Abstract:

Lettering workers of Huizhou have huge number and high achievements in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Their salary has declined mainly in the Ming dynasty and higher in early of the Qing Dynasty. Prices rise in the late Qing Dynasty，but wages have not changed.Huizhou’s lettering workers are living in poverty and low social status in general. They find it difficult to change living state through technology   or imperial examination. During the Ming and Qing dynasties huizhou inscription unable to get a reasonable remuneration for the printing of technology improvement，lack of incentives to the invention of science and technology，is the important cause leading to the“Needham question”， at the same time it also took the society of Chinese and western to different development road after the middle ages.