For practical purpose, the important descent group became the clan. New clans were continuously forming through fission of the old, because the birth rate in the nobility was relatively high.

• 我个人这样理解，西方作者写作有个特点，对定义很严格。“诸侯”在汉语大词典的定义，对于商周时期是指分封的国君，是下位词，我不知道你们是如何定义诸侯的。这里更多谈的是贵族，范围更大。