«——[·Preface·] ——»
The imperial history system in ancient China is a very important system in Chinese history, and there are records of the imperial history system in successive dynasties from the Qin and Han dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, due to the lack of historical materials and different eras, academic research on this system mainly focuses on the Han Dynasty.
The imperial history of the Qin and Han dynasties, its duty was to "control the affairs of the three dukes and nine secretaries and the county state". After the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, this system was inherited. After Qin unified the world, Prime Minister Li Si proposed that "the upper council be regarded as the imperial history", and the imperial history officially became an official of the central supervision system.
The Qin Shi Huang era established the first centralized state in Chinese history, but it also caused some problems. Along with the concentration of power, problems such as how to prevent abuse of power and prevent bureaucratic redundancy also arise. At that time, the central supervision system set up an official specifically responsible for supervising the behavior of officials, the Goshi Fu (or "Goshi Tai").
Judging from the records of the "History of Qin Shi Huang", there were clear regulations for the imperial history house during the Qin Shi Huang period:
"The following four people are the first imperial doctor: one superintendent of the imperial history, and the history of the various doors inside and outside the palace gate; Eryu Yushi Dafu; Three Supervisors; Four history of supervision. and left and right long history, left and right Cheng, to supervise hundreds of officials; Zhu Cao Langzhong and Zhu Yushi ruled affairs. ”
It can be seen that Qin Shi Huang set up four official posts to manage local supervision work.
The four official positions had different names at different times: the superintendent was responsible for the supervision of the history of the various gates inside and outside the palace gate; Imperial Master is responsible for the supervision of the history of the various gates inside and outside the palace gate; The left and right are responsible for the supervision of the affairs of the hundred officials; The superintendent is responsible for supervising the affairs of hundreds of officials.
It is worth noting that the Qin Dynasty also set up an official in the central government specifically responsible for supervising the behavior of officials, Yushi Zhongcheng. According to the "History of Qin Shi Huang Benji", in October of the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang (221 BC), Qin Shi Huang ordered the "imperial history" Zhao Gao to "discuss" change the prime minister Li Si to the imperial history doctor.
1. Imperial History
The imperial history had a high status in the Qin Dynasty, and compared with the status of the prime minister, the imperial history was quite noble, and the "History of the First Emperor of Qin" contains: "In the eleventh year of the first emperor, the imperial history doctor... In twelve years, he abolished the prime minister and replaced him with a doctor of imperial history. ”
Qin Shi Huang created a completely new institution, the Yushi Tai, which became the highest supervisory body of the entire Qin Dynasty. At that time, people called the Goshidai "Goshi no Fu" or "Goshi Tai".
After the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, in order to consolidate his rule, Qin Shi Huang expanded the supervisory agency into a huge bureaucratic system, "from the top to the hundred officials of the imperial court, down to the princes of the six kingdoms, the meritorious ministers of Qin, and the seals of the six kingdoms".
During the period of Emperor Wudi of Han, the "assassination history" system was implemented, so that "the imperial history platform was specialized".
From Qin to Qing, Yushi was a full-time official who supervised hundreds of officials. During the reign of Qin Shi Huang, imperial history was a special type of official. In ancient Chinese feudal society, imperial history was a very special position.
Because the imperial historians represent the highest supervisory organ of the country, the "Imperial History Terrace", the imperial historians have special privileges.
The first is to be directly responsible to the divine decree set by the emperor; secondly, it is possible to impeach others against the ministers of the imperial court; Finally, all officials of the entire imperial court could be monitored. The imperial historians have absolute independence and authority in the exercise of their supervisory functions.
After Qin unified China, in order to strengthen the management of local officials, the county system of administration was adopted. The county system is one of the most important symbols of the ancient centralized political system on the mainland.
The county system played a huge role in strengthening centralized rule.
2. Imperial Doctor
The official name of the Qin imperial Shi Dafu, the "Shiji Qin Shi Huang Benji" and the "Hanshu Huo Guang Biography", are all "Yushi Dafu", but the "Yushi Dafu" recorded in the "Shiji Pingzhun Book" is only the "imperial history Zhongcheng" of the Qin Dynasty, not the highest inspector general of the Qin Dynasty.
Imperial History Zhongcheng was a full-time superintendent of hundreds of officials and local county officials appointed by the Qin Dynasty for the emperor. The "History of the First Emperor of Qin" contains: "In the first year, the imperial history of Zhongcheng ... Zhongcheng was in charge of supervising the ministers, and the deputy imperial order of history. It can be seen that Qin Shi Huang once established the post of imperial historian in 214 BC, but it was removed only a year later.
Yushi Dafu, established during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, was the supreme inspector general of the Qin Dynasty; Imperial Doctor and Yu Xiang are on the same level. Yushi Dafu had the same authority as Prime Minister Cheng and was the highest inspector general of the Qin Dynasty.
The specific powers of the imperial master of the Qin Dynasty, recorded in the "Shiji Qin Shihuang Benji" and the "Hanshu Huo Guang Biography", are "in charge of supervising the ministers and hundreds of officials"; The "History of Li Silie" records that "he ruled the princes of the Six Kingdoms and the land of the Three Qins".
It can be seen from this that the functions and powers of the Qin Dynasty imperial master mainly have three aspects: first, supervising hundreds of officials; the second is responsible for supervising county officials; The third is to be responsible for supervising Liehou.
The "Shiji Qin Shi Huang Benji" contains: "In July of the thirty-first year (210 BC), the first emperor went out to tour the county.
In September, to the Dune Platform (present-day Guangzong County, Hebei Province). ...... It was returned to Pingyuanjin (present-day Yangyuan County, Hebei Province). ”
The "to Pingyuanjin" here should refer to the place where Qin Shihuang's palace was located when he toured the east to Pingyuanjin. In this palace, Qin Shi Huang dined and stayed with the imperial doctor and other officials, and "drank wine for three days" in the palace.
It can be seen that when Qin Shi Huang's eastern tour arrived in Pingyuanjin, there were about 17 attendants in the palace, including the prime minister, the imperial master and other officials, which should be one of the main purposes of Qin Shi Huang's eastern tour.
The "Hanshu Huo Guang Biography" contains: "In the sixteenth year of the first emperor, there was a commander who said: 'Light is sick. ’...... The edict said: 'The generals Li Guang and Gongsun He are both marquises, and the rewards are very rich, so it is appropriate to abandon them. ’...... Guangxue, Zihu Haili. After Hu Hai took the throne, Huo Guang still served as the imperial master, responsible for supervising the prime minister, imperial history and other officials.
Therefore, the imperial master of the Qin Dynasty was not only the supreme inspector general of the Qin Dynasty, but also the supreme administrator of the Qin Dynasty. In terms of power hierarchy, the imperial master was higher than other central officials such as the prime minister and the imperial lieutenant; In terms of official rank, Yushi Dafu is higher than other central officials; In terms of the scope of functions, Yushi Dafu is higher than other central officials; In terms of status and influence, Yushi Dafu was higher than other central officials.
Therefore, it can be said that the imperial master of the Qin Dynasty was one of the most powerful and influential official positions in Chinese feudal society at that time.
3. The functions and powers of the Imperial Doctor
The main powers of the Imperial Doctor are:
The first is to "take charge of the king's order to meet the princes and kings". For example, in the two years after the unification of Qin, the prime minister and the imperial master were respectively responsible for supervising the actions of the princes and kings, which was the "king's order";
The second is "the imperial master to the princes and kings". For example, within six years after the unification of Qin, Yushi Dafu "served as princes and princes". This is the "Imperial Doctor to the Prince of Landing".
The third is "the festival of ruling the government of the dynasty, and advising his subordinates."
The fourth is the "ruling festival", that is, taking charge of etiquette.
It can be seen from the above: First, the Qin Dynasty Yushi Dafu, like the prime minister and the imperial history platform, had the power to supervise hundreds of officials; The second is that the Qin Dynasty Yushi Dafu was both the deputy of the prime minister (the chancellor could not concurrently serve as the imperial master); Third, the Qin Dynasty imperial master can largely replace the prime minister; Fourth, the Qin Dynasty imperial master had "independent supervision power" independent of the prime minister; Fifth, the imperial master of the Qin Dynasty not only had the right to supervise hundreds of officials, but also impeached hundreds of officials (for example, in the imperial history of the Han Jing Emperor, Cheng had the right to "discuss the name of the official"); Sixth, the Qin Dynasty Yushi Tai and the Prime Minister Mansion were divided and ruled; The seventh is the division of the Qin Dynasty Yushi Tai and the Prime Minister's Mansion.
However, in practice, there is a misalignment of the power relationship of "Imperial Doctor-Prime Minister-Prime Minister"; Eighth, the service system of the Qin Dynasty Imperial History Terrace tended to be replaced by the Prime Minister and the Imperial Historical Doctor.
4. The relationship between the Imperial Doctor and the Prime Minister
The relationship between Prime Minister Yu and Yushi Dafu has been a controversial topic in the history of ancient Chinese political systems. In the Qin Dynasty, the relationship between the prime minister and the imperial master was obviously discordant.
Qin took Prime Minister Cheng as the highest power, and his power was greater than that of the imperial doctor, "Shiji Qin Shi Huang Benji": "The lieutenant is in charge of the prohibition of the military chariot, and the order of the car riding is ordered by the royal king"; "Hanshu Dong Zhongshu Biography": "The lieutenant is in charge of forbidden soldiers, and the princes are royal"; "Hou Hanshu Zhang Heng Biography": "Zhongchang Attendant Can't Stop Zhong Dafu"; "Three Kingdoms Zhi Weishu Fu Xuan Biography": "Prime Minister Counsellor Governor, Lieutenant, Imperial Shi Dafu".
At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the power of the prime minister could be compared with that of the imperial master. "Hanshu Xuandi Ji": "Take the imperial master as the prime minister." And I want to be involved in the affairs of the province. Imperial Master said: 'Your Majesty asked me because I was unsuccessful? ’”
Later, the Han inherited the Qin system, and under the system of the Han Dynasty, the relationship between the prime minister and the imperial master was more complicated, and the relationship of mutual restraint and supervision in the administrative system was a relationship of mutual restraint and supervision.
"Hanshu Gao Di Ji": "Therefore, Prime Minister Zhang Cang, Imperial Doctor Lu Jia, Tai Zhong Doctor Zhou Bo, and Court Wei Chen Ping were all able to be straightforward. ”
"Later Hanshu Zhang Heng Biography": "Ting Wei said: 'Han Law takes the three dukes and Jiuqing as the prime minister. Today, the prime minister does not have the names of the three princes, but only the one who is the same. ’”
"Hou Hanshu Hundred Official Records": "The prime minister is in charge of the affairs of the world." ”
"Three Kingdoms Zhi Wei Zhi He Yan Biography": "Nai Jinyan is the prime minister, worship the general in the great line." The general Cao Zhen led the Situ, and the false festival, Shang Shu Ling Xun Yu led the Sikong. ”
5. Imperial History Zhongcheng
"Shiji Qin Shi Huang Benji" "Thirty-seven years, the first emperor collapsed" records that Qin Shi Huang died of illness on the dune platform in 219 BC, and in March of the same year, Hu Hai, the son of the first emperor, ascended the throne for Qin II (Qin II ascended the throne in 209 BC, ten years older than the first emperor).
The account of the official system of the imperial master of the Qin Dynasty and the relationship between prime ministers and powers can be seen:
First of all, from the perspective of the official system of Yushi Dafu: Yushi Dafu was the highest supervision official of the Qin Dynasty. The prime minister, on the other hand, is the supreme chief executive of the state, and his power is much greater than that of the imperial doctor.
Secondly, from the perspective of the official relationship between the prime minister and the imperial doctor: the prime minister can give orders to the imperial doctor.
Again, from the perspective of the relationship between the prime minister and the power of the minister: the power of the minister is higher than that of the imperial doctor.
Finally, from the perspective of the Qin Dynasty imperial history system established by the Qin State on the basis of Xiangquan: the Cheng system in the imperial history of the Qin Empire was established on the basis of the "Cheng Xiang System".
Author's opinion:
Generally speaking, the Qin imperial history system is an administrative system that has been in the initial stage from the beginning and has been continuously improved in practice, and its basic spirit is "taking officials as teachers".
Therefore, its political goal is to maintain imperial power and guarantee national unity. However, it also has its limitations, and it was originally established to strengthen the supervision of the central supervisory organs over the localities and prevent the situation of local division. However, in practice, the "taking officials as teachers" has been thoroughly implemented, and officials all rely on "officials" to act as "officials."
Therefore, this system had its positive effect in the Qin Dynasty, but it also caused many drawbacks, and even made the supervisory organs lose the ability and necessity to exercise their functions independently. The Qin imperial history system is the first administrative system with independent administrative functions in Chinese history, and it is also a reform of great significance in the history of China's political system.
Bibliography:
1. "Shiji Qin Shi Huang Benji"
2. "Hanshu Dong Zhongshu Biography"
3. "The Biography of Shiji Lisley"