Is ancient China perilous?
- Thread starter JosephVH
- Start date
- #31
There was one detail, if I remembered correctly, Chinese monarch governments levied based on head count of males in each household. I were not certain on whether they did that by taking grains, products or currency, and the cut percentage though.
There was a funny folktale on how the local head official judged a case:
One guy A was accused of stealing from his neighbour B. Guy A sneakily gave the official 1 coin (I forget the name of currency). Guy B saw that and gave the official 2 coins. The official ruled that guy B won.
Guy A was very surprised and protested again the ruling.
The official calmly showed one finger: "Indeed, you were right but", he showed another finger, "he was doubly right".
There was a funny folktale on how the local head official judged a case:
One guy A was accused of stealing from his neighbour B. Guy A sneakily gave the official 1 coin (I forget the name of currency). Guy B saw that and gave the official 2 coins. The official ruled that guy B won.
Guy A was very surprised and protested again the ruling.
The official calmly showed one finger: "Indeed, you were right but", he showed another finger, "he was doubly right".
- #32
I'm not a history buff, but the general rules of ancient days are:
If you are a commoner/peasent, 6/10 you die due to hunger or sickness, your quality of life is terrible, and you have to constantly work to survive. And you get ordered around by upper ranks and can be killed without consequence. Wars are your funeral.
If you are an upper class person: your quality of life improves a little bit, at least you have food, and you can order servants to do what you want. Problem is that you have a bunch of other upper class people who want what you have, or want you to be gone. There will constantly be schemes and attacks to get your resources (including your own personal abilities if you have some), and to get rid of you so that they have less opposition..
In essence peasent suffer physically, while upper ranks suffer mentally (but most peasent suffer mentally as well and a lot more, and some lucky people live leasurly regardless of wealth)
Living in the past usually ain't fun.
If you are a commoner/peasent, 6/10 you die due to hunger or sickness, your quality of life is terrible, and you have to constantly work to survive. And you get ordered around by upper ranks and can be killed without consequence. Wars are your funeral.
If you are an upper class person: your quality of life improves a little bit, at least you have food, and you can order servants to do what you want. Problem is that you have a bunch of other upper class people who want what you have, or want you to be gone. There will constantly be schemes and attacks to get your resources (including your own personal abilities if you have some), and to get rid of you so that they have less opposition..
In essence peasent suffer physically, while upper ranks suffer mentally (but most peasent suffer mentally as well and a lot more, and some lucky people live leasurly regardless of wealth)
Living in the past usually ain't fun.
