The Lineage Research On Suzhou In The Ming Dynasty

In Ming Dynasty, Suzhou region was developed in economy and culture, and as akind of social organization based on blood relations, lineage plays a decisive role in theregional social development in Suzhou during the Ming Dynasty. From the angle oflineage social history together with the aspects of politics, economy and society, etc, thisthesis discusses some unfavorable factors that lineage development faced in Suzhou area,include the political pressure and heavy tax policy on early Ming Dynasty, the competitionluxury social fashion，the belief of god and Buddha, etc. It would loosen patriarchalrelationship in a certain degree, and was not good for the lineage development and statemaintenance. In order to change this situation, intellectuals like Wei and xiao Guiyouguang, proposed to revive patriarchal lineage system to merge with the patriarchallineage, and actively carried out lineage activities. Advocated by the literati andofficialdom, the lineage in Suzhou region had conducted a series of activities, mainlyincludes the edition of the family tree, setting the ancestral temple and farmland allocation.With the continuous development of lineage activities, they exerted a profound impact onthe development of the regional society in Suzhou in the Ming Dynasty, like culture andeducation, social security, commercial economy.