Tang Dynasty Amnesty Study

This thesis makes a thorough study on the essential condition, documents operation and social effects of the amnesties of Tang Dynasty by means of statistics, comparison and analysis.The first part of the thesis makes a concrete verification on defining the standard, drawing up the edicts, the pattern and the content of the edict, and the ceremony for the ordination: the grades of the amnesties of Tang Dynasty wasn't definitive; Among all the orders of the emperor's, the amnesty was on the highest level and it related to the benefits of all social estates; the ceremony consistent with it became standardized and consummate gradually, and even regulated the participants; when issued the amnesties, there were celebrations subsequently.The records of the amnesty of Tang Dynasty consist in Xintangshu, Jiutangshu, Tanghuiyao, Cefuyuangui, Wenyuanyinghua, Tongdian, Zizhitongjian, and collections of works of the Tang Dynasty. Among them, the records in Tanghuiyao and cefuyuangui are detailed. And there wasn't Shilu of the later Tang Dynasty and the records in Cefuyuangui aren't complete either, but Wenyuanyinghua conserves many complete documents. In the second part, the thesis analyzes the reasons, frequencies and status of different periods based on the statistics on the relevant resources. The thesis considers there was a compact relation between amnesty and administration. Generally, when political situation wasn't stable, the issue of amnesty was more frequent.Though it was an important part of political lives, the enforcement of the amnesties was not perfect. Ordinarily, the contents involving superstratum bureaucracy's benefits could be carried out, but those concerning lower estates couldn't be executed completely. In this condition, the government of the Tang Dynasty still issued amnesty frequently. The reason was that emperors, the officials who drafted the amnesties, executants and the officials degraded could gain benefits form it. The function of Amnesty was to distribute and adjust benefits among the superstratum bureaucracy.