Shu Party And The Political Struggle In Bei Song Dynasty

The political struggle among the parties in Song Dynasty was bud in the period of Jingyou and Qingli, from Wang Anshi reform to the extinction of Bei Song Dynasty. The struggle in this period became more and more fierce and was full of climax. At first, it was because of the different opinions in politics, but it had gradually evolved the struggle which was completely emotional confliction. The struggle was one of the important reasons which led to the extinction of Bei Song Dynasty.The new political reform in Qingli period was the first large-scaled struggle in Bei Song Dynasty. It created the atmosphere of the scholar-officials talking about politics, broadcasted the reform ideas, and became the prelude of Wang Anshi reform. In Shen Zong period, the difficulties from the domestic and abroad had become more serious. Anshi once again submitted the million-word report and talked about his reform ideas. The power of emperor and the power of the prime minister got together in the particular background. Xining reform started, and large-scaled new reform promoted quickly. It led to strongly political Shockwave in the court and the civil, and at last became the struggle among the parties. It was the first climax. After Shen Zong dead, young Zhe Zong became the emperor. At the support of Xuanren, Sima Guang and his followers repealed all the new reform and the officials who worked for Wang Anshi. However at the meantime, the old party had become split because of the differences in the thinking and the politics. After Sima Guang dead, the old party at last split into three parties, which was called Shuo party, Shu Party and Luo party. When Zhe Zong got the real power, he began to use new party to graduate the country and continued the new reform. Another political struggle began. When Hui Zong was the emperor, the new party which the head was Cai Jing got the power, and caused the climax of the political struggle.Shu party was one of the political parties in this period. Its leaders were Su Shi and Su Zhe, its main members were Six gentlemen of Su Men. After the middle period of Bei Song, Shu party had taken an important historic status whether in literary world or in the political world. Its political activities not only involved after the middle period of Bei Song, but also experienced these struggles. Shu party stood for the highest achievement in the literary world after the middle period of Bei Song and became the example of scholars taking part in politics.This article is divided into five parts.In the first part, it analyses the party concept of the people living in Bei Song period, compares the political struggle with other dynasties, and concludes its particular political features.In the second part, it probes into the formative process and its members. Su Xue is Shu party's representative idea. Su Men is its main members. The three parts have the temporal and logical coherence.In the third part, it discusses the important role in the political stage of Shu party after the middle period. With the lead of Er Su, Shu party had made a great achievement not only in literature and learning, but also in political area. Although Shu party hadn't become the ministerial party to realize its own ideas, it had suggested many systematic and feasible opinions in politics, economy, military affairs and borderland defence. These suggestions embodied the independent role in the political struggle.In the fourth part, the article studies the complex relationship between Shu party and other political parties, such as new party of Anshi, Sima Guang, Shuo party, Luo party. It reflects the independence of Shu party and his function in one side.The last part evaluates the status of Shu party and its historical function. It also analyses Shu party's particular achievement in politics and in culture.