the origin of the gentry can be traced back to the "scholar" class in the pre-Qin period, which was a specific social class with a certain status in ancient China society, and later evolved into a general term for intellectuals. Originally, it may refer to the samurai who were of the same clan as clan and tribal leaders and dignitaries at the end of primitive society. After entering the class society, they became part of the ruling class. Because learning in ancient times was in the government, only the children of nobles above scholar level had cultural knowledge, so scholar became the name of people with certain knowledge and skills. In the Spring and Autumn Period, countries fought endlessly, the role of footmen increased, the role of chariots and warriors decreased, and the status of scholars also changed. In order to expand their influence and consolidate their position, some great officials tried to attract scholars to show off, and many scholars took refuge in them. There are also some scholars who go to funerals, as gifts, or run industry and commerce to solve economic difficulties; Some people also give private lectures and impart cultural knowledge. Since then, a number of taxis specializing in cultural activities have appeared in the history of China. They traveled around the world with active thoughts, and made great contributions to the emergence of a hundred schools of thought contending in the ancient academic field of China and the development of culture and science. During the Warring States period, the wars of hegemony and merger became more intense, so the lobbyists who were in constant turmoil came into being. They traveled between countries and acted as lobbyists, with strategists as their representatives. At this time, the wind of cultivating scholars in various countries is also very popular. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the connotation of scholar changed further. Scholars, when called scholar-officials, can refer to soldiers in the army, and are often a general term for officials serving in the central government and counties; When called a scholar, it generally refers to intellectuals with high feudal cultural literacy and engaged in spiritual and cultural activities.

in the Han dynasty, scholars attached great importance to the fame of scholars (that is, their personality, integrity and academic ability). Once they became celebrities, utilitarian positions would follow, so they either intended to be upright, cultivate themselves, keep the family in order, govern the country, and level the world, and abide by the feudal norms. Or make friends with glitz, make friends with friends, brag about each other, and seek fame and reputation. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, it was very popular among the scholars to discuss the characters. This kind of personal problem belongs to the folk scope.

during the Wei and Jin dynasties, the system of "Nine Grades" was established, and the right to judge scholars was returned to the government. Those who are judged by Zhongzheng are given different grades (local products) according to their virtue and family values, and then awarded various official positions. A person who has not been appraised by Zhongzheng shall not be an official. Therefore, scholars have the meaning of a certain class. The opposition between scholars and ordinary people is gradually emerging. All officials with nine grades or above and those who get the first place in the authentic products are scholars, otherwise they are ordinary. Among the scholars, there is another family that has been able to become an official by virtue of its fathers and grandfathers, and has been an official for generations, which is for the gentry. The gentry reached its peak in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and declined in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. After Sui and Tang Dynasties, the gentry gradually withdrew from the historical stage, but the concept of gentry as a specific class still remained. After the Song Dynasty, the word scholar or scholar gradually became a general term for ordinary scholars, no longer referring to officials.