A Study Of The Fission Of Literatis Group In The Context Of Wang-Anshi’s Reform

The Song Dynasty was an age of veneration for literatis.The state was kind to the literatis,thus cultivating a huge group of literatis.Those literatis are also willing to serve their country;they take making the world prosperous and strong as their own responsibility,engaged in the country’s political affairs actively,and strive for their country’s thriving.However,due to the differences on doctrine background and governance philosophy,thoe scholar-officials have many differences in the process of participating in politics,thus have evolved into fierce partisanship,and lost in incessant factional political struggles.The decay of the Northern Song Dynasty,to a large extent,was related to the incessant partisanship and struggles among the scholar-officials.A process from prosperity to fission to decline of the group of literatis in the middle and late period of the Northern Song Dynasty was discussed in this dissertation by the investigation of the specific historical events and a large number of literati’s works.The dissertation consists of six chapters.The first chapter focuses on the prosperity of the group of literatis before fission.In the Northern Song Dynasty,literatis got admirable treatment: not only enjoy a large number of promotion opportunities,but also were generally well paid.In addition,they paid much attention to examinations and education,and got books conveniently owe to the development of the printing.As a result,the society has a strong culture of reading and studying,and there are many talented people.The literatis in Renzong period were not only numerous,but also had noble moral integrity and political ideal.At that time,the group of literatis full of vitality and hope.The second chapter mainly discusses the scholar-officials’ anxiety about the current politics and their expectation for the reform.In the later period of Renzong,many crises were hidden under the surface prosperity.Aware that the existence of the country was endangered by the problems of the wealth shortage and the incessant border troubles,the literatis came forward to criticize the current situation and put forward suggestions,calling for changes to relieve the country’s predicament.However,in terms of how to change,literatis have two different schools of thought.Some advocate frugality and gradual improvement,and some others advocate increase the means of income,and reform intensely.The third chapter focuses on the reforms conducted by Wang Anshi and the resistance he and his reforms encountered.Wang Anshi,who advocated radical reform,got the trust of Shenzong and introduced a series of reforms quickly.However,in this process,Wang Anshi and his reforms were questioned and opposed by many literatis.Wang Anshi therefore repeatedly ups and downs,the fate of the reforms is a bumpy road.The implementation of the reforms accelerated the division of the group of literatis.The group mainly split in two parties because of their attitude towards the reforms conducted by Wang AnshiThe fourth chapter mainly discusses the dissatisfaction and complainment of those who anti-reform They believed that Wang Anshi’s new policy disrupted the state administration,and it’s essence was a behavior of levying profits from common people,in order to enrich the country.These reforms could not benefit to the country or the people.The dissatisfaction and accusation of the anti-reform faction have intensified the contradiction between the reform and anti-reform parties,and the rift between them has also been widening.The fifth chapter mainly discusses the alienation of the literatis in the factional political struggle.This is not only reflected in the extreme language,but also reflected in the personnel appointment.There were many verbal attacks and even false accusations in the factional political struggle.Affected by this,the archon excluded those dissenters and put those confidants in important positions,regardless of the rights and wrongs.The antagonism between the two parts is growing and difficult to control.The examination event of Kong Wenzhong in 3rd year of Xining and the drawing event of Zheng Xia in 7th year of Xining are both typical examples.The sixth chapter mainly discusses the bad influence of the fission of the literatis group.These influences,first manifest in the relationship between literatis getting worse and worse Their personal resentments grew,and even their friends or relatives turned against them.Moreover,they are difficult to work together because of partisanship;they fight with each other to the death.Secondly,it is reflected in the deterioration of literati spirit.In the later period of the Northern Song Dynasty,there was no longer such a high standard of virtue among the literatis as there had been in the Renzong period.The moral fortitude of many literatis were blamed,even as Sima Guang,a respectable literati,also showed many shortcomings The third one is reflected in the deterioration of the political ecology.In the midst of the factional political struggle,the literatis were offended frequently so that they lost their way and their ideals.And the factional political struggle expanded and became endlessly,participating by these literatis.A vicious interaction has been formed between those literatis and the factional political struggle.Finally,the dissertation points out that the fission and evolution of the group of literatis in the middle and late Northern Song Dynasty directly affected the fate of the Northern Song Dynasty.In the process of the political reform,Wang Anshi appointed many literatis who lacking moral integrity;Song Shenzong did not restrain the behaviors of flatter and unbridle;and the gentlemen took the attacks and struggles as justice,these are the cause of ruin of the Northern Song Dynasty.At the same time,the dissertation also revealed the reason of the alienation of the scholar-officials’ behavior and the deterioration of the literati spirit by the external situation and internal psychology.