A Study On Evolution Of Libu Shangshu From The Tang Dynasty To The Northern Song Dynasty

After the Tang Dynasty establishment,the central official system of Three Province Six Board was built and improved gradually.The operating mechanism,in which Zhongshu Province draft,Menxia Province audit and Shangshu Province perform,was becoming the primary run way of the government decree.Libu was the primary of Six Board attached to Shangshu Province,in which was also the most important department because it took in charge of appointment and assessment of officials.As the leader of Libu department,Libu Shangshu played an important part in the government.But with the passage of time,the system of Three Province Six Board was gradually destroyed and executive power belonging to Shangshu Province became weaken,so was the Six Board attached to it since the Dispatch of emissary became popular.So Libu Shangshu lost parts of the power.At the same time,Libu Shilang,the adjutant of Libu department,was taking the place of Shangshu and becaming the leader of Libu department.Although Libu Shangshu was appointed to charge the work of Libu department at times,it was regarded as the title which was given to key ministers.That situation continued untile The Period of Five Dynasties and Ten States.After the Northern Song Dynasty establishment,the two-track operation mechanism was built in which the original officials(职官) became the titles to the officials(官员),to whom the Dispatch of emissary,as the actual duties,attached. Libu Shangshu,as an order among the system of titles,recovered functions lost before and expanded the rights.This article tries to discuss the aspects of the changes during the periods by researching the transformations of functions of Libu Shangshu and instances across various stages.The article is divided into six parts for discussion and to explore the issues.The chapter one is to review the issues about the main settings and duties of Libu department,also duties and functions of Libu Shangshu in the early-Tang Dynasty according to historical records and modern works.The chapter two is to discuss the tendency of title of Libu Shangshu with the passage of time.The gradual transformations of the duties and state of Libu Shangshu is discussed divided in to three terms:the Emperor Gaozong and Wu period,Reign of Emperor Xuanzong and the period after An-Shin Rebellion.The chapter three is to discuss the functions of Libu Shangshu during The Period of Five Dynasties and Ten States.The political systems of the nations during the period followed the Middle and Late Tang Dynasty and changed partially according to the actual situation.Overall,the duties and state of Libu Shangshu got closer to the Late Tang Dynasty.The chapter reviews the functions of Libu Shangshu during the transition period.The chapter four is to review the main settings and duties of Four election departments named Quancao in the Northern Song Dynasty before Yuanfeng Restructing.The next is to discuss the state of Libu Shangshu as the title before Yuanfeng Restructing according to the related records.The chapter five is to discuss the main settings and duties of Libu department in the Northern Song Dynasty after Yuanfeng Restructing,and the different records on the situation is analysed or distinguished.as so as the functions including main duties and other duties of Libu Shangshu during the times.The chapter six is to collect the information about Libu Shangshu written down more in the history books to have a statistics and comparison about their native places,origins,the shift of the occupations,pluralism or dispatch,the highest positions,whether or not the prime minister,and draw several conclutions about them.