Peasants' Jobs in Ancient China
Although peasant farmers in ancient China were one of the lowest social classes, they were still considered important as they produced the food that sustained the society. Most peasants were very poor and led simple lives. They worked very hard and rarely had a day off. Peasant men worked in the fields and had to endure harsh conditions. They worked through the burning heat of summer and the bitter cold of winter. The harsh conditions could also ruin their crops and land. If the crops were ruined, poor families had very little to survive on during the winter. Some peasant women also worked in the fields but women's main tasks were confined to the household. It became common for women to sew and weave at home. By weaving and sewing cloth, women could provide clothes for the family and sell any surplus to earn more money.