Scholar-bureaucrats' Political Ideal And Activity In Northern Song Dynasty

To govern the state by literary men was a notable political feature in Song Dynasty. Under the influnence of the "valuing cival affairs and restrainting military affairs" policy formulated by the supreme ruler, literary men were largely absorbed into the ruling class, and became a core force in the political structure. A setup, that the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrat "govern the state together", formed. Menwhile, in the context of the revival of Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, the Scholar-bureaucrats, who had double identities, inherited and carried forward the Confucian tradition. They not only took saints' doctrines as their responsibility,but also took it as their political ideal to rival the emperor with Yao and Shun, and rebuild the "Three Ancient Dynasties". They actively put into practice in political activities.This thesis was written diachronically, and divided the Northern Song Dynasty into four secondary periods as follows:the early Northern Song Dynasty, the Renzong period, the Yingzong and Shenzong period, and the late Northern Song Dynasty. The earlier and middle periods of Northern Song Dynasty are made the main reviewing in order to outline the feature of the Scholar-bureaucrats' political ideals and practice.During the period from late Tang Dynasty to early Song Dynasty, Scholar-bureaucrats were more civil. Meanwhile, their double identities were reformed. Under the influnence of the "valuing cival affairs and restrainting military affairs" policy, their cultural role was revived. They turned themselves from administrative clerks to government officials, and went back to their original attributes. In the historical context of Confucianism transiton between Tang and Song Dynasties, the Scholar-bureaucrats of earlier Song Dynasty carried on the task to revive the Confucianism set in the Mid-Tang Dynasty. They developed and worshiped the Confucianism. Besides, their policital ideal was awaken, and they had stronger and stronger sense to perform their mission.In the period of Renzong, the scholar-bureaucrats and the political structure of scholar-bureaucrat were both more nature. On the one hand, the scholar-bureaucrats played a more and more important part in political affairs, and "to rival the emperor with Yao and Shun" was a general consensus; in the other hand, proposal making system was developed, and the co-goverment structure formed among the emperor, the goverment,and the proposal making system. Meanwhile, the Scholar-bureaucrats put their ideal into practise. They established more schools and promoted the reformation of imperial examination system. Relating to the classical prose movement, the scholar-bureaucrats valued the aiticles about remarks and suggestion, while littled the poem and ode. They guided the learners to seek the meaning in the Confucian classics rather than learn by rote. Besides, in order to realize their ideals, that is, to rebuild "Three Ancient Dynasties", the Scholar-bureaucrats took "Moderation" as the supreme political principle, and follow the example of Han and Tang Dynasties. Influenced by academic development, Li Gou and Fan Zhongyan raised reform proposals in accordence with《Zhou Li》. Affected by Confucian ideas in differentiating between gentlemen and petty men, the Scholar-bureaucrats united people with the same pursuit. They claimed themselves to be gentlemen and struggled with the petty men, and then initiated party fighting in Renzong period.In the Shenzong period, the need for reform offered unprecedented opportunity to the Scholar-bureaucrats to perform their mission. Wang Anshi realized his ideal of "to reval the emperor with Yao and Shun"; while SiMa Guang and others perform their goal by opposing Wang Anshi. The Scholar-bureaucrats activities showed the closer relation between politic and academic. The study of argumentation had an deeply impact to "the dispute about Pu Prince ". Wang Anshi illuminated doctrines of Confucianism by the study of argumentation. He made "follow the saints' purpose" as a flag. He offered theory for his reformation by re-illuminated the Confucian classics. Meanwhile, Wang Anshi propelled reform throught the court teaching. At the same time, Wang Anshi's supporters and opposition debated in the court teaching activites. A new reform in education, which aimed to unify thoughts, aborlished the poem and ode, and made "Confucian classics argumentation " as the only examination form. At the same time, the "three-level schools" combined education and officials selection. It was a development of the earlier reformation and an important part in Wang Anshi's reform program. In Yingzong and Shenzong periods, Scholar-bureaucrats had a more complex interrelation. "The dispute about Pu Prince " exacerbated the conflict between government and proposal making system. Wang Anshi cracked down on the oppsition during reformation, and the paty fighting deteriorating ever further.In Zhezong period, SiMa Guang and his supporters came into power. They aimed to abolish Wang Anshi's reformation policy, and paid more attention to pure the emperor's desire. Judging from the situation after Zhezong, the Scholar-bureaucrat's ideal of "to reval the emperor with Yao and Shun" became weaker both in their words and activities. The seeking for saints' doctrines became the defending for Shenzong and the principle of state. The efforts to rebuild the "Three Ancient Dynasties", became wobbling opinions between the new and old policies. The conflicts and problems evoked by the Scholar-bureaucrats' political disagreement, became hatred and revenge. So, the Scholar-bureaucrats' ideal of" to reval the emperor with Yao and Shun" drew on towards declining.