Why is the status of performers in Qing Dynasty so low?

Perhaps influenced by Zhu Cheng's Neo-Confucianism, people divide people into three religions and nine streams.

Three religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Nine streams are divided into three categories.

Shangjiuliu: first prime minister, second minister, third governor, fourth vassal, fifth magistrate, sixth town station, seventh road station, eighth magistrate and ninth mansion.

Form 96: one doctor, two golds (fortune-telling), three floating lines (measuring characters), four pushes (calculating calendars), five Chyi Chin, six paintings and calligraphy, seven monks, eight monks, and nine horoscopes (watching stars determines good or bad).

Dirty people: forgetting eight things (running a brothel), two turtles (keeping a wife for prostitution), three girls (singing opera), four blowworkers (drummers), five big fortunes (playing big tricks), six small fortunes (playing small tricks), seven students (hairdressers), eight thieves, and nine ash blowers (selling opium).

As can be seen from the above, the status of artists and actors is very low.