- 期刊
唐代三省制之發展研究
Development of the San Sheng System of the T'ang Dynasty
並列摘要
The system of San Sheng (Three Departments) in the T'ang dynasty was an important feature in Chinese history of political institutions. Throughout three hundred years of the Empire, there were a number of modifications on functions and inter-relationships between the sheng. This article aims at exploring circumstances of changes in order to engage more intensive understanding of the institutions. There were six periods marking the changes of the system of San Sheng: (1) In the early years of Emperor Kao Tsu (高祖 618-627) the political system of the Sui Empire (隋 589-618) was still adopted. Shang-shu-pu-she (尚書僕射) was appointed as cheng-tsai-hsiang (正宰相) while chung-shu ling (中書令) performed as the executive secretary of the emperor. (2) After the reign of Emperor T'ai Tsung (太宗 627-650) chancellorship was transferred from shang-shu-pu-she to chung-shu-ling. Since then a clear departmentalization loomed: chung-shu-sheng was in charge of issuing decrees, men-hsia-sheng (門下省) performed deliberation and comments, and shang-shu-sheng (尚書省) expedited enforcement. (3) The departmentalization was interrupted during the reign of Empress Wu and throughout two reigning periods of Chung Tsung (中宗) and Jui Tsung (睿宗) (684-713). (4) Emperor Hsuan Tsung (玄宗 713-756) resumed the system to perfection. (5) Beginning from 723 A.D., chung-shu-cheng-shih-t'ang (political hall) (中書政事堂) was renamed chung-shu-men-hsia (中書門下) under which five sections were set up. Thus a political hall where only the conference on state affairs was held now became an office-room for tsai-hsiang. Functions of two sheng-men-hsia and chung-shu-were gradually confused and from 742 A. D. downward ranking-officials became more and more beyond the guidance of the highest executive. (6) Despite efforts were rendered by Empror Hsien Tsung (憲宗 806-821) on the restoration of San Sheng, this sound system remained forever crippled under the following circumstances: government power had been shifted to the hands of shu-mi-shih (樞密使) and han-lin-hsueh-shih (翰林學士); rank and file officials of chung-shu and men-hsia sheng became detached from tsai-hsiang; and officials in charge of national treasury was invested with far greater authorities. San Sheng system was doomed to change in its entirety. Thus it gave the Sung Empire a lead to modify the system to a new division of functions: shu-mi (樞密) to control army, chung shu to run the government and san-ssu (三司) to be technically in charge of national treasury.