What Kind of Jobs Did They Have in Ancient China?

What kind of jobs did they have in ancient China?  Ancient China wasn’t much different than other civilizations.  Jobs included being a farmer, craftsman or artisan, or merchant.  The job a person could have was also influenced by his class and his education.

The social class structure in China had four levels and the jobs that they had in ancient China varied according to the social classes:

• Shang class - The lowest class. Consisted of merchants and traders.  Even though they were at the bottom, they were regarded as important members of the community. 
• Gong class - Above the Shang class and made up of craftsmen and artisans, or people with certain skills.  Many of these worked for the government or worked privately, sometimes employing artisans under them. 
• Nong class - Above the Gong class and made up of farmers and peasants.
• Shi class - The top class, whose members were educated.  They ran the government, planned battles, and enjoyed the good life.

Life as a Worker in Ancient China

If you were fortunate enough to be a member of the upper class in China, you had a great life.  You ate good food, wore silk garments, and adorned yourself with jade, gold, and silver jewelry. If you had to work for a living, life was not as good. 

Farmers worked very hard, and sometimes sold their daughters to be servants of the rich.  As a farmer:

• Your diet was noodles, bread, and bean curd if you lived in the North, and rice was the staple of people living in the South.
• Your house was made of mud and straw with a pit in the center for heating and cooking.
• Your clothing was made of hemp and cotton, with straw shoes.

Life in ancient China would change according to which dynasty you were living in.  Read on to learn about two of the Chinese dynasties.  

Impact of Dynasties on the Jobs in Ancient China

Many things changed according to who was in charge.  For example, under the Qin and Han dynasties, there were differences in how government and society worked and in how people were able to get and perform jobs:

Jobs and Life in the Qin Dynasty

The Qin Dynasty lasted from 221 to 206 BC and was the first one to unite China under its first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi.  Qin believed that people needed to be controlled and regulated (the legalism philosophy), so they would have discipline and would work hard in the fields and in battle.

He had a spy system where citizens would be rewarded for turning in people who were breaking the law.  He took ownership of the lands from the noblemen, which gave him control of the work force.  This enabled him to construct the Great Wall of China.

To remove all traces of old dynasties, he had books burned that were not about legalism.  This included works of Confucius.  Qin also felt like the working class did not need to be educated as time spent studying could be time spent working to grow food.      

Jobs and Life in the Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was ruled by Han Gaozu and lasted four hundred years, starting in 206 BC and ending in 220 AD.  This was a key time for ancient China:

• Confucianism became the state approved doctrine.
• Public schools were started for boys and jobs were given to educated people.
• Many people profited from the silk trade after roads across the desert, called the Silk Road, were built in order to trade with the Roman Empire.
• The arts and science flourished.
• Acupuncture was invented
• Paper was invented.
• A machine was invented to tell people when an earthquake was occurring.

Farmers still worked very hard but were a little better off because families got together and combined their efforts.  This meant that sometimes they had extra food to trade.  The rich were still living well, with elaborate homes and tombs decorated with stone lions.  The rich did not send their kids to public schools but had them tutored.  Their robes were lined with silk and in the winter, they wore fur coats and leather slippers.