MILITARY AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN NORTHERN SUNG CHINA (960-1126)

Northern Sung (960-1127) military strength and the civilian character of Sung imperial government are reassessed based on descriptive studies of regional administration (Chapter Two), central and regional military administration (Chapters Three and Five), distribution of military forces (Chapter Four), and military intendants, ching-lueh an-fu shih, as career officials (Chapter Six). Geographic distributions of military intendants and of imperial armies suggest two distinct systems of territorial administration (border zone and internal) instead of the usual model of circuits uniformly coordinated by fiscal intendants. Evidence from standard primary sources demonstrate the enormous civil and military authority of the military intendants during the Northern Sung. This contradicts usual interpretations of Sung history and requires a new interpretation of the role of fiscal intendants and of the development of territorial administration during the Sung. While the office of military intendant was the instrumentality for replacing military governors with civil officials, Sung demilitarization did not eliminate military organizations nor is Sung demilitarization the same as civilianization. Sung military performance may have been no less than most other dynasties when compared in equal terms. Nevertheless the social uses to which the armies were put and the changes in the composition of the emperor's elite advisors are elements that deserve further study. Between 998 and 1108 at least one third of all councillors of state and commissioners of military affairs had served at least one third of all councillors of state and commissioners of military affairs had served at least four times as military intendants. The collapse of Northern Sung military effectiveness may be tied to the disappearance of officials with extensive regional military experience from Hui-tsung's entourage of advisors.