Chinese Social Hierarchy: Four Occupations

Chinese social hierarchy in ancient times was organized around the "four occupations" (四民: shi, nong, gong, shang) — scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants — with scholars at the top and merchants at the bottom. This hierarchy, formalized during the Zhou Dynasty, shaped Chinese society for over two millennia.

The Scholar Elite

Scholar-officials (士大夫) formed the highest social class, gaining their status through the imperial examination system. By passing the keju (科举) exams, they entered the bureaucracy and gained access to political power and social prestige. The ideal was the "gentleman scholar" (君子) — literate, morally upright, and devoted to public service.

The Common People

Farmers (农) were considered the backbone of society — the producers of food. Artisans (工) produced essential goods. Merchants (商), despite their wealth, occupied an ambiguous position — necessary but mistrusted for their profit-seeking, which conflicted with Confucian ideals of simplicity and duty.