The History of Chinese Feudal Society

This book investigates feudalism in China from the perspective of sociology, compares feudalism in China with that of the West, and proposes that the Yin Dynasty marked a transitional stage to feudalism before the Zhou Dynasty saw the establishment of feudalism as a political system and central institution.

Feudalism is one of the most studied topics in the field of history, but without a consensus on its central characteristics, it remains a slippery concept.

The History of Chinese Feudal Society provides a comprehensive analysis on the rise and fall of feudalism in China. Drawing on a vast library of archival materials, it is the first study to investigate feudalism in China from the perspective of sociology and to compare feudalism in China to feudalism in the West. The author proposes that landownership and the relationship between landowners and farmers are the two determining factors of feudalism, with the Yin Dynasty marking a transitional stage to feudalism and the Zhou Dynasty witnessing the establishment of feudalism as a political system and central institution.

This book was written by one of the best-known Chinese historians and has been a classic best-seller for decades. Students and scholars of Chinese history, especially Chinese feudalism, will find it to be an essential reference in their study and research.

Autorentext

Tung-tsu Chu was member of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and research fellow at Columbia University and Harvard University. His research interests included sociology and history. His most important publications included Law and Society in Traditional China, Local Government in China Under the Ching and Han Social Structure and The History of Chinese Feudal Society.

Inhalt

Introduction. 1 The Formation of Feudalism. 2 The Completion of Feudalism. 3 Land System of Feudalism. 4 Patriarchal Clan System of Feudalism. 5 Feudal Classes I. 6 Feudal Classes II. 7 Feudal Politics. 8 Collapse of Feudalism. Conclusion. Academic Chronology of Tung-tsu Chu.