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The Medieval Chinese Oligarchy By David G. Johnson follows on from the Japanese scholarship in this area. Johnson however is less concerned with establishing what he considers to be the Medieval period and more with who were the elite. The book covers the Six dynasties period through to the Sui-Tang transition.
He starts by looking at who the Chinese saw as the elite during this time. He concludes that this was the Shi, and then gives a background of the Shi class. He talks about how it was very important for the Shi and the lesser men not to intermingle. He also looks at the great clans of the six dynasties and gives a background on these clans, by the beginning of the Tang he sees they are divided between a North-eastern and a North-western faction. The lineage of these clans was quite interesting to read about. In a way it reminded me a lot of Victorian and Early 20th century English aristocracy, their were old great families that had no money and very little prestige left, yet people would still pay large dowries for the privilege of marrying into these prestigious clans. They were being forced to intermingle with those without lineage, who had money and position.
Johnson also addresses the differences between the national and local great clans, the "great clans" did not cover all of China but were rather more focused in the north, particularly the north east. (This is interesting as it was the Northern dynasties who were "barbarian"). He concludes that there was an oligarchy of great clans that did control China between the Qin and the Tang dynasty.
It has been noted that during the Song the great clans began to loose their power. One Japanese scholar saw the cause of this the increased importance of the examination system under Empress Wu, who having come from an obscure background was at odds with these great clans and trying to decrease their importance. Johnson analysis's data from the rest of the Tang period that shows that the number of Chief Ministers that came from Great Clans during the Tang increased slightly after this change, and therefore it could not be the cause of the change. He did not however suggest what the change was.
The key to understanding the position of the clans was that status and office, prestige and power were interdependent. It was not enough to simply be from a great clan, rather for a clan to maintain it's status they needed to keep having members in high governmental positions. Therefore he concludes that it was not strictly a hereditary elite.
Johnson also makes excellent use of Dunhuang documents in his research, he uses lists to look at who exactly the elite clans were, and how this was seen as changing over time. Definitely interesting background reading on the Tang dynasty though more of a technical history and less of a social history.
He starts by looking at who the Chinese saw as the elite during this time. He concludes that this was the Shi, and then gives a background of the Shi class. He talks about how it was very important for the Shi and the lesser men not to intermingle. He also looks at the great clans of the six dynasties and gives a background on these clans, by the beginning of the Tang he sees they are divided between a North-eastern and a North-western faction. The lineage of these clans was quite interesting to read about. In a way it reminded me a lot of Victorian and Early 20th century English aristocracy, their were old great families that had no money and very little prestige left, yet people would still pay large dowries for the privilege of marrying into these prestigious clans. They were being forced to intermingle with those without lineage, who had money and position.
Johnson also addresses the differences between the national and local great clans, the "great clans" did not cover all of China but were rather more focused in the north, particularly the north east. (This is interesting as it was the Northern dynasties who were "barbarian"). He concludes that there was an oligarchy of great clans that did control China between the Qin and the Tang dynasty.
It has been noted that during the Song the great clans began to loose their power. One Japanese scholar saw the cause of this the increased importance of the examination system under Empress Wu, who having come from an obscure background was at odds with these great clans and trying to decrease their importance. Johnson analysis's data from the rest of the Tang period that shows that the number of Chief Ministers that came from Great Clans during the Tang increased slightly after this change, and therefore it could not be the cause of the change. He did not however suggest what the change was.
The key to understanding the position of the clans was that status and office, prestige and power were interdependent. It was not enough to simply be from a great clan, rather for a clan to maintain it's status they needed to keep having members in high governmental positions. Therefore he concludes that it was not strictly a hereditary elite.
Johnson also makes excellent use of Dunhuang documents in his research, he uses lists to look at who exactly the elite clans were, and how this was seen as changing over time. Definitely interesting background reading on the Tang dynasty though more of a technical history and less of a social history.