The Development of North China Clan in Ming and Qing Dynasty——A Case Study of LIU Family of Hongdong in Shanxi

Like the clan in the south,LIU family of Hongdong in Shanxi in Ming and Qing Dynasty is being organized in the mid and late Ming Dynasty.Originating from an unknown family,it grows into a renowned one and organized until late Qing Dynasty due to the success in the imperial examinations,an economy combining agriculture and commerce,responding to government's civilizing activity and the marriage with great clan.Although it undergoes reforms of the two dynasties,the construction process of the clan has never been interrupted and the privileged political position is maintained.The construction,organization and growth of a clan economy reflect the continuation of the clan history in north China.