The Song Dynasty Xiaohong, Research

Before the institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period, Gongbu became idleinstitution, only one man in charge of Gongbu, but it is not permanent. There alsoset Pansishi in the four divisions, which was charged by Pandusheng during Xiningperiod. Before the institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period, Officers in Gongbuwere order officer, by Gongbu officer as prime minister or alderman or has no duties.After Yuanfeng five years (1082) May, with the recovery of Gongbu’s function, theGongbu officials began to appointed. The set of Gongbu officials are differentbetween the records in Song Shi and and actual appointed. Gongbu Shangshuappointed after Song zhezong enthroned, later often absent, Gongbu Shilang becamethe Executive and takes charge of the Gongbu things.For the four divisions, at thebeginning of the Yuanfeng restructuring, only the Gongbu Si sets Langzhong andYuanwai lang, and the other three sub-divisions, only appointed Langzhong orYuanwailang. In Yuanyou period (1086-1094), at the background of the retrenchgovernment agencies, Tuntian Si combined water Si, Tuntian Si and Yubu Si tunedinto the Gongbu, Gongbu responsibilities greatly reduced. During the period of SongHuizong, Tuntian Si and Yubu Si also attributed to Gongbu. After the establishment ofthe Southern Song dynasty, the government agencies tended to be simple, the fourDivisions in Gongbu only Gongbu si was left, Jiang zuojian, Du shuijian, Shao fujianattributed to Gongbu, even so, Gongbu was still a leisure institution, which wasreflected in the Song proverbs and the number of officials etc.In the light ofadministrative offices, Gongbu lies in imperial city in Tang dynasty; In Song dynasty,Gongbu moves out of imperial city with Shang-shusheng. Though Gongbu hasadministrative offices later, which was common hall together with other institutions.After institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period, Gongbu has independentadministrative office along with construction of new Shang-shusheng and houses addlargely, which shows recovery of Gongbu function and increasing affairs.Since Tangdynasty, the order of the six departments changed many times, but Gongbu hasconsistently ranked at the tail. Judging from the government offices layout by the government, Gongbu lied the right line, while it belongs to the back, which has neverchanged since Tang Dynasty.From the changing situation of Gongbu Shangshu andGongbu Shilang, before the institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period, the mainsource of Gongbu Shangshu were Shangshu Zuocheng, Shangshu Yuocheng andBingbu Shilang; Gongbu Shangshu mainly move out to Xingbu Shangshu; Ji Shizhongand Jianyi dafu move into Gongbu Shilang; Gongbu Shilang move into Xingbu Shilangand Bingbu Shilang before institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period. It wasdifferent from the record in Song Shi.Though Gongbu and Jiang zuojian, Du shujian,Jun qijian, Shao fujian existed for a long time, they are not parallel mechanism. Thestatus of Gongbu is higher than other Jian. Before institutional reform in theYuanfeng period, every Jian have renewed functions but they had no relevant withGongbu. After institutional reform in the Yuanfeng period, there was attachedrelation between Gongbu and Jiang zuojian, etc. but the attached relation was notone-to-one or many-to-one, also not subordinate relationship. Jiang zuojian and Dushuijian had close relationship with Gongbu, because they had more contacts. Whenofficials of Hubu suggest financial power be reinforced, Jiang zuojian and Du shuijianwere affected mainly by Hubu and Gongbu only inspect constructions. In SouthernSong dynasty, Jiang zuojian and Du shuijian etc incorporate into Gongbu. Jiangzuojian, Du shuijian and Jun qijian separate from Gongbu shortly after incorporateinto it. Relations among them go back to the affairs after institutional reform in theYuanfeng period.Gongbu is supervised by three government officials, the first isofficials of Gongbu, the second is Gongcha, the third is Shangshu Yousi. ShangshuYousi and Gongcha mainly supervise documents circulating between Gongbu andother departments, while officials of Gongbu supervise various affairs of Gongbu.