The terms “zao 皁” and “li 隸”, frequently attested in the Zuozhuan and the Guoyu, denote social groups that were neither “state subjects” (guoren 國人) nor slaves; moreover, the status of zao was slightly higher than that of li. According to the Zhouli (Rites of Zhou), specifically the “Xiaguan Sima: Jiaoren” (the Ministry of Summer Officers) and the “Xuguan,” (the Preface to Official Ranks) the concrete duty associated with zao corresponds to the unranked position of “yushi” (stable master) within the “Xiaguan Sima,” responsible for instructing slaves in horse husbandry. By contrast, li refers to those subject to labor service. The Zuozhuan records li engaged in tasks such as cleaning guest quarters and storing ice, while the term “yi” in the “Zaishan” ode of the Mao Shi: Zhou Song and the “li nong” in the Guoyu: Jinyu I both denote hired agricultural laborers, likewise reflecting the occupational scope of li.
During the Spring and Autumn period, the sons, kinsmen, and household retainers of high ministers (Qingdafu) were not administered by the state and thus did not possess the status of either “state subjects” or “commoners of the countryside.” Should such aristocratic lineages decline or collapse, their members—including sons, kinsmen, and retainers—were barred from engaging in the four occupational categories (scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant) and could only assume the roles of zao and li.
During the Spring and Autumn period, the sons, kinsmen, and household retainers of high ministers (Qingdafu) were not administered by the state and thus did not possess the status of either “state subjects” or “commoners of the countryside.” Should such aristocratic lineages decline or collapse, their members—including sons, kinsmen, and retainers—were barred from engaging in the four occupational categories (scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant) and could only assume the roles of zao and li.
Page：
83-116
Keywords：
Zuozhuan, Guoyu, Zhouli, zao, li
