The Decline of Scholars' Status Seen from Their Love Frustration in Yuan Opera

In ancient China, scholars were regarded as the head of the four kinds of people, and always respected. But in Yuan Dynasty, the scholars status was no longer so sacred. The abolishment of imperial civil servants examination system disabled them to have the chance to be an official. The selling of official posts and titles caused the poor scholars to advance into the official career with more difficulties. The tradition of hereditary was the patent of Mongolia and Semu. The discrimination of rulers against scholars made their status very low, and thus made them fall into poverty . They couldn t compete with the merchants in the triangle love and thus was defeated.