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The Research Of Rural Governance In Tang Dynasty

Posted on:2012-10-19Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:Z K ShangFull Text:PDF
GTID:1226330371952728Subject:Agriculture and Rural Development
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The basic models of rural governance in ancient China were Xiang Guan system and Hu Yi system, which were two stages changing from Tang dynasty and Song dynasty. The succession from Xiang Guan system to Hu Yi system started from the middle Tang dynasty. Consequently, to make the fully understanding of the historical changes, the rural governance of Tang dynasty need to be discussed. There were two influential events in the process of rural governance in Tang dynasty. One was the establishment of Cun system, in which Cun was not only natural settlement, but also legal administrative unit. From then on, Cun became the basic unit of the state administration. The other one was the decline of Xiang Guan system, and the development of Hu Yi system, which became the new model of rural governance and lasted for more than a thousand years. The two events had interactive relation, and both of them played important role in the process of rural governance in Tang dynasty. Based on the research of the changing process, the dissertation analyzes the roles and functions of different dominant and influencing powers in the rural society, the main features of the rural governance and the rural society in Tang dynasty.Part 1: This chapter makes a specific investigation of the historical background of the foundation of Cun system. From the Eastern Han dynasty, Cun had been given more and more political missions and economic functions. The entity of Cun had been fully developed, and agricultural residents had already inhabited in rural areas through the Northern and Southern dynasties to Tang dynasty. Consequently, Cun system was admissive by the official, and became the grassroots administrative unit of the state. After the establishment of Cun system, the government level adjusted and optimized the country power structures consciously, and further strengthened the function of Cun. Then the function of Li was reduced, and the structure of Xiang-Li had been replaced by Xiang-Cun step by step, based on which the new rural governance pattern was found. So that the dividing line between urban and rural areas became more and more clearly, and the new historical subject of rural areas came into being.Part 2: Based on the analysis of the concrete function of Li Zheng and Cun Zheng and the relation between them in the rural administrative system, this chapter makes a specific investigation of them on the background of the whole historical change. In the political process of centralization in early Tang dynasty, the ruler roundly intervened in the rural society through the design and application of rigorous system, and the bureaucratic governance structure was found, which was based on grassroots administrative personnel. The power system relying mainly on Li Zheng, while making Cun Zheng subsidiary became the main depending of the state’s control of rural society. With the decline of the Jun Tian system, the rural system based on it broke down gradually, and the execution of the function of rural political power degenerated. When the central government could not make effective use of the rural resources, a new model of rural governance was explored with the successful implementation of Liang Sui Fa. Then Xiang Guan system under the unitary power control was abolished, and Hu Yi system became the new pattern of rural governance.Part 3: From the perspective of the relationship between the Jun Tian peasants and the state, this chapter analyzes the interaction and game between them in the process of rural governance, and further discusses the internal causes and external drives of such relationship. The interaction and game between the state and the peasants under the Jun Tian system were a mainline in the early Tang dynasty society. The peasants under the Jun Tian system were growing with the state power, rose rapidly under the careful cultivation, and were also the main power which the Tang dynasty was depending on. Because there was a huge fall between the system design and practical operation, the livelihoods of peasant household were in a low level. Consequently it was difficult to fasten the peasants into the land. There was just a quite short honeymoon between the Tang dynasty and the peasants, and the relationship changed soon. A large number of peasants went bankrupt and fled from home because of the low livelihoods. Although the government expressed a desire of maintaining the Jun Tian system, the enforcement of the Two-tax system meant the disintegration of the peasants under the Jun Tian system. The state also started a new exploration of the rural governance.Part 4: This chapter analyzes the functions of each nongovernmental power in rural area, especially the functions of adjustment and reconstruction in rural relations. The organization of She was generalized in grassroots society, and the nongovernmental ones were especially popular, which had played important role in religious activities, economic cooperation, ethical indoctrination and social interaction. The government of Tang dynasty made fully use of the organization of She to assist the basic political power, and also took some measures to standardize the organizations. Rich class was an emerging force with the disintegrating of Jun Tian system, which became the main dominator in the recombination and integration process of the rural resources. Consequently, the government began to prop them up. The government gave the rich class political rights and administrative functions, and treated them as the agent in rural society. Thus the mode of rural governance was changed. In addition, clan organizations, resigned officials, Confucian scholars and other nongovernmental powers also played positive role in rural affairs, such as education, rescue work, security and defense.Finally, the dissertation analyzes the operational process of the rural governance in Tang dynasty, and makes a comment on the performance in different periods. Meanwhile, a comparative analysis about Xiang Guan system and Hu Yi system has been made. It is found that as the basic governance model, Xiang Guan system and Hu Yi system are quite different in power structure,? realization, function and influence. Based on the conclusion of the historical experiences, the dissertation concludes with some thoughts on the current rural governance, which is there should be all-round, substantial interaction and cooperation among the state, rural organization and peasants, then nowadays rural governance could be improved.
Keywords/Search Tags:Tang dynasty, rural governance, Cun system, Xiang Guan system, Hu Yi system
PDF Full Text Request
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