Wealthy People: The rich people of China ate very well. They ate grains like rice, wheat and millet. They also ate plenty of meat including pork, chicken, duck, goose and dog. Vegetables included yams, soya beans, broad beans and turnip as well as spring onions and garlic. They also ate plenty of fish. Soup was made with shark's fin, bird's nest, bears paws and sea slugs. People drank wine made from rice or millet. They also drank tea. Chinese Houses: Rich people lived in large wooden houses. Roofs were made of tiles and were built in a curved shape. However even in a rich house there was little furniture but rich people were very fond of their gardens.

Poor People: Poor people of China had a boring diet. In north, people ate wheat in the form of dumplings, pancakes or noodles. While in south, staple food of people was rice. People who lived close to the river ate fish as well.

Life as a Farmer

The majority of the people in Ancient China were peasant farmers. Although they were respected for the food they provided for the rest of the Chinese, they lived tough and difficult lives.

The typical farmer lived in a small village of around 100 families. They worked small family farms. Although they had plows and sometimes used animals like dogs and oxen to do the work, most of the work was done by hand. Farmers had tough and difficult life. They lived in small villages. They worked day and night, yet they did not even own the land that they worked on. The property was usually owned by the noble or king. In addition to working on the noble's land, the farmer had to give gifts to the noble. Farmers also celebrated the Spring festival. This festival was celebrated every year in order to assure a good harvest. This was equivalent to the Chinese New Year. Farmers had to work for the government for about one month each year. They served in the military or worked construction projects like building canals, palaces, and city walls. Farmers also had to pay a tax by giving the government a percentage of their crops.

School:

Only wealthy boys attended school in Ancient China. They learned how to write using calligraphy. They also learned about the teachings of Confucius and studied poetry. These were important skills for government officials and the nobles. There they learned calligraphy. Of course, only a minority of boys went to school. Most did not. Instead they worked in the fields from an early age. Girls: Young girls had their feet painfully bound to prevent their feet from growing because small feet were considered attractive. This often caused their feet to become deformed and made it difficult to walk. This practice of binding the feet was called foot binding(Lotus feet).

Life of Women

The life of women in Ancient China was especially difficult. They were considered much less valuable than men. Sometimes when a baby girl was born she was put outside to die if the family didn't want it. This was considered okay in their society. Women had no say in who they would marry.

Interesting Facts about Daily Life in Ancient China

• Merchants were considered the lowest class of workers. They were not allowed to wear silk or ride in carriages. • Young girls had their feet painfully bound to prevent their feet from growing because small feet were considered attractive. This often caused their feet to become deformed and made it difficult to walk. • Three generations (grandparents, parents, and children) usually all lived in the same house. • Most homes in the city had a courtyard in the middle that was open to the sky. • Tea became an important part of Chinese culture around the 2nd century. It was called "cha".

Family Life: China was a male dominating society. In the Chinese family, the father ruled over his wife and children. The male had much more power over the household than the females.

The eldest male (usually the father) was in charge and dominated the affairs of all the family members.

The daily life of a women at this time was filled with taking care of the home and the children. The structure and difference between genders was greatly emphasized. The woman had to respect and obey her husband at all times. Women almost never were married to the men of their choice. If she did something wrong, her family would be in disgrace.

The Chinese family was ruled by the father of the house. His wife and children were required to obey him in all things. Women generally took care of the home and raised the children. Marriage partners were decided by the parents and the preferences of the children getting married often had little impact on the parent's choice.

A big part of Chinese family life was the respect of their elders. Children of all ages, even grown ups, were required to respect their parents. This respect continued even after people were dead. The Chinese would often would pray to their ancestors and offer sacrifices to them. Respect of the elders was also part of the religion Confucianism.

Chinese Houses

Rich people lived in large wooden houses. Roofs were made of tiles and were built in a curved shape. However even in a rich house there was little furniture but rich people were very fond of their gardens.

Poor people lived in huts of perhaps 2 rooms. Roofs were often thatched and furniture was very basic such as wooden benches. Three generations (grandparents, parents, and children) usually all lived in the same house. Most homes in the city had a courtyard in the middle that was open to the sky.

China was a male dominating society. In the Chinese family, the father ruled over his wife and children. The male had much more power over the household than the females.

The eldest male (usually the father) was in charge and dominated the affairs of all the family members.

Lot of importance was given to male heir as he carried on the family. Girls were valued much less than boys and baby girls were often killed. In any case infant mortality rate was high.

Only boys went to school. There they learned the teachings of Confucius and calligraphy. Of course, only a minority of boys went to school. Most did not. Instead they worked in the fields from an early age.

• Customs and Traditions: Young girls had their feet painfully bound to prevent their feet from growing because small feet were considered attractive. This often caused their feet to become deformed and made it difficult to walk. This practice of binding the feet was called foot binding(Lotus feet). Art, culture, and religion were often tied together. There were three main religions or philosophies including Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. These ideas, called "the three ways" had a large impact on the way people lived as well as their art. Art focused on "the three perfections"; painting, poetry, and calligraphy.

Archaeologists unearthed a flute in China that is about 8,000 years old. Music has always been a part of the ancient Chinese culture. Music in ancient China was used for pleasure, religious ceremonies, announcements, dance, entertainment, and to match or blend with the sounds of nature. The ancient Chinese were the first to divide instruments into groups. They divided them into eight categories, sorted by the material with which an instrument was made. The categories were silk, bamboo, hide, clay, gourd, metal, stone, and wood. These 8 categories are still in use today in China. Silk instruments are mostly string instruments because the ancient Chinese used silk to make strings. Bamboo is used to make many of the woodwind instruments. Metal was used to make bells, gongs, and chimes. Stone and clay instruments are also used to make chimes. Hide instruments are mostly drums including hand held rattle drums. Wood instruments were mostly used in ancient times. Some of the instruments were very different from any other culture's. One very long flute-like instrument has a bell at the end. Other flute-like instrument has a wind chime hanging from it. Other instruments have two strings, some three strings, some four strings. An luo is a mounted gong with a padded stick that you use to hit the gong in various places, with varied strength, to get various sounds. Chinese instruments produce a unique sound.

The Chinese family was ruled by the father of the house. His wife and children were required to obey him in all things. Women generally took care of the home and raised the children. Marriage partners were decided by the parents and the preferences of the children getting married often had little impact on the parent’s choice. A big part of Chinese family life was the respect of their elders. Children of all ages, even grown ups, were required to respect their parents. This respect continued even after people were dead. The Chinese would often would pray to their ancestors and offer sacrifices to them. Respect of the elders was also part of the religion Confucianism.

Jobs:There were four major professions in ancient China. Those professions were scholars (which included doctors and warriors), farmers, artistians (artists and craftsmen), and merchants. Unlike most ancient cultures, farmers were not on the lowest level of the social scale.

• Scholars were at the top of the social scale for professions. They were envied because they had a right to ride in chariots and carry swords.

• Next came the farmers. Farmers were important. They grew the food. They were honored for their effort.

• Artists and craftsmen were admired for their skill.

• Merchants were at the bottom of the social scale in ancient China. Many merchants became rich. This angered some scholars and nobles. They wanted merchants to act and behave and live in a lowly fashion. For a while, there was a law that did not allow merchants to ride in chariots, even if they could afford to. But this softened with time. Merchants were never treated with respect, but under most dynasties in ancient times, they were allowed to live as they could afford. Within these four categories, there were lots of jobs. You could be sworn to secrecy and become a silk maker. You could make yardstick length noodles. You could paint watercolors. You could become an architect, a doctor, a warrior, a musician, a dancer, a hat maker, a jeweler, an animal trainer, a fortune teller, a trader, or a Buddhist monk, to name a few. Most people were farmers. All people were paid for their work, in money, food, or goods. During Tang times, government officials became almost a new social class. In Tang times, anyone could take the exam to become a government official. No longer were these jobs reserved for members of the royal family or the sons of nobles. Many young men came to the city on examination day, hoping to better themselves by passing this exam.

Women:

Women in ancient China were inferior to men, but older people, both men and women, were greatly respected. Villages often had a "wise woman", who was a very old women, believed to have special gifts. Many people in the village, men, women, and children, might consult the wise woman for advice and help. Another way for a woman to gain importance was if her husband had died and she was the oldest living member of the family. That gave her power over the family as she was the oldest living member. But other than that, Confucius taught that women's roles were in the home. Their job was to look after the men and raise the children. Confucius said that women should not have their own ambitions. A woman's thoughts, suggestions, and opinions were not important. Marriages in ancient China were arranged. Women, when they married, moved into their husband's home. Wives were no longer was allowed to worship their own ancestors. A wife's loyalty had to be to her husband's family, both living and dead. A new wife basically became the servant of her mother-in-law, and could not disobey her, until she gave birth to a son. Once a woman gave birth to a son, she received more respect. Men from wealthy families quite often had several wives, in the hope of having several sons. The daily life of a women at this time was filled with taking care of the home and the children. The structure and difference between genders was greatly emphasized. The woman had to respect and obey her husband at all times. Women almost never were married to the men of their choice. If she did something wrong, her family would be in disgrace.

Children: In ancient China, the birth of a boy was always more important than the birth of a girl. Girls from poor families might be sold as servants to rich families. But kids in ancient China were loved. If a family had to give up a child, it was because they could not afford to feed them, not because they did not want them.

Kids lived with their parents, their grandparents, their aunts and uncles and cousins. They all lived in the same house! Their house had a shrine they used to worship their ancestors. Kids played with toys, like marbles and kites. They helped their parents in the fields, unless they had hired help to do that for them. The girls helped their mother around the house. Boys lived with their family all their lives. But girls moved to their husband's house once they married. Wives were no longer allowed to worship their own ancestors. They had to worship their husband's ancestors and be loyal to their husband's family. Marriages were arranged.

Toys and Play:

Ancient Chinese children played with all kinds of toys. They played with colorful marbles, small carved figures of animals and dragons, puppets, masks, kites, and roly-poly figures that rolled and make noise like a rattle. The Chinese loved toys that made noise. They played with whistles, bamboo flutes (used as musical instruments and toys), reed pipes, and colorful rattles. Boys played with swords. Girls played with baby dolls. They played a game we call Chinese Checkers.