Cultural Consumption In The Song Dynasty

The cultural consumption mainly refers to consume the spiritual products and services to satisfy the spiritual and cultural demand. It is a form of a higher level of consumption. The cultural consumption has been an important component in Song Dynasty that is a rapid development society in the economy and culture. Though reseached in other areas, the special and systematic study on the cultural consumption of Song Dynasty still has never been appeared. Particularly it is less to be reseached as a process of social reproduction or as an important aspect of economic behavior. Therefore, the field of cultural consumption in Song Dynasty still have a lot of places worth exploring. For example, which contents are they including? Which consumers have participated? What is the process of every consumer's specific consumption? How is the price of each category of cultural products or services? Which factors influence the price? What are the characteristics and influences and what are the characteristics and influences of the whole field of cultural consumption in Song Dynasty? Under the guidance of these issues, from the angle of economic history, the contents of cultural consumption to be clues, this thesis tries to have a overall systematic grasp of cultural consumption in Song Dynasty, consumers acting as entrying point of the reseach and focusing on the specific process of the consumption.This thesis is mainly divided into six parts.The first part is preface. It defines and clarifies the connotation of cultural consumption, and reviews and sums up the status in the field and briefly introduces the meaning of the selected topic, the framework and some other issues of this thesis.The second,third,fourth and fifth parts are the body of the thesis. They introduce the cultural and educational consumption and consumption of the entertainment,religion and artwork respectively.The first chapter mainly expoundes the cultural and educational consumption by introduing the consumption of writing brush,china ink,paper and ink slab and books and education. The consumptions of writing brush,china ink,paper and ink slab reach an unprecedented peak and show the characteristics of large quantity and wide range and much cost. Due to the huge demand, the production has become the areas of production and brand, moreover, a variety of promotion methods emergence. At the same time, price of products has great gap becease of the distinctive of the product quality,relationship between supply and demand and main preference. About the consumption of books, it shows on collecting and buying books, but also transcribing and engraving books and constructing the buildings for storing books. The consumptions for educational development cost on the tuition and some fees for taking part in the exam. The second chapter mainly expoundes the entertainment consumption by introduing the consumptions of pornography and seeing opera and trip and gambling. The consumptions of pornography show on buying concubines and prostitutes and going to brothel. The consumptions of seeing opera have been commercialized, the customers extend to all sectors of society, and the contents and forms of performance are popularer, and major places of entertainment have appear. The consumptions of trip cost mainly on eating and accommodation and traffic and tickets for entrying and shopping. The consumptions of gambling are fashionable in Song Dynasty, not only types are more and more, but has the features of entertainment and luxury and market, moreover, it will bring adverse social impact.The third chapter mainly expoundes the religion consumption by introduing the consumptions of buddhism and taoism and divination. The religion in Song Dynasty has been more widely spread and developped with the civilian population of the religion. The followers and cost related to the religion are more and more. In the consumptions of buddhism, they cost mainly on buying animals for liberating and transcribing or engraving or buying sutra, shaping the statues, building temples and towers, praying and so on. In the consumptions of taoism, they cost mainly on worshipping for the statues, refining drug, building temples and so on. Moreover, they have the popular and regional features. The divination is also popular in Song Dynasty, divined people have extended to all sectors of society, but also formed the major market. And the price has great gap becease of the distinctive of forecasters's level and main preference.The fourth chapter mainly expoundes the artwork consumption by introduing the consumptions of the works of painting and calligraphy and different floweres and stones and ancient utensils. The works of painting and calligraphy have rich materials and kinds. The cosumers have extended to the general population from the upper nobility. The places of the transaction have extended to the shop, marke and other places. The pattern of the transaction can be by money and commodities. Moreover, intermediaries have participated in the transaction. And the price has great gap becease of the distinctive of relationship between supply and demand and main preference and aesthetic style of time. About the consumptions of different floweres and stones, the action of purchasing flowers and stones is reviewed, moreover, the price and the reasons that impact the price are studied. The literati is the main body to purchase the ancient utensils. The price of the ancient utensils is usually higher. The reason is related to scarcity and the model, arts and crafts, historical value and the capacity of comsumer or sellers's appreciation.The sixth part mainly is the comprehensive analysis of the cultural consumption in Song Dynasty by the status and characteristics and influences.