Research On Horse Administration And Related Problems Of The Tang Dynasty

As a strategic system in ancient China,horse administration has always been paid much attention.The study of horse administration in previous dynasties will help to deepen the knowledge and understanding of its politics,economy,military and culture.On the basis of inheriting the fine tradition of horse administration of the previous generation,the rulers of the Tang Dynasty took a lot of innovative measures,so as to ensure the coherence of the horse administration system of the Tang Dynasty.The development process of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty could be roughly divided into four stages:prosperity,temporary decline,revival and decline.The development track of each stage roughly corresponded to the trend of national power.The period from Zhenguan to Linde corresponded to the prosperity of horse administration in the early Tang Dynasty,which was specifically manifested in moving horses to Longyou,that was,on the basis of inheriting the Hexi Longyou pasture from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Wei and Jin Dynasties,there was further expansion and development,and full-time talents were selected to manage the herd.During the period from Qianfeng to Jingyun,horse administration of the Tang Dynasty entered a short period of decline,which was specifically reflected in the loss of horses in Yonglong,in Xiazhou and the consumption of horses in Chuigong during the Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu's period.The main reason for the temporary decline of horse administration was the war between the Tang and Turkic tribes,and the shortage of horse husbandry talents may also be one of the reasons.The period from Kaiyuan to Tianbao of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was the revival period of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty,which was specifically reflected in the great development of official and civilian animal husbandry.At that time,not only the official pasture was restored and developed,but also the folk horses grew rapidly thanks to the national incentive policies.The decline of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty experienced a long period.Roughly after the "An Shi rebellion",horse administration in the Tang Dynasty entered a downward track,which was embodied in the loss of Hexi Longyou pasture and the increasing dilemma of horse administration,which inevitably went to decline.The efficient operation of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty benefited from the tacit cooperation between the central and local horse administration organizations and the effective implementation of relevant decrees.The central horse administration organization of the Tang Dynasty was divided into two systems:administration and affairs.As the highest administrative department of the horse administration system,the Driving Department of Shangshu Province was responsible for issuing relevant decrees to the whole country and guiding the horse administration organization to perform its duties.As the highest affairs organization of the central horse administration,the Taipusi led the four departments of Chenghuang,Dianjiu,Dianmu,Chefu,Shayuan Ranch and other ranches,and was responsible for horse administration affairs such as horse feeding and use.In the central organization of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty,there were also departments that provided driving services for the royal family.Among them,the Shangcheng Bureau of Dianzhong Province was responsible for the emperor's daily travel and was in charge of the royal horses;The horse administration office of the prince's east palace was in charge of the supply of the prince's cars and horses.After Wu Zetian came to power,there began to be envoys,in which the Xianjiu Envoys replaced some functions of the Dianzhong Province and the Taipusi.However,soon after,with the increasing expansion of the power of the Feilong Envoys,most of these functions of the Xianjiu Envoys were replaced by them.Since the beginning of the Tang Dynasty,the central horse administration system in the Tang Dynasty had two types:fixed officials and envoys.Later,with the change of the situation,especially the increasing popularity of the envoys' dispatch system in the middle and late Tang Dynasty,the envoys gradually replaced the power of the original horse administration officials.The management of local horse administration in the Tang Dynasty mainly operated with ranches as the main body.Fifty six ranches distributed in Hexi Longyou,not only kept official horses,but also shouldered the responsibility of consolidating border defense.The structure of ranches organization was clear.Not only the composition of officials and staff was hierarchical,but also the hierarchy of grass-roots workers was in good order.Grass-roots workers,including Muwei,Muzhang and Muzi,also had a set of selection and appointment procedures,so as to ensure the efficient operation of ranches.Another prominent feature of the composition of the local horse administration system in the Tang Dynasty was that it attracted many Zhaowu nine surnamed Hu who were good at horse herding to participate in its affairs,which was also an important reason for the outstanding achievements of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty.The complete laws and regulations of horse administration provided an institutional guarantee for the continuous and efficient operation of horse administration in the Tang Dynasty.The horse laws and regulations of the Tang Dynasty covered the four links of horse production,collection,use and circulation.From the reward and punishment in the production link,to the horse registration and seal in the collection link,to the adjustment and prohibition of harm in the use link,and to the conclusion of the market vouchers of horse trading in the circulation link,there were a set of strict systems and regulations,which not only ensured the production and collection of horses,but also ensured the servitude,trading and circulation.In the Tang Dynasty,there was also the envoys of horse administration organizations,with the popularity of the envoys' dispatch system in the middle and late Tang Dynasty,the envoys gradually replaced the power of the full-time horse administration organization,so as to keep pace with the changes of the official system in the Tang Dynasty.Therefore,the evolution of the horse administration organization in the Tang Dynasty could also become an entry point for us to observe the evolution track of the official system in the Tang Dynasty.Scholars from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty generally highly praised horse administration of the Tang Dynasty,and summarized the corresponding experience and lessons.Their understanding undoubtedly had important reference value for us to objectively evaluate horse administration of the Tang Dynasty.