<h1 class="ql-align-justify" > overview of the ancient Chinese retirement system</h1>
In ancient China, when an official reached a certain age and could not continue to serve, he could resign from his post and raise his life. For thousands of years, in order to enable officials who have made significant contributions to the country to be paid in their old age, Successive Chinese rulers have attached great importance to the retirement system.
In ancient times, retirement was called "Zhishi", and in the Spring and Autumn Ram Biography and Xuan A.D., it was said: "Retire to Shi." At the same time, it can also be called "to cause trouble", "to the government", "to the elderly" and so on.
China's retirement system existed during the Zhou Dynasty. After the officials of the Zhou Dynasty retired, The Qing Dynasty doctor sent a letter to the "elder of the country", and the general official to the "old man". The "Zhou Li Wang System" says: "The Zhou people raise the country to grow old in Dongjiao, and raise the old in Yu Yu. ”
In the Book of Rites, Qu Li says, "The Doctor is seventy and has done things." If they do not give thanks, they will be given a few rods, and they will be served by women, and they will be in all directions and ride in a chariot. ”
That is to say, an official at the level of a doctor, at the age of 70, must return to his hometown, and if the old man is not allowed by the king, then the king must give him a few staffs, and when he goes out, he can be accompanied by a woman. If you are traveling to a foreign country, you can take the security car.
After the Han Dynasty, the 70-year-old Zhishi became a conventional rule, following many dynasties, until the Jin Dynasty was changed to 60-year-old Zhishi, Zhu Yuanzhang called the empress, once again determined the 60-year-old Zhishi policy, and continued until the Qing Dynasty.
In the Tang Dynasty, the word "retirement" was officially introduced. Tang Dynasty literary scholar Han Yu's "Fuzhi FuFu Order": "Retire in residence and write "Fuzhi Fu". ”
<h1>Second, the retirement system of the Tang Dynasty: to ensure the normal operation of the imperial court</h1>
In the Tang Dynasty, the retirement system, as an important part of the bureaucratic system, was greatly improved and developed, and had a relatively complete set of operating modes. Due to the implementation of the retirement system, metabolism is carried out between new and old officials, which effectively ensures the normal operation of the country and promotes continuous political and economic progress.
The retirement system of the Tang Dynasty has the following characteristics.
First, the retirement age is more flexible.
The retirement age of officials in the Tang Dynasty basically followed the provisions of "seventy and zhishi", but it was not mandatory to retire at the age of 70. It is recorded in the Tang HuiJiao: "If you are more than seventy years old, you should be a man, and if your teeth are not weakened, you should also listen to the work." Zhongyun in the Tongdian Zhiguan Fifteenth ZhishiGuan: "Tang Dynasty Order, All The Clergy Officers, Seventy Listen to zhishi." Zhu Wen and Wu selected people with less than six pins, some old and sick can not afford official duties, there are labor examinations and meritorious performance willing to give the rank of scattered officials to rely on; their five pins or above, although they are young, describe the elderly, but also listen to the Shi. ”
From the above records, it can be seen that the retirement age in the Tang Dynasty was relatively flexible. In addition to age, it is also necessary to look at health and political performance. Usually, it can be extended for those who are in good health, and for officials with outstanding political achievements, they can continue to serve over the age of 70; for the elderly and frail, those with mediocre political performance can be asked for early retirement.
However, according to historical records, the vast majority of officials in the Tang Dynasty did not retire at the age of 70, some advanced, some retreated.
For example, the legendary "Tota Li Tianwang" Li Jing, at the age of 60, applied for illness and retirement on the grounds of foot disease, and the "door god" Wei Chi Jingde retired at the age of 50.
At the same time, life is seventy years old, and there are not many people who can live to 70 years old in ancient times, for example, among the 29 prime ministers in the tang dynasty, only 6 of them have given their careers, and none of them have died at the age of 70, and most of them have passed away when they are in office.
Many high-ranking officials in the Tang Dynasty did not want to retire when they reached the age of 70, such as He Zhizhang, who returned to his hometown at the age of 85 and wrote the famous "Book of Returning To His Hometown". Wu Zetian's chancellor Su Liangsi and Emperor Yizong of Tang's Reign Lu Longjie made Zhang Yunshen both decide to resign when he was old and sick.
It can be seen that the flexibility of the Tang rulers in the retirement age setting made the number of officials who retired at the age of 70 very few.
Second, retired high-ranking officials are well paid.
In order to reward officials for their lifetime contributions to the imperial court and the country, the Tang Dynasty treated retired officials very generously. There are political and economic treatments, but this treatment is generally only for senior officials above five pins.
In terms of political treatment, the Tang Dynasty allowed retired officials to participate in politics and deliberations.
During the pilgrimages of retired officials of the Tang Dynasty on the first and fifteenth days of each month, they were given higher ranks than serving officials, which was on the one hand to allow experienced ministers to contribute to the country and play an advisory role; on the other hand, it was also to show the respect of the imperial court for the country.
When highly prestigious officials retire, the ceremony is also solemn. When He Zhizhang told the old man to return to his hometown, Tang Xuanzong personally went to the house and ordered the Six Qing Hundred Officials to provide accounts to Chang'an Qingmen. Tang Xuanzong said, "Do you only advocate virtue and good teeth, or encourage the common people to persuade people?" That is to say, this is not only a respect for the sages, but also an indoctrination of the people.
Political preferential treatment stimulated the enthusiasm of the elders to participate in politics. They have a lot of experience and can play a big role in dealing with all kinds of difficult matters. Because of this retirement policy, the old ministers still cared about state affairs after retirement, such as Wei Zheng's retirement, and often expressed his views on political affairs to Emperor Taizong. After Li Jing retired, Tang Taizong also allowed him to participate in political affairs.
In terms of economic treatment, the treatment of retired officials in the Tang Dynasty was based on rank.
In the early Tang Dynasty, it was stipulated: "The officials of all affairs are seventy years old, and those who have more than five products to give to them are given half a lu." In other words, retired officials with more than five pins enjoy half of the treatment of the original Feng Lu.
In addition, for those who have difficulties in living, they can also apply for subsidies. In addition, when the new emperor ascends the throne and holds ceremonies in the suburbs, retired officials can also receive certain rewards.
The Yuangui of the Book of Records records that Emperor Xuanzong Tianbao's seventh-year May book honorific title Bi, zhao said: "His Jingwen military attaché, see the officials who are in Beijing and Zhishi and accompany the throne, the envoys of the various parties and the yuefan officials, etc., give one hundred horses, two products, three products and eighty horses, four products, five products and fifty horses, six products, seven products and thirty horses, eight products, nine products and twenty paragraphs." ”
It can be seen that for high-ranking officials above the five pins, in addition to the above generous half-lu and subsidies due to living difficulties, the emperor also gave rewards.
However, for officials below six pins, the treatment is different. In the ninth year of Tianbao (750), Emperor Xuanzong ordered: "If you hear the following six pins to the shi officials, after four years, they will be allowed to stop at the same time." Remembering its old age, it will be safe to exist, and will it be limited to its height, and grace will be sent down? ”
This provision means that officials under the level of six pins who retire before 750 years can only receive four years of half-lu treatment; those who retire after 750 years can enjoy the treatment of half-lu for life, which was abolished by tang wenzong order in 827 AD, and officials below six pins had nothing after retirement.
Third, retired senior officials enjoy shading allowances and other preferential treatment.
The Tang Dynasty also had a system of "zhi shi yin supplement". That is to say, after the retirement of officials with more than five pins, future generations can obtain official positions according to their elder privileges. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, if the relatives of the first class meritorious person did not have five pins or above in the dynasty, the descendants could choose one person to receive the five pin officials; the second class meritorious servants, without the five pins or above, the descendants could choose one person to be from the six pins.
At the same time, during the Tang Dynasty, when officials were approved for retirement, they were generally higher than the current official positions, as a kind of remuneration for retired officials.
In addition, when a retired official dies, there are certain preferential treatment in the funeral, known as "赙", and retired officials can also be posthumously sealed, buried, erected, and so on.
It can be seen from the above that officials of the Tang Dynasty generally had a good treatment after retirement, ensuring their later life. The advantages of this are to allow the elderly and infirm officials to withdraw from the official field in a timely manner, to avoid the aging of the ranks, to ensure the normal metabolism of the imperial court, to enhance the vitality of government agencies, to social stability, and to reflect the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation in respecting the elderly, which played a role in promoting the development of the Tang Dynasty's politics, economy, culture and other aspects.
<h1>Third, the drawbacks of the retirement system in the Tang Dynasty: it encouraged the atmosphere of not retreating for a long time</h1>
It can be seen from the above that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a relatively complete system for the retirement of officials, but there were still many drawbacks, mainly manifested in:
First of all, the retirement age lacks mandatory measures, resulting in some corrupt people not retiring for a long time.
Although there is a 70-year-old rule on paper, it is another matter to operate specifically. Zhishi was usually proposed by the official on his own initiative, and then decided by the emperor. Some power-hungry officials refuse to retire from their official positions. Some people even reached the age of old age, still obeyed Zhu Zhiwat, and died of official positions. For example, when Dou Dou was born and seriously ill, he had forgotten to talk to Tang Taizong and was still corpseless and did not retreat.
Prime Minister Xu Jingzong, who was too old and infirm to walk, "rode a pony into the forbidden gate to the governor of the introspection" every day, and he was more than 80 years old at this time.
For this kind of greed for power, the great poet Bai Juyi once gave a strong criticism in the famous poem "Qin Zhong Yin And Bu Zhi Shi".
Qin Zhongyin , Not Zhi Shi
Bai Juyi
Seventy and to the faithful, the law of etiquette has a clear text;
What is a covetous person who does not hear what he says?
Poor eighty or ninety, teeth fall blind.
The morning sun is greedy for fame and fortune, and the sunset is worried about the descendants.
Hanging crown Gu Cui wisp, hanging car cherishes Zhu Wheel.
Jin Zhang's waist is invincible, and the servant is the king.
Who doesn't love riches? Who doesn't love Jun'en?
Old age must be told to be old, and the name is retired.
When there is less time, it is more obedient.
The sage Han Er shu, who is he alone?
Lonely East Gate Road, no one follows in.
In this poem, Bai Juyi praises the neglect and neglect of two high-ranking officials of the Han Dynasty who voluntarily retired, and criticizes the high-ranking Officials of the Tang Dynasty who coveted the throne in a fierce tone.
Secondly, the Tang Dynasty treated retired officials very generously, but this treatment was limited to the high-ranking officials, which encouraged the long-term trend of not retreating.
In addition to the economic favors of the retired high-ranking officials of the Tang Dynasty, they also gave a high status in politics, however, the lower-level retired officials below the six pins were not guaranteed after retirement. For example, the Tang Dynasty poets Meng Jiao and Jia Dao both retired from their posts in the vice county, and finally died because they had no livelihood and were poor and sick.
This non-non-discriminatory retirement system is clearly illegitimate. As a result, lower-ranking officials who lack security are reluctant to retire because they have to think about life in their later years. This system has also dampened the enthusiasm of lower-level officials in their work, encouraged the mentality of chaotic life in work, and encouraged the atmosphere of people being overwhelmed.
In addition, the system of shading relatives and subjects made more and more descendants of yin supplementation when officials retired in the Tang Dynasty. Yin supplement officials do not enter the official arena through formal scientific expeditions, and there are some stupid children among them, and this retirement system will inevitably play a negative role.
In the late Tang Dynasty, especially after the Anshi Rebellion, the political economy continued to decline, and it should be said that it was inseparable from the influence of this retirement system.
Resources:
1 New Book of Tang
2. "A Brief Introduction to the Retirement System of Officials in the Tang Dynasty", Xu Zhengwen
3. "The Retirement System in Ancient China", Xie Xian
4. "Retirement System in the Han and Tang Dynasties", Pan Yong