Fengjian
Encyclopedia
Fēngjiàn is the political ideology
of the Zhou Dynasty
of ancient China
. Fengjian is a "decentralized system of government," comparable to European feudalism
, though recent scholarship has suggested that fengjian lacks some of the fundamental aspects of feudalism.
While before the Han Dynasty
a peer with a place name in his title actually governed that place, it had only been nominally true since. Any male member of the nobility or gentry could be called a gongzi (公子 gōng zǐ) (or wangzi (王子 wáng zǐ) if he is a son of a king, i.e. prince).
. The four occupations were the shi (士) the class of "knightly" scholars, mostly from lower aristocratic orders, the gong (工) who were the artisans and craftsmen of the kingdom and who, like the farmers, produced essential goods needed by themselves and the rest of society, the nong (農) who were the peasant farmers who cultivated the land which provided the essential food for the people and tributes to the king, and the shang (商) who were the merchants and traders of the kingdom.
The four occupations under the Fengjian system were different to those of Europe
an Feudalism
in that people were not born into the specific classes, such that, for example, a son born to a gong craftsman was able to become a part of the shang merchant class, and so on.
As time went by, all terms had lost their original meanings nonetheless. Zhuhou (诸侯), Dafu (大夫) and Shi (士) became synonyms of court officials.
historiographical
interpretation of Chinese history in China, from slave society to feudal society. This kind of feudalism was very different from the kind of "feudalism" most people influenced by the theoreticians of the PRC have viewed China, with the landlord/peasant relationship, as having.
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
of the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
of ancient China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Fengjian is a "decentralized system of government," comparable to European feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
, though recent scholarship has suggested that fengjian lacks some of the fundamental aspects of feudalism.
Ranks
The sizes of troops and domains a male noble would command would be determined by his rank of peerage:- gong (dukeDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
or princePrincePrince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
, ch. 公(爵) gōng), - hou (marquisMarquisMarquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
or marquessMarquessA marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, ch. 侯(爵) hóu), - bo (countCountA count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
or earlEarlAn earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
, ch. 伯(爵) bó), - zi (viscountViscountA viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
, ch. 子(爵) zǐ), - nan (baronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
, ch. 男(爵) nán).
While before the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
a peer with a place name in his title actually governed that place, it had only been nominally true since. Any male member of the nobility or gentry could be called a gongzi (公子 gōng zǐ) (or wangzi (王子 wáng zǐ) if he is a son of a king, i.e. prince).
Four Occupations
The four occupations, or "four categories of the people," was a social structure developed from Confucian and Legalist philosophers during the latter part of the Zhou DynastyZhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
. The four occupations were the shi (士) the class of "knightly" scholars, mostly from lower aristocratic orders, the gong (工) who were the artisans and craftsmen of the kingdom and who, like the farmers, produced essential goods needed by themselves and the rest of society, the nong (農) who were the peasant farmers who cultivated the land which provided the essential food for the people and tributes to the king, and the shang (商) who were the merchants and traders of the kingdom.
The four occupations under the Fengjian system were different to those of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
in that people were not born into the specific classes, such that, for example, a son born to a gong craftsman was able to become a part of the shang merchant class, and so on.
Zongfa
Zongfa (宗法, Clan Law), which applied to all social classes, governed the primogeniture of rank and succession of other siblings. The eldest son of the consort would inherit the title and retained the same rank within the system. Other sons from the consort, concubines and mistresses would be given titles one rank lower than their father.As time went by, all terms had lost their original meanings nonetheless. Zhuhou (诸侯), Dafu (大夫) and Shi (士) became synonyms of court officials.
Historiographic Implications
Fengjian is particularly important to MarxistMarxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
historiographical
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
interpretation of Chinese history in China, from slave society to feudal society. This kind of feudalism was very different from the kind of "feudalism" most people influenced by the theoreticians of the PRC have viewed China, with the landlord/peasant relationship, as having.