ABSTRACT
InChina,theliteratigoback,atleastinthemain,tothedescendants, probablytheyoungersons,offeudalfamilieswhohadacquired'aliterary education,especiallytheknowledgeofwriting,andwhosesocialpositionresteduponthisknowledgeofwritingandofliterature.Aplebeian couldalsoacquireaknowledgeofwriting,although,consideringthe Chinesesystemofwriting,itwasdifficult.Butiftheplebeiansucceeded, hesharedtheprestigeofanyotherscholar.Eveninthefeudalperiod, thestratumofliteratiwasnothereditaryorexclusive-anothercontrast withtheBrahmans.
