Dao-Xue Type Scholar-Bureaucrats’ Attitude Toward the Legitimacy Restoration in the mid-Southern Song Dynasty’s Anti-Favorites Campaign (1163~1207)
Date Issued
2009
Date
2009
Author(s)
Chang, Wei-Ling
Abstract
The central theme of this thesis is to explain Southern Song dynasty’s political characteristics through the interaction of four main factors that dominate the historical progress during mid-Southern Song dynasty: imperial power, Favorites, Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats, and the legitimacy restoration issue. Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats, a concept brought up by Yu Yingshi（余英時） in his “The History World of Zhu Xi”,（《朱熹的歷史世界》） refers to, in the context of this thesis, Neo-Confucians who adhere to Li-xue; it is expanded to include scholar-bureaucrats who identify with Li-xu and represent quasi Neo-Confucian behaviors. Within Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats there exists a complex interrelationship. Favorites are the personnel serving in the inner court for the emperor. Legitimacy restoration refers to the restoration of the complete legitimacy over the Chinese territory, given that Southern Song dynasty controls only the Southern part of China. Chapter one provides an analysis of the Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats who relentlessly reprimand to the emperor, Song Xiaozong,（宋孝宗） the danger of the Favorites, during1163 to 1170. Their anti-Favorites attitude motivated the formation of their political group. A root cause of Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats’ anti-Favorites position is due to the harm to the court disciplines caused by the Favorites’ interference with politics, so that the officials in the outer court are therefore driven unable to satisfy their duty in office. In addition, since Gaozong’s（高宗） time when Qin Kuai’s（秦檜） still in power, he collaborates with the Favorites and promotes peace agreement with Jin. This inclination has persisted till Xiaozong’s early time, represented by prime minister Tang Situe（湯思退） and Favorite Long Dayuan’s（龍大淵） pro-peace collaboration. They have been competing with the anti-peace collaboration led by Zhang Jun,（張浚） who is supported by the Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats. The Favorites’ participation in the peace agreement further strengthens Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats’ perception that peace agreement is unjustifiable.hapter two discusses the factors that undermine the political issues of legitimacy restoration amid Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats’ anti-Favorites campaign. It is explained that the Favorites’ extensive participation in the restoration issue has entrenched part of the outer court officials’ authority; corruptions in the military also produce various abuses within the restoration progress. Also, the Favorites and the pro-restoration prime minister adopt an aggressive approach to restoration, and in a political climate where people largely uphold an aggressive restoration proposal, Southern Song is likely to start war with Jin even when it is not fully prepared. These, have all influenced Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats’ perception of restoration which, in their eyes, is used by certain people to acquire unjust personal gain. The consequences also make Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats uphold a proposal on a ten years preparation; they even approve of a temporary peace agreement with Jin in order to prohibit the aggressive restoration proposal. Whether a pro-peace position in Longxing（隆興） or later an aggressive restoration proposal in Qiandao（乾道）, the Favorites act only in the emperor’s favor. It is under this political context that we understand the statement from Zhu Xi: “the talk of restoration in Shaoxing（紹興） is virtue, in Qiandao and after is vice.” Chapter three looks into how Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats deal with their political disadvantage after they have criticized the Favorites and the restoration proposal. In the issue of Zhang Yue（張說）, the Eastern Zhejiang School（浙東學派） also participates in reproaching the Favorites. Gong Mao Liang（龔茂良）, a Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrat, has engaged in a related issue. Favorite Zeng Di（曾覿）, with the purpose of attacking the group of Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats, induces opinion official Xie Kuoran（謝廓然） to impeach Gong on the charge of “no restoration”; later, he further attacks some Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats who befriended with Gong by accusing them of cliquing. This is the first incident that Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats are accused of cliquism, but it is later curbed by Xiaozong. In 1181, upon realizing that restoration lacks promise, Xiaozong expels the Favorites in the inner court and the pro-restoration prime minister Zhao Xiong（趙雄） in the outer court, and puts an end to the aggressive restoration proposal. Chapter four discusses what aspects the period from 1182 to 1207 has inherited from the political consequences before 1181. It is under this analysis that we look at the significance of the Prohibition of Parties in Qingyuan period（慶元黨禁）. As a Favorite, Han Tuozhou（韓侂冑） is opposed by other Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats, and is actually more against Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats than the group of scholar-bureacrates（官僚集團） that Yu Yingshi identifies. Given that, the Prohibition of Parties in Qingyuan period is not an individual political issue, but an ultimate battle between the group of Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats and Favorites in mid-Southern Song dynasty. Han Tuozhou, with restoration in mind, as a result from Xiaozong’s influence, becomes concerned with military issues when he’s in power. He is the successor of the previous Favorites, and puts restoration proposal into practice. The very much unprepared Kaixi Northern Expedition（開禧北伐） has gained widespread approval throughout the government, however there are still several Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats who stand up and oppose this decision. This in turn, repeats the confrontation between the aggressive restoration proposal and the steady proposal that takes place in 1170.
Subjects
Imperial power
Favorites
Dao-Xue type scholar-bureaucrats
Zhu Xi
Legitimacy restoration
SDGs
Type
thesis
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