The Study Of Kou-xuan In The Song Dynasty

Kou-xuan was an official document on behalf of the emperor in Song Dynasty. Emperors sent secretary to announce kou-xuan. It was written by Hanlin scholars, mainly for calling the Hanlin scholars, rewarding ministers and comforting warriors. But the academic circles’ attention of kou-xuan has been not enough. They often use kou-xuan as historical materials. The research on kou-xuan is not comprehensive. Kou-xuan is controversial in terms of its classification, attribution, formation time and whether it protects privacy. There is a lack of finishing and comprehensive analysis of kou-xuan’s specific use.Kou-xuan has become an independent style in Song Dynasty, in the Tang Dynasty there is no stylistic sense of kou-xuan and use other instruments to exercise the function of reward, which is different from the situation in Song Dynasty when kou-xuan’s style and usage has been fixed.Kou-xuan can be roughly divided into Hanlin degree admission, rewarding and comforting categories. For different occasions, officer’s identity and location are different. According to different occasions, kou-xuan differs from Xuan.In the article type, topic often can reflect its use and targeted audience. Kou-xuan is short, the wording has certain routines. Beginning with "you chi", for different purposes, the content of kou-xuan will be focused, but basically focus on the identity and cause of the people who accepts the kou-xuan, and will be highlighted at the end of one of its use. In the literary style function, kou-xuan mainly exercises the ceremonial functions, and works as the tool of maintaining relationships between emperor and imperial. In comparison with other official documents, in the case of reward instruments, kou-xuan can be seen as an abbreviated version of Zhi and Pida. Meanwhile kou-xuan has some overlap with Zhao in some use occasions. Kou-xuan coincides with other official documents in its grave and elegant style, and proper wording. But kou-xuan has its uniqueness; it is short and full of parallel sentences with clear meanings. The difference between kou-xuan and other official documents is basically the occasion of use, oral announcement, and short article type.Kou-xuan’s use can effectively cope with daily official matters and other official documents. It embodies the supreme imperial power. In the whole document application system of Song Dynasty, it is indispensable, if not of utter importance.