WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Gong class consisted of Artisans and craftsman. They were higher in position than that of the merchants. They also had a significant role for the country. This class was the lowest in the Chinese social hierarchy because they didn’t produce anything and gained profit from other organizations.

Detailed explanation-2: -Beginning about the fourth century B.C., ancient texts describe Chinese society as divided into four classes: the scholar elite, the landowners and farmers, the craftsmen and artisans, and the merchants and tradesmen.

Detailed explanation-3: -The lowest class, according to ancient Chinese society, was merchants and traders. Merchants and traders, because of their occupation, could sometimes make far more money than either farmers or artisans, but were considered lower than the other two as they did not produce anything of worth.

Detailed explanation-4: -In the Confucian view, peasants made up the second highest class. Merchants occupied the lowest class because they merely bought and sold what others had made.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the hierarchy of ancient China, merchants and traders were ranked the lowest. This was because they did not produce anything. They relied on profits they made after trading. As farmers grew food and artisans produced goods, merchants and traders hoped to sell these goods.