A Study On The Monarch-Subject Relationship In The Sui Dynasty

The relationship between the Monarch and Subject is one of the most important social relations in ancient China, as well as the essential issue to be studied in traditional politics. This dissertation chooses the Sui Dynasty as the object of study on the Monarch-Subject Relationship (MSR) in ancient China on these bases:1. The importance of the Sui Dynasty in the establishment of social system, ideological improvement and historical status, etc.;2. The special nature of the Sui Dynasty’s foundation, rapid development and abrupt downfall;3. The strength and depth of comprehensive research among historians are in short supply. The systematic interpretation of the MSR in the professional perspective or the similar works has not yet been found. The author believes that it is a noteworthy issue with regard to a grasp of the overall political trend in the Sui Dynasty history, and even to the whole MSR in ancient China.To explain the logic system of the MSR politically and ideologically is the main angle and important content of this study. The emphasis of this dissertation is not on individual relationships, but the structure of the Monarch’s power and the structure and operation among the officials at court. It is, by means of ideology, a complete and systematic investigation and study according to the political threads that had various impacts upon the MSR, such as destiny, ethics, system, deportment, conception and so on. By combining with the political practice of many levels and aspects for the Emperors Wen and Yang’s specific personnel theories to make further evidence about the Monarch-Subject’s ideology in the Sui Dynasty, this dissertation parses the interaction and gaming, and captures the particularity and deep-seated reasons about the MSR establishment and abrupt downfall.This dissertation oriented the MSR in the Sui Dynasty, sift from the destiny, ethics, system and interests, respectively. An attempt is made to demonstrate the double impact of various factors on the MSR.like the study of philosophical factors. In addition to the fundamental theory of destiny that the Monarch was nominated&authorized by the Celestial, a systematic study is also made on the double impact of the changes on the MSR from "the configurations of the stars" and "the five elements originated from each other".The study of ethical factors focuses on the protocol and music, Monarch’s wisdom, loyalty, filial piety and other aspects that affected the MSR.The study of the system and interests is not only analyzed at several levels, but also the mutual restraint between the Monarch and Subject. Meanwhile it expounds the function of the system and interests of the MSR in the Sui Dynasty.On this basis, This dissertation make a further studies on the four special relationships between the Sui Dynasty and the following:former imperial clan, peripheral minorities, royal family and "non-loyalists", respectively, followed by an analysis and a summary, which identifies the Monarch’s reflections with administrative ideology and deportment in the face of special official groups with different backgrounds and ranks. Then, From the practical angle, This dissertation enriches a further review of the two emperors’personnel theories and their characteristics, so as to integrate theory with practice, where practice justifies theory, and theory determines practice.Based on the preceding summary, This dissertation brings forward some thoughts on the establishment and abrupt downfall of the Sui Dynasty, and concludes the contingency and inevitability for its establishment. The cause of the abrupt downfall was not the ruling idea itself, but the deflection only, because the ruling idea was not always followed in the process of operation.