A New Discussion on Bookstores in the Song Dynasty

There were three types of bookstores in the Song dynasty,among which one sold books,one did social services,and the other both sold books and did social services.They originated in the Tang dynasty,became more important in 1041-1048 A.D.in Northern Song dynasty,and were engaged in social service in Late Northern Song dynasty.The bookstores which provide social services is not a legal state institution or notary organ but a kind of non-governmental organizations that have its business between the public and government.The existence and development of bookstores reveal the change of traditional Chinese social patterns happened in the Tang and Song dynasties.In other words,there appeared non-governmental organizations negotiating between the government and the public.Bookstores are just among those organizations.The development of these organizations not only embodied great change from the Tang dynasty to the Song dynasty,but also was an important social progress happening in the Song dynasty.