Household Registration System

Ancient China's household registration system emerged during the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.). The system required anyone under the government's jurisdiction to register their name, age, and place of origin.

In the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 B.C.), the head of each clan was responsible for managing anything related to the land and population in their local area. However, during the Warring States period, various feudal states sought to increase their wealth and power. To achieve this goal, a household registration system was established to effectively manage their populations and collect taxes. Those who were registered under the system were referred to as "registered households". In their attempt to directly govern matters related to local land and populations, the states rolled out rules stipulating that all people were subjects of the ruler and should be registered under the category of "common people".

In addition to being an administrative tool, the system helped collect taxes. The common people categorized under the registration system were considered to have independent identities, and were responsible for paying taxes and/or provid- ing corvée labor or military service, based on their assets. They were equal before the law.

編戶齊民

編戶齊民是中國古代一種戶籍制度，它產生于戰國時期，規定政府管轄下的人都必須按姓名、年齡、籍貫等項目編入戶籍。

西周時期，地方上的土地與人口歸“宗族長”所有與管理。戰國時期，各諸侯國為求富強，通過有效管理人口來增加稅收，開始設置戶籍制度，被編入戶籍的百姓叫作“編戶”。同時，各諸侯國開始直接管轄地方土地與人口，規定百姓都是國君的臣民，即“齊民”。兩者總稱“編戶齊民”。

編戶齊民既是行政管理制度，又是賦稅制度。編戶齊民具有獨立的身份，其所承擔的賦稅和應服的徭役、兵役都與資產相關，同時在法律上擁有平等的地位。