Changes Of Family Structure During The Tang And Song Dynasties

The study of the family structure is the basis of the research of family history .The essential question is blood relationship.Since Song Dynasty , it is common that a family has five people in three generations , and the middle generation of youth couples is the core of the family, they take the responsibility of nursing the children and supporting the old. Direct line blood relationship and paternal line blood relationship are emphasized. Brothers and matriarchal relatives are excluded by the famliy. But before Tang Dynasty, in many family, brothers and matriarchal relative are admitted to family. These changes of family blood structure is cased by the social vicissitude.In social vicissitude, changes of "clan" and taxes system are two important factors that affect family blood structure.Through the research I find the form of "clan" is changed during Tang and Song Dynasties.The country has different manners to the patriarchal clan during Tang and Song Dynasties.Before Tang Dynasty ,the country hinders the develop of patriarchal clan .Since Song Dynasty, the situation is completely opposite. So,the generalization of the patriarchal clan is realized since Song Dynasty.The patriarchal clan help the repulsion of brothers and matriarchal relatives from famioly. So, only direct line blood relationship and paternal line blood relationship exist in family. Taxes syetem also help the repulsion of collateral branch blood relationship in family. Because the tax revenue unit is changed during Tang and Song Dynasties. Before the middle of Tang Dynasty ,the tax revenue unit is the each member of a family. In this system,the burden of each member is average. So, brothers will live together in peace and harmony. But in Song Dynasty the tax revenue unit become to the family. In this system, the burden of each member easy to confuse.So, the the dispute will be producted between brothers and the reasult of the dispute is the dividing of family property. By this way, collateral branch blood relationship is excluded.In brief, during Tang and Song Dynasties, the change of "clan" and taxes system affect the change of family blood structure in their own way. So, only direct line blood relationship and paternal line blood relationship exist in family.