A Research Into Female-headed Households Of The Song Dynasty

Female-headed households are folk family whose householder is holded by women. Minor daughter-headed households aside, female-headed households of the Song Dynasty were mainly born from widowed family with immature sons. Such households included male members which could be divided into two parts: adult and immaturity. By rough estimate, the number of female-headed households in the Song Dynasty was small, and should lower than 1 percent of the total amount, but there has been no proper way to define the concrete number.Female-headed households of the Song Dynasty not only existed the difference between estate holding and unholding households, but women in the official-gentry families could undertake family. About the register for permanent residence of female-headed households, the Song government treated them with leniency, however, social customs added to official regulations. As for female-headed households, factors in register was the result of regulations' concretion. On one hand, women's property right of succession was important terms for register of female-headed households. On the other hand, it was still restricted by a lot of social conduct and subjective initiative.Women in the Song Dynasty gained certain property right of succession, but only part women who inherited property could take up the post of householder. On this problem, daughter and widow in a family with no descendant were successors worthy of the name, widowed mother succeeded property through nameless way. As far as the current direction of female-headed families' property was concerned, right and duty showing consistency, only it's own children and stepsons enjoyed complete right of succession. In the Southern Song Dynasty, more property belonged to government. Most female-headed households possessed property, widows' right to manage family property easily suffered disturbance, but it really stabilized some special families, even whole society.In the Song Dynasty, female-headed households' burden of land tax and labor service became heavier, namely, government relieved female-headed households limitedly, which chiefly showed on judicial aid. But on the whole, to relieve female-headed households was the main trend of female-headed households' social treatment in the Song Dynasty, they still belonged to the group receiving preferential treatment.Female-headed households of the Song Dynasty had the following characteristics: firstly, except the later husband who lived in the bride's household, female-headed households included else male members. Secondly, the tendency for female-headed households to merge into other social groups strengthened. Thirdly, about the number of female-headed households in the Song Dynasty, the Northern Song Dynasty lessened than the Southern Song Dynasty, the northern part than the southern part. Fourthly, female-headed households relatively obtained free development in the Song Dynasty. Generally, the institution of female-headed households of the Song Dynasty became consummate to uphold the private right of property.