Traditional people are divided into four categories.

The Yuan Dynasty divided the whole country into four classes: first-class Mongolians, second-class Semu people, third-class Han people and fourth-class southerners.

In order to maintain the ruling privilege of Mongolian nobles and weaken the resistance of all ethnic groups, the Yuan Dynasty adopted a differentiated policy of ethnic oppression. The Yuan Dynasty divided the whole country into four classes: first-class Mongolians, second-class Semu people, third-class Han people and fourth-class southerners. The fourth class has different regulations on its political, legal and economic status, which is obviously ethnically discriminatory. For example, the great Confucian Huachi in local institutions holds real power, which only Mongols can hold. While carrying out the policy of ethnic discrimination and oppression, the Yuan Dynasty also wooed and United the upper classes of all ethnic groups, and even granted them many privileges to expand the ruling base of Mongolian nobles. The dual ethnic policy of the Yuan Dynasty shows that its political power is the joint dictatorship of the feudal ruling class with Mongolian aristocrats as the core and including the upper classes of all ethnic groups.