The Chinese society was divided into several classes.
There were five main classes under the ruling class—
- Intellectuals,
- Businessmen,
- Artisans,
- Farmers,
- Slaves.
In China, people could achieve high status through education. Like ancient India, intellectuals and literary figures were highly respected in ancient China. In ancient China the position of soldiers was low. The situation of farmers and labourers was pathetic. The slaves were bought and sold. There was a separate class of scholars in China called ‘Mandarin’. In order to join this class, Young men were required to pass difficult exams. There was a joint family system in Chinese civilization. The oldest person of family was the chief of family. There was a sense of collective (joint) responsibility in the family. There was no glorious place of women in the society. The eil practice and divorce system were also in force. Dowry was also given in marriage.