The word Jiuliu is often used together with the Three Religions, which is a word we often mention: Three Religions and Nine Streams. The new word formed by these two phrases means: it generally refers to religion and various academic schools. It is the hierarchy of people's status and professional titles in ancient China.
Friends who like to read classical novels will definitely know that the word "three religions and nine streams" often appears in Sanyanliangpai, and it often has a derogatory connotation.
Then why does this number have to be nine? Why not seven or eight? This is related to the hierarchical tradition of Chinese judges.
When Ban Gu, a historian and writer in the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote the "Book of Han", although it was a chronological history, he ingeniously wrote a "Book of Han." "Table of Ancient and Modern People", he divided the famous figures from the past and present into nine categories: Shang Shang, Shang Zhong, Shang Xia, Zhong Shang, Zhong Zhong, Zhong Xia, Xia Shang, Xia Zhong, Xia Xia. Therefore, Jiuliu has become synonymous with all professions in the world.
Nine streams refer to nine identities with different levels of superiority and inferiority. From the highest to the lowest, they are: emperors, scribes, officials, doctors and divination, monks, soldiers, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants.
The Jiuliu in terms of social status are further subdivided into upper Jiuliu, middle Jiuliu and lower Jiuliu. Shangjiuliu
A first-rate Buddha, a second-rate immortal, a third-rate emperor and a fourth-rate official, a fifth-rate pot cooker and a sixth-rate dang. There are seven merchants and eight customers in Jiuzhuang Tian.
To briefly explain, the first-rate is Buddha Sakyamuni, and the second-rate is Taoist gods such as Yuanshi Tianzun. Everyone knows that the third and fourth rates refer to wineries. In traditional society, wineries are the largest factories, so their status is lower than that of officials, ranking fifth.
Liuliudang refers to pawnshops, Qiliu refers to merchants, people who do business, Baliuke refers to landlords, people whose families have large tracts of land, and Jiuliu Zhuangtian refers to farmers engaged in agricultural production. . Zhongjiu Liu
A first-class doctor, a second-class doctor, a third-class Feng Shui and a fourth-class critic, a fifth-class painter and a sixth-class painter, a seven-class monk and an eight-path nine-string chess player.
Although there is a sentence that "everything is inferior, only reading is high", scholars can only occupy the middle class.
Feng Shui refers to Mr. Feng Shui and Mr. Yin and Yang; Pi refers to the fortune teller who uses Pi Bazi. Danqing refers to calligraphy and painting, and physiognomist refers to the person who reads fortune-telling. Everything else is clear. Low-level witches
First-rate witches and second-rate prostitutes, third-rate masters and fourth-rate bangers, fifth-rate shaving heads and six blowing hands, seven performers, eight beggars, and nine selling sweets.
Witches refer to shamans who draw talismans and chant incantations to summon gods and exorcise ghosts. Great gods refer to shamans possessed by gods who heal diseases by dancing and singing. Bang refers to the watchman, and blower refers to the person who plays the drum or trumpet. Selling sweets refers to people who sell sweets on the streets.
Of course, this is just one of them, and there are several others that are listed as follows: The upper nine streams: emperors, sages, hermits, child immortals, literati, warriors, farmers, workers, and merchants. The middle nine streams: Juzi, doctor, fortune teller, painter, scholar, chess player, monk, Taoist, and nun. The lower nine streams: master, official, Shengwei, matchmaker, pawn, time demon, thief, thief, and prostitute. The upper nine classes are: first-class Buddhas, second-class immortals; third-class emperors and fourth-class officials; fifth-class people buy and sell six villages and fields, seven steal, eight steal, and nine ask for money. The lower nine ranks are: first-rate weighing scales, second-rate fighting machines, third-rate butchers, fourth-rate dog trappers, fifth-rate pedicures, sixth-rate haircuts, seventh-rate prostitutes, eighth-rate singers, and ninth-rate blowers.