Daily Life in Ancient China

A large population of China in ancient times was that of farmers. The kings, nobles and merchants formed a smaller percentage of the total population. A wide gap between the economical condition of farmers and the kings was prevalent in ancient China. The farmers were an oppressed lot of people, in ancient China. The standard of living of the farmers and the daily life in ancient China got reflected in the way they built their houses. The houses were made from mud and wood. Many of them had no proper flooring.

The Lungshan people, a farming community, lived in China around 3000 BC. They were an advanced and developed community of ancient China. There were known for the engineering skills they possessed. They had constructed irrigation projects and used baked bricks for the construction of houses. The silk fabrics they weaved were considered to be of fine quality.

Family Life
The family life and the related customs and traditions were considered to be important by the Chinese people. Men in China enjoyed authoritative positions in the family. The older members of the family had to be respected. The important decisions were taken by elder ones. Women however, faced a lot of discrimination in the family and in the society as a whole. They were treated almost like slaves. Women had to obey her parents and the in-laws after marriage. They were expected to behave in a calm and disciplined manner. Any kind of rebellious behavior on the part of a women was not tolerated in the society. They played more of a subservient role in the family.

Foot binding was a cruel practice followed in China. Small feet were considered a sign of beauty in women. Foot binding was not only a humiliating, but also a painful process for women. At the age of six or seven years, the toes were broken and bound with bandages. It was done in order to restrict their growth and forcibly reduce the size of the feet. The bandages were replaced regularly and the process continued for a period of around ten years.

Religion and Culture
The important religions followed in ancient China were Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Pagodas were constructed in China, as the places for worship. The culture of China was influenced by different dynasties.

Money
The Chinese people used coins with holes as the currency. The coins were strung together for storage. A 'string of money' was the term used to denote thousand coins strung together. There weren't any kind of banks in ancient China.

Merchants
The merchants were a neglected lot of people in ancient China. They were not given much importance in the social life. During wars the merchants were not protected by the governments of that particular regions. They were not allowed to enter the boundaries of the city till the war was over. They were expected to defend without any kind of help from the authorities.

The daily life in ancient China changed with the dynasties that ruled the countries. Not much is known about the life of the Chinese even today. The land of China is still surrounded by many 'walls' that cover its mysteries.