Question

Why were the artisans and merchants considered the be lower in social rank than peasants in Shang society

Answer 1

The artisans were like farmers , but most of them did not have land of their own and so they did not generate the revenue. However, they commanded more respect than merchants because the skills they had were handed down from father to son. Merchants were considered to be lower in social rank because they didn’t produce anything and gained profit from other organizations. The Chinrse considered this type of work to be unworthy, and so the artisans and merchants had a low social status.