The Tang and Song dynasties were two very different periods in Chinese history. During the Tang Dynasty, women were held in high regard and played a vital role within society. They were important both in religious, economic and political aspects. As mentioned above for pastoral societies, women played the role of shamans in the religious community. This helped raise their status within the community and helped them gain a good level of respect within their town. In the economic sector, women were crucial and worked mainly in textile factories, producing clothes and various other items. Textiles and agriculture were the main sources of income for the community and women had jobs in both areas and played an important role in the economic growth of the community. In the political sector, women sometimes served on government boards. This has helped in many ways, such as gaining more rights and freedoms for women than previous generations had ever thought of. High-ranking government officials were also sometimes advised by women who held important roles within the community and these women were very wealthy and often came from a rich and wealthy family.