Study On Xingbu Shangshu In The Tang Dynasty

As one of the six departments of Shangshu Sheng in the Tang dynasty, Xingbu, with other two central judicial institutions Dalisi and Yushitai were called as three interdependent judicial departments. Xingbu Shangshu, president of Xingbu, was in charge of the universal affairs of this department. This paper studied the system of Xingbu and each aspect of Xingbu Shangshu in the Tang dynasty, and was divided into seven parts:I . On the system of Xingbu and the changes of the duties of Xingbu Shangshu. According to the history books and the research outcomes, this part researched the system origins of Shangshu, Shilang and four subordinate branches and the officials of Xingbu at the beginning of the Tang dynasty. The duty system of Xingbu experienced the changes of the names and the quantities. With the decadence of the importance of Xingbu, Shangshu often took charge of the duties of the prime minister and the finance additionally. The heavy duties made them have few time to deal with the affairs in Xingbu by themselves. To the late Tang dynasty, who should be the Shangshu was decided by eunuchs who were controlling government affairs of the central authority. Authority of Shilang, vice commanding officer expanded gradually. Because of the erosion of the posts and duties of Shangshu, it became a idle post for Jiedushi and Prime Minister, even for the officials who were old or ill.II. and III. On the duties of Xingbu Shangshu in the Tang dynasty. As the president of Xingbu, Shangshu had important responsibilities for the law: to organize and take charge of the establishing and amending the laws and regulations, to recheck and correct the legal cases that had handled by local government and Dalisi, to judge the important cases by the emperor's edict, to participate in judges' appointment work in Li department with Shilang of Xingbu and Qing of Dalisi, to present at the rituals of remitting prisoners and contributing captives, etc. In addition of the duties of the law, as one of the superior officials in the central government, Xingbu Shangshu also had to deal with affairs in the central government: offering advices and promoting the officials. Some of them were appointed to hold the examination, to check officials' political achievements, to be a diplomat, or to be Liushou in charge of all affairs while the emperor left the capital.IV. On the candidates of Xingbu Shangshu. From the aspect of birthplace, most of them were from the four provinces Guannei, Henan, Hebei and Hedong throughout the Tang dynasty. Those Shang Shus who were from the provinces of Jiangnan and Huainan in the late Tang were actually immigrants from the north. Most of them were from distinguished families, and the percentage of the members from the royal court who occupied the post Xingbu Shangshu is very samll. Most of them became government officials through examinations, mainly the subjects of Jinshi and Mingjing. Although there was a subject of Mingfa to select the professional officials of law, none of the Xingbu Shangshu become an official by passing it.V. On the shift of the occupation of Xingbu Shangshu. While the officers often held concurrently those posts in central government, like the prime minister, financial officers and Liushou, the local government posts were seldom held concurrently by them. During the early part of the Tang dynasty, Xingbu Shangshu mainly came from the prime ministers, the officials of the Shangshu Sheng, Zhongshu Sheng and Menxia Sheng, the subordinates of local government officials and Qings of the Nine Si; during the middle part of the Tang dynasty, the quantity from the regional officials was larger and Jiedushi became a new channel; to the late Tang, the quantity from the Jiedushi increased, and the Xingbu Shangshu became the important post to raise Prime Minister's position. They were usually promoted to be the prime minister, Jiedushi and the local government officials, and the quantity of last two kinds kept increasing throughout the whole dynasty. Nearly 60% of them lasted less than a year on their duties. Generally speaking, it was slightly longer in the middle part than the early part of the Tang dynasty. While at the late Tang dynasty, the appointment of the officials were so frequently that the term of Xingbu Shangshu was shortened deadly.VI. On the Xingbu Shangshu' qualities of the law. Most of the Xingbu Shangshu were bora of the aristocratic families with acknowledge background of law. During their experiences of officials, most of them occupied the posts of law and had plenty of practices. In the system of all-around officers, the president of Xingbu was a post acquiring high professional knowledge. Therefore, the sound background of law and rich practice on judicial posts were the two essential prerequisites to be the Xingbu Shangshu. VII. On the relationship between the Xingbu Shangshu and the politics of the Tang dynasty. During the early part of the Tang dynasty, the political revolution happened frequently, and during the late part of the Tang dynasty, the conflicts among the different parties rose . Being the important civil officials in the central government, Xingbu Shangshu often became involved in the turbulence of the political situation, either being promoted, or suffering disasters. The appointment of Xingbu Shangshu connected closely with the changes of the political situation. Because of the huge distinctions of the qualities of their characteristics and the abilities of the administration, the evaluation given by historians were different completely. Adapting with the shift of the political situations, the behavior of Xingbu Shangshu usually had a group characteristic. Their behaviors reflected political circumstances of the Tang dynasty.