It is well recorded that the proliferation of “envoys” or “dispatched officers” was a prominent fact after the mid-Tang Dynasty.They were a group of elite bureaucrats specific to the political and cultural landscape in Tang and Song Dynasties,whose identification,evolution and evaluation are worth minute and thorough research.Xuan Yu Shi,or Xuan Yu Guan(literally,the envoy or officer for declaring royal edicts),first appeared in the mid-Tang Dynasty and were seldom seen in the North Song Dynasty,except in the later reign of Emperor Huizong,when they were dispatched to “publicize the intentions and merits of the emperor”.The situation changed again amidst the chaos of early South Song Dynasty,when there were more Xuan Yu Shi with new tasks.They had been largely heralds before,but now they began to take more military responsibilities,and eventually became deputies of Xuan Fu Shi.As a major measure in response to the crisis where life or death was at stake,the transformation of this position contributed to the military reinforcement and political existence of the Song Dynasty.The Office of Xuan Yu Shi was at once a military,civil and supervising agency,and Xuan Yu Shi,as superior regional administrators dispatched by the central government,reflected the resumption and strengthening of the principle of civil command,and was a specific measure of the centralization policy.Furthermore,the local political structure was intentionally designed by the central government to encourage exposition and restriction among officers.The desire,or the obsession to “limit the officers’ capability of evil-doing” is a prominent feature of the political culture in the Song Dynasties.It’s also worth emphasizing that the transformation of the role of Xuan Yu Shi was a measure in response of an era when defense was of utmost importance.The position was abandoned after the South Song Dynasty,making it even more special when it comes to its role and effect in this segment of history. |