The Tendency Towards Modernization Of The Society Of The Song Dynasty Viewed From The Ballad And Proverb

The present thesis attempted to make a study of the society of the Song Dynasty based on ballad and proverb which were regarded as non-main historical material. It expounded the distinguishing feature of the secularization in the society of Song Dynasty by elaborating the politics, economy, culture and education, and social life in tne Song Danasty reflected in the ballad and proverb, and the characteristics of ballad and proverb proper. Here ballad and proverb were both the body and the content itself. The author cited the ballad and proverb, at the same time paid attention to the context and other document. The modernization and secularization in the Song society is a topic deserved to be study carefully. The society of the Song reflected in the ballad and proverb showed the distinctive features as follows: Politically, the transformation from the aristocratic rule to the joint rule of monarch and literati and officialdom; Economically, the prosperity of nongovernmental commerce and emergence of paper currency; Culturally, the substitution of the Song Xue for for the Jing Xue; Educationally, upsurge in the imperial examination and school education; In social life, the secularization and more seeking for utility. And ballad and proverb itself manifested the secularity and variety. To sum up, the Song Dynasty was the period of tansformation from the aristocratic society to the plebeian society.