CONFUCIUS AND HIS SCHOOL BY CHEN HUAN-CHANG, Chin Shih of 2455 A. K. (1904 A. D.) SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK 1911 BOOK VI. BRANCHES OF PRODUCTION CHAPTER XX BRANCHES OF PRODUCTION IN GENERAL I. THE FOUR GROUPS OF PEOPLE USING the principle of the division of labor as a basis, the Chinese have classified their people into four groups from a very early period. Such a classification is not a caste system, but a division of occupations, and it includes all the people. Ku-liang's Commentary says: “In the ancient time there were four groups of people: there was a group of people called students; there was a group of people called merchants; there was a group of people called farmers; and there was a group of people called artisans." 1 The definition of these four groups is given by Ho Hsiu. He says: First, those whose virtue enabled them to occupy the public positions were called students. Second, those who cultivated land and produced grain were called farmers. Third, those who finished the goods by skilful mind and toilsome hand were called artisans. Fourth, those who exchanged wealth and sold goods were called merchants. The four groups worked separately and the labor of one group was not taken by the other three. Therefore, the wealth was sufficient.2 1 First year of Duke Ch'êng. 2 Annotation of Kung-yang, first year of Duke Ch'êng. |