Interior Interpersonal Relations In Extended Families During Song Dynasty

This article mainly discusses two principal aspects of interpersonal relations in extended families. Proceeding with psychological analysis, we review the householder and member relation together with the husband and wife relation in extended families during Song Dynasty.The first section figures that the authority of householders heightened in the best regulated families, but it could not represent their right to dealing with families'public property be extended at the same time. Since the householder is a model role figured by ethical criterion, there is quite a distance between his real-life role and ethical role. In daily life, the householder is only a handler of family, his daily trust is mainly about harmonizing the ethical relations and economic relations between family members, in order to steady the family body. Sometimes, the householder is easily anxious for the creature comforts of family members, he pays much more attention to distribute material resources. Because of in Song Dynasty, even the extended families are different from the bureaucratic families in the former Dynasty. They are not in possession of hereditary salary any more, can only keep the pot boiling by housework and thrift. Therefore, both the purpose to establishing regulation and regulating the membership are more and more practical. This change requests the householder to live up to impartiality and set himself an example to others. To summarize the relation between the householder and his members, we can describe it as"restrained by courtesy"and"harmonized by sensibility".The second section figures that the inferior position of the husband and wife relation in extended families. From cases and contracts and also epitaphs, we can conclude that the husband and wife relation is effected both by ethic and agnation. The restrain to female members is mainly to prevent them from participating in external affairs. Meanwhile, their company with parents is confined. Members of extended families not only buildup father-son relation, but also extend to brothers'relation and uncle-nephew relation. But the husband and wife relation is the bane of the interpersonal relations. As a result, the property right of female members is restrained. This right can clearly reflect the position of the husband and wife relation in the extended families. Combining both the ethical and economic relation, we can conclude that the husband and wife relation is a foundation to interpersonal relations in extended families. But this one can not show any activity, it is a negative one. The interior interpersonal relations in extended families during Song Dynasty is to quite large extent affected by agnation. Agnation mostly emphasizes patrilineal consanguinity, excluding enatic consanguinity from out of family relations. It makes interior interpersonal relations both restrained by courtesy and agnation in extended families. Consequently, the psychological analysis method is not only in allusion to individuals'mentality, but also dialyse the temporal relations through courtesy and common concept. All the above mentioned are the notable character of interior interpersonal relations in extended families during Song Dynasty.