浅议元朝的“四等人”政策

On the Policy of Four-Social-Estate System of the Yuan Dynasty

通过对元朝的"四等人"政策进行了探讨,认为"四等人"的划分既有维持大一统的需要,也是对宋辽金元时期民族融合成果的一种承认,而以蒙古为国之根本、色目和汉人互相牵制的政策又导致了民族分布格局的巨大变化,进而为更大范围内的民族融合创造了有利条件,所以以往学界仅仅以民族歧视和压迫来评价元朝"四等人"政策的历史作用似乎是不全面的。

This paper discusses the four - social - estate system of the Yuan Dynasty. The author argues that the division of people into four kinds meets the need of grand unification to some extent on the one hand, and it＇ s a recognition of the outcome of national integration of Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties on the other hand.The policy resulted in tremendous changes in the distribution pattern of nationalities, and created favorable conditions for national amalgamation to a greater degree. According to the author, most scholars＇ opinion that the policy of four - social - estate system of the Yuan Dynasty has the implication of ethnic discrimination and oppression seems incomplete.