and imposing, and granting of military merit awards, which creating a tendency of family-related gentries contributed to imperial awards and grant positions. During Hui Rebellion in Reigning Period of Tongzhi, Ma Zhan Ao, the former leader of Hui Rebelion Gangs, surrendered and sought for promotion, which ended up with widely granting of ranks and appointments of official posts, providing the former gangs the basis of political resources. And from these basis out stood the influential figures in the Northwestern regions of China from Ma's family of Gansu and later became an significant political force in Northwestern part of China in Period Republic China. Another influential event that generated profound affect on gentry society was splitting up of Gansu and Shaan'xi, which in return enlarged the number of senior and intermediate level of gentries in Gansu.Alongside the downfall of Qing Empire, accompanied with dwindling of political power, gentries of late Qing Dynasty were gaining more and more political controls. Serving as a complementary force for the declining empire in reality, the growing and persistency of gentry power witnessed the receding weakened imperial controls onto local societies. The fact that the gentry class possessed power as stated above reveals a spontaneous political opposition force. The political force enacted by gentries took form of rural local popularities which in root derived from the privileges granted by the Qing Empire, while actual deeds and even legend done by gentries gain more popularities among folks in native places in return. During late Qing Dynasty, the entire society was experiencing series of fluxes and shaping of new regime, the gentries engaged into national political participations through organizing Tuanlian (self organized military force) in time of social upheavals and institutions set up at time of new regime activated, as revealed in the case of Constable Stations, schools, Consultation-conference Offices, and regional autonomy, these activities had taken shares in national political activities. These political participations had eventually caused historical changes from the fundamental social status of the gentries, what so called as empowered gentries.The imperial examination was almost the necessary path lead to the identification of gentry, while Confucianism formed the foundation of their sense of value. After the Opium War, with popularity of western thoughts, Chinese society experienced transition from convention onto contemporary, the flux the social structure often given rise to various fresh budded concept that eventually influence gentry's sense of value. In the beginning of 20 century, rejection of imperial examination, introduction of new schools and the Revolution of 1911, and rest of social changing tides weakened the class hierarchy and later the privilege of gentry owing to lacking of social guarantee. These not only means the road from " gentleman" to "official" is blocked, but also meant the collapse of a social order described as four classes of people that constitute entire world, and gentry's disintegration that became a must. This phenomenon, on one hand, revealed differentiated political pursuits and exposes the changes of gentry in complying with the social tide.After the Revolution of 1911, with the overthrown of Qing Monarchy, the Republic China was founded, which declared an ending to gentry class that existed as a feudal social class. The life of individual gentry was however, carrying on. The survey regarding spiritual development of gentry in Republic China period as a class would be beneficial in learning the then social changes. Liu Er Xin, shall be served as an individual case for the opening discussion of this thesis. My relevant description shall involve the growing changes of Confucianism in contemporary society and their social status and rights in Republic China, and leading to the actual exposing of traditional gentry's privileges that passed on to Republic period.The survey of historical transition in contemporary society of gentry class and their evolutions shall be assistant to acquire recognition and the mobilization in progress of contemporary China and impediment in history. Drawing historical lessons and experiences shall be beneficial in historical references and for enriching our concepts and for the reflection of present society innovations. As a remote province, Gansu is not only categorized for its geological distance in sense of nature, rather a cultural concept, in another word, to be shun away from value center and main tide of the time. Under such ambience, conservation and tradition are much easier to preserved and be left alone, while on the other extreme it is impervious to modern tides and influences.Judging the gentry class as a whole, however, contemporary gentry kept a similarity with gentries from other regions, only differentiated in the degree of conservativeness and strength in revolution. As a privileged class in a traditional society, gentries had put on multiplied faces in dealing with contemporary society. During Hui Rebellion_Period in Reigning of Tongzhi, gentries participated Tuanlian (self organized military force), suppress Hui Rebellion, claim constitutional monarchy in 1911 Revolution. These were their reaction in facing tides of social flux. Obviously, the origin of gentry's privilege and the back-ground where they received their education framed their ideology that it should be paradoxical to keep faith in state power.In the early period of Republic China, due to the revival of renaissance for traditional concept, "Zun Kong Party" were set up in many places, who advocated reading of script, maintaining conventional feudal ethical code. On the other hand, as the only intellectual element in traditional society, they had played the role of common civilians during social upheavals. They had their never ceasing care for native villages, as they called themselves as "remaining subjects" even under Republic administration. This did not affect their conviction and enthusiasm in participating local affairs.Comparatively speaking, the gentry class could well served as a rare force in social salvation which should be recognized.
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