Later, during the Wei and Chin dynasties, and during the period of the division of the country into north and south, the "nine official ranks system" was adopted, further consolidating the feudal system. It was said that "No poor families could attain high rank, and no wealthy families would be given low rank."
到了魏晉南北朝，「九品中正制」實施後，封建體制進一步確立，所謂「上品無寒門，下品無士族」，能夠當上朝廷清貴官的幾個大姓士族都是世襲的。