As an intermediary between officials and civilians in Qing Dynasty,the gentry met the actual needs of officials and civilians while taking on a large number of social responsibilities.Due to the clear hierarchical social structure of Qing Dynasty,it was difficult to realize effective communication and contact between officials and civilians.Through participating in various local affairs,the gentry kept contact with officials and civilians actively,which not only maintained the stability of the relationship between officials and civilians,but also"connected"tightly together the two classes that were"estranged".The reason why the gentry was able to play the role of"connecting"between officials and civilians was,on the one hand,related to the number,distribution,privilege and income of the gentry.On the other hand,there was an administrative vacuum below the county level in Qing Dynasty and local officials were"small in number and weak in strength"which provided the gentry with space for activities.
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