The social classes of Tang times is as shown beginning
with the 
most
respected:
Emperor
Scholars (shi)
Peasants - farmerss (nong)
Craftsmen (gong)
Merchants (shang)
Peasants were more respected than the merchants and
craftsmen because they provided the enormous country with food;
they were the backbone of the country. In addition, the traders
and merchants were not trusted, especially by the wealthy. Officials
were given the up most respect. People of the lower class had to
kneel down before them. People of the upper class enjoyed the pleasure
of being carried on a chair everywhere instead of walking. Many
even had a servant that announced their arrival by banging on gongs.
In a typical household, three generations of a family
lived under the same roof, which had their own set of strict rules
of conduct to obey. The Chinese believed that the family was an
important entity and procreating allowed for the continuation of
a good name. Since the elders were greatly respected, especially
the male gender, the head of the household was the grandfather,
next came the father. The father wielded much control and power
in the household and had to be obeyed by his wife and children.
Often times, wealthy husbands also had concubines.
Marriage was determined by the parents, some by matchmakers,
and was greatly influenced by astrology. On the wedding day the
bride was brought to the husband's home where a ceremony would take
place. The wife did not gain respect in the household until she
bore a child or aged. No matter the status or size of a family,
a son was absolutely necessary to continue the lineage of the family.
In unfortunate families having a lot of children was not feasible
due to the lack of money and so children were sometimes sold or
abandoned.
Till the age of 12, boys and girls were raised together.
After, they were separated because women were considered inferior
to men. Once a girl turned fifteen she was an adult; the family
had a feast to honor her maturation and gave her a hairpin to make
it official. Boys became men at the age of 20 and were given a hat.
