Class System in Chinese Society
There are four general classes in traditional Chinese society. They are: the Scholars, the Farmers, the Workers and the Businessmen, in order of stature.
The most important and respected Scholar class consists strictly of 'Scholars' and Government Officials. The Scholars are people who studies the texts of knowledge so as to attend a government examination, and hopefully be awarded a post as a Government Official. Generally, they are people in pursuit of knowledge or public servants.
The next class consists mainly of people who own land for agriculture uses like landlords and farmers who work on their own land, fishermen and the likes can be considered to be of this class also. Generally, they are people who own farmland or houses.
The third class are made up of people who don't own any land or property and work for others for a living. This includes farmers who lease farm land from landlords and almost everyone else. Generally, they are people without any farmland or houses.
The last class, the one most looked down upon, consists of Businessmen. These are mainly people benefited through monetary transactions or exchange of goods not produced by them. Generally, they are rich people who are not directly involve in production.
This class system reflects the Chinese mentality towards life. The Chinese are traditionally very agriculture orientated. Thus the generally feeling is that one should be involved in productive activities. And if one don't own any farmland to cultivate, it is still good if one can earn a living through work. Physical labour or otherwise. In general, this is what a Chinese will live for. But other than making a living, it is even better if a person can become knowledgeable, or even become a Government Official and bring glory to the family. Thus the fortunate ones (those who can afford an education) will try for the examination and hope to be appointed a government official. And people involved in such activities are treated with respect. Businessmen are condemned because the are considered unproductive, even prostitutes, who sell their own body are considered better off.
In the traditional Chinese Society moral values are perceived as more important than riches. Thus businessmen will try to redeem themselves by associating themselves with the Scholar class. They can do this by gaining an Official post,(bribery is not uncommon) and educating their sons and get them to be Scholars (and becoming future Government Officials).
The agriculture background in Chinese society is so strong that the ultimate wish for everyone is that they will retire as the Farmer Class. The scholars and Businessmen, no matter how rich or successful (or how much a failure) they become, will always want to buy farmland back in their hometown so that when they retire they can "go home and rest" with their children until they die.
Even today, this sentiment of buying real estate at home or going home to retire is still very strong among the Chinese. It is just that this "home" is not necessarily the Ancestral hometown any more.