Strength, Status, and martial arts. Of you have none of these, then you are nothing. You are a peasant, the ant beneath a priest's feet. This is the way of life in China. Only the strong survive, while the weak stay and know their place. There is no striding to reach higher. Once your place in the hierarchy of power is from birth. That is where it will remain for the rest of your life. Many have tried and many have failed. Miserably in fact. Most succumbing to debt and eventually suicide from the strain. Tis why many only learn to accept the fate that is brought before them.

The only way, or to put it more firmly. Chance you have to obtain a higher rank in this society, is through martial arts. Even then, it's just as impossible. You to reach such statuses, you have forge a path through blood and feats beyond comprehension. Many try this rout, yet only few actually survive the trials. Many bounties are collected from these martial artists. Many whose names are to only be whispered upon at all times. The more well known and feared you were. The more power you honed, some even reaching statuses that exceeded the ones of emperors and priest's alike. However, the bar for entry is so high that almost none survive.

Lastly, the very bottom of society. Those only born to be looked down upon by others. Woman being one. They were toys, objects to flaunt around just to be slapped around for even the smallest of things. Then there were in the impurities. Those who were born from invaders blood. Any eye color that wasn't black, was treated as demonic. They weren't even seen as human, but as abomination that needed to be irradiated from existence. Life was beyond tragic for these people, but this is the life they were born into. The lifestyle all in China were born into. You either adapt, or you die.