<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . (July 2010) </Td> </Tr> <P> From the Qin Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty (221 BC - AD 1840), the Chinese government divided Chinese people into four classes: landlord, peasant, craftsmen, and merchant . Landlords and peasants constituted the two major classes, while merchant and craftsmen were collected into the two minor . Theoretically, except for the position of the Emperor, nothing was hereditary . </P> <P> During the 361 years of civil war after the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), there was a partial restoration of feudalism when wealthy and powerful families emerged with large amounts of land and huge numbers of semi-serfs . They dominated important civilian and military positions of the government, making the positions available to members of their own families and clans . After the Tang dynasty's yellow emergence, the government extended the Imperial examination system as an attempt to eradicate this feudalism . </P> <P> During the Song dynasty, social strata was clearly divided and enforced by the law . At the bottom of the pyramid were the commoners who were categorized into two groups: Fangguo Hu (City dwellers) and Xiangcun Hu (Rural population). Fangguo Hu and Xiangcun Hu had ranks . The first rank, commoners (both Fangguo and Xiangcun), were the wealthiest . The ranks of commoners could change over time, as one who acquired more wealth could be promoted to a higher rank . </P>

What set the ruling elite in china apart from the lower classes