| In middle-ancient China , many aristocratic families appeared and exerted great influence on the then Chinese socity . Since long time ago , a lot of studies about these families have been conducted and produced many striking results. However, these studies stress these families in the Wei-Jin-Southern and Northern Dynasties and lay little emphasis on these families in Sui-Tang-Five Dynasties . So , the author of this paper focus his attention on the Zheng clan in Xingyang in central Henan province so as to reveal the featurs of a clan in its deteriorating period .As to the clans in Tang Dynasty , debates have existed for long time . Whatever these arguments may be , it is of no doubt that clans including aristocratic families indeed existed then . The author is fond of the viewpoint of Tian Tingzhu who argues in his article " the investigation of the rise and fall of the influence of Privilege Clans in TangDynasty " that the clans in Tang Dynasty consisted of two main branches--oneincluding the Privilege Clans like Cui in Qinghe and Boling , Lu in Fanyang , Wang in Taiyang, Zheng in Xingyang , Li in Zhaojun and Gao in Bohai and so on in the Northern Dynasty of China ; the other including the clans in Guanzhong and the Great Famlies who consisted of by the powerful officals in minority . It should be pointed out that the clans in Tang Dynasty were very much different from those in the Wei-Jin- Southern and Northern Dynasties . This paper is based on above mentioned ideas .This paper consisted of six chapters . The first three chapters fore shadow the authors's argument in order that the reader may be have a clear understanding of Xing Yang county , the origin of the Zheng clan , and their relationship . Chapter Four is one main branch of this paper . The author tries to clarify the descendant of Zheng clan in Xingyang with the aid of plenty* of epigraps of Tang Dynasty and concerded historical recoreds . He finds out the Zheng clan in Xingyang was still big and powerful in Tang Dynasty . Contrasting these epigraphs with " Table of Prime Ministers in Tang Dynasty " , the author corrests some mistakes , makes up for some lose , and makes sure that this " Table of Prime Ministers in Tang Dynasty " is convincing. This descendant of Zheng clan in Xingyang functions as a reference to the study about the research ofhistory in Tang Dynasty .Chapter five is about the marriages and officials about the Zheng clan in Xingyang . As to the marriage, the author finds that most cases of marriage of the Zheng family in Xingyang were related to prominent aristocratic families , about 72% of the total cases of marriage . Among these promient families , " the Seven Surnames and Ten Great House " were about 55% of the total cases of marriage , and 77% of these prominent families , and 21% of the total cases of were related to common families . This indicates that the Zheng family in Xingyang tried to maintain their social position by intermarrying with other aristocratic families on the other hand , and had to face their deteriorating social status by intermarrying with common families on the other . In Tang Dynasty, Zheng clan in Xingyang had over six to seven cases of marriage with the Royal family . This shows that the Royal family of Tang Dynasty were quite in favor of the Zheng clan in Xingyang . However , generally speaking , the clans east to Taihang Mountains did not like to intermarrying with the Royal family in Tang Dynasty . In this chapter , the author does certain study about the women of Zheng clan in Xingyang , trying to analysize their roles, social positions and individual accomplishments .As to the offical career of Zheng clan in Xingyang , the author thinks that they were still active on the political stage in Tang Dynasty , about 92% of Zheng clan in Xingyang male adults were officials , and the main approaches of their becoming officials were Jinshi, about 27% ; Menyin , about 17% and Mingjing , about 13% . The ranks of these officials were rather high . About 56% were above five grade , 44%...
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