A Study Of Dingyou System In Qing Dynasty

According to "Shi gu" in Er Ya, ding means" to meet, occurs to sb". And according to "shuomingshang" in The Book of Document, the word "you" means "the death of a family member". Thus "dingyou" in ancient China means to meet the death of one’s family member. While in the narrow sense,"dingyou" actually refers to that in ancient times, when the parents (including step parents) and grandparents of an official die, the official has to resign and return to their hometown to do the mourning. This thesis discusses from the Dingyou System (Bereavement System) in ancient China, and mainly discusses the system in Qing Dynasty. Its main purpose is, by using the historical records and archives written in Qing Dynasty, to clarify the main contents of the Dingyou System in Qing Dynasty and briefly evaluates this system.The thesis includes four parts. The main contents are as follows.The first part is introduction. It includes the significance of the thesis, an overview of the previous academic research, the outline and the focus as well as the basic research methods. The main purpose of this part is, through reviewing the past researches on the Dingyou System, to identify the value of the research and to grasp the general idea of the thesis, which includes the framework and research methods used.The second part is about historical changes of Dingyou System in the Qing Dynasty. Studies have shown that the system doesn’t start from the Qing Dynasty. It has a long history, and has already sprouted in the Zhou Dynasty. Dingyou System of the Qing Dynasty experienced certain stages of development on the basis of inheriting the former dynasties:during the Shunzhi period, the system was roughly established; during the Kang-Qian-Long period, the system was formally established and gradually improved; during the Jiadao period, the system was further completed, and experienced some variations; the abolishment of the "General Mourning Plan" in the New Criminal Law of Qing Dynasty marked the complete end of Dingyou System of the Qing Dynasty.The third part is about the contents of Dingyou System. This is the main point of the thesis. According to the historical materials from Law of Qing Dynasty, Law Cases of Qing Dynasty as well as A Record of Qing Dynasty, this part discusses thoroughly the scope of the funeral clothes, the enforcement procedure, the time and clothes of Dingyou, the punishment as well as the special occasions(especially Duoqing). The enforcement procedure includes application for Dingyou, the approval of it as well as the comeback to office, which are inherently logical. Duoqing involves the reason for it and the way to do it.The fourth part evaluates the Dingyou System in Qing Dynasty. It has good points as well bas effects. On the one hand, it can maintain the stability of the political system, and it also contributes to a complete system. Besides, it also can educate the whole society. On the other hand, this system can bring passive effects, thus it has its limitations, like influencing the political career of the officials, adding to the cost of administration, worsening the prejudices between the Manchu and Han ethic groups as well as the emperor’s direct interference against the political system.