Chapter 63 Renzong Chapter 5 The Completely Solidified Ruling Class
Chapter 2188 Renzong Chapter 5 The Completely Solidified Ruling Class
In the spring and February of the eleventh year of Zhengtong (1052), in Xijing, the triennial imperial examination had just come to an end. Taking advantage of the opportunity for talents from all over the world to gather in the capital, the annual Peony Poetry Festival was about to begin.
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With the passage of time, the memory of our ancestors has gradually become blurred in people's minds. The once magnificent history and those soul-stirring stories only remain in the writings of historians and scholars and the poems of literati and poets.
The vast majority of people are more accustomed to living and enjoying the present, especially for the people of Gyeonggi who live in the world. The orthodox era of social stability, economic prosperity, and brilliant culture can be called an era of enjoyment for all. However,
In this prosperous age of happiness, the target group will inevitably become narrower and narrower...
In the past forty years since King Sejong, the imperial examinations in the Han Empire have become increasingly "political and legal" and "academic". This is not only because the imperial court pays more attention to legal principles in selecting candidates, but also because a large number of students and scholars came from political and legal universities and other local political schools.
, appeared in large numbers in the "imperial examination", the empire's most orthodox, highest-level, and most competitive "track" for becoming an official.
By the orthodox era, the paths to becoming an official in the Han Empire had been more clearly divided into three paths: one was examination, the other was favor, and the third was "can become an official through officialdom." Among these three paths, regardless of the matter of examination, how to accept the powerful
, the influence of the ruling class such as academic circles, it is the fairest talent selection method in the empire, at least it can give people some hope, and in every session, some talented people from "poor families" can emerge.
Article 2: Needless to say, the welfare of the powerful is also one of the fundamental reasons why the ruling class maintains imperial rule. Although it has always been criticized by the elites of the Qing Dynasty, it has always existed.
And in a "low-key" manner, it was passed down calmly and firmly held a large share of the empire's voice. After more than a hundred years of development and changes in the empire, although the old and new dignitaries were constantly replaced, this class was constantly changing.
Growth is not only the strong backbone of the empire, but also the parasite on the huge body of the empire.
As for the third path, it is the most difficult one, the situation is also the most complicated, and it is showing an increasingly difficult and complicated trend. In the final analysis, there are millions of officials at all levels in the empire, but the imperial officials have
It is certain, but the gap between officials and officials is constantly widening, as deep as a chasm, so much so that there is a saying in the lower-level officialdom that "it is difficult to escape once you enter the officialdom."
Looking back, it was during the reign of Emperor Sejo that the concept of "reducing talents in an eclectic way" was truly implemented. By the time of Taizong and Sejong, the rule of law was continuously strengthened, hierarchical rules became increasingly strict, and officials became more and more demanding.
The less friendly it is.
Sejong did cultivate a large number of high-quality officials by establishing official schools, but for many students, their first choice was still to go to Beijing for reference, and they were only willing to accept the path of "officials" as a last resort.
However, it is difficult to transfer from an official position to an official, and the upper limit is also very low, but it is easy to produce talents, especially those who are practical. After all, they are talents who stand out from millions of officials. Whether it is ability, experience or luck, they all lack one thing.
No.
During the six years when Shangshu ordered Fan Zhongyan to be in power, there were many rectifications and reforms in the imperial administration. Among them, in terms of selecting talented personnel, a group of officials were vigorously promoted and appointed as magistrates. Most of these people had the necessary qualifications. Although he was a man of practical ability, he was criticized as a "Fan Party" and one of Fan Zhongyan's "bad policies". The reasons for this have touched the interests of other vested interest groups.
While these three paths to becoming an official became increasingly clear, they also meant the complete solidification of the imperial class. This was especially noticeable in the upper-level ruling structures of the empire.
During the Kaibao period, on the basis of the founding fathers of the Qianyu generation, a number of common leaders such as Zhao Pu, Lu Duoxun, Zhang Yong, Li Fang, Lu Duan, Wang You, and Wang Yuchen could also emerge;
During the Taizong period, ministers such as Zhang Qixian, Li Hang, Lu Mengzheng, Xu Shilian, and Kou Zhun also took up the banner of common people bureaucrats;
Even during the reign of Emperor Shizong, there were still Zhang Jian, Du Yan, Zeng Hui, Wang Qinruo, Ding Wei, Xia Song, Bao Zheng and other famous officials and officials who rose from ordinary people.
But in the orthodox era, to be precise since the mid-to-late Jianlong period, it is rare to see people holding high positions with their own efforts and amazing talents. It’s not that there are none, it’s just that there are very few, and the upper limit is visible to the naked eye.
Those in high positions in the imperial temple are basically occupied by powerful groups, and the higher you go up, the more so. Whether it is a minister in the central department or a local feudal official, it is very difficult for you to find someone with a mediocre background.
It's not that there are no rises from humble families, but if you don't rely on the powerful and rely only on personal talent and hard work, it is simply wishful thinking to climb to a high position. The Han Empire is not without such people, but the vast majority of people spend their entire lives in poverty. Whether he can serve as the state capital is a big question mark.
Bao Qingtian is famous for not being affiliated with the powerful, and even specifically "fighting" against the powerful. However, how many such people can be found in the world? What's more, if he is not from the University of Political Science and Law, a close minister of King Sejong, or a lecturer of the emperor, etc. With a series of buffs, even if Bao Zheng becomes famous, how long can he stay at the top of the empire?
Even so, he was repeatedly criticized, and his situation was worrying. It was difficult to make progress in his personal career. He was given false titles such as Cabinet Bachelor and Jixian Palace Bachelor at will. However, Fan Zhongyan twice pushed Bao Zheng to enter the Political Hall to become the prime minister. Everyone was opposed by the crowd, especially the proposal of the imperial envoy.
Let’s take a look at some of the ministers who rose to prominence in the imperial political arena during the middle and late periods of King Sejong’s reign. Ouyang Xiu, who was already a great literary giant in the orthodox era, along with Su Shunqin and others, re-edited the "Book of Tang" and "History of the Three Dynasties", making him a leader of the new generation of Qingliu.
But Ouyang Xiu's rise to prominence, in addition to his own amazing talent, was a very important reason for his background in a university of political science and law, and being the top scholar. And if we want to trace the origin, he still relied on the support of several father-in-laws, including Xu Yan in the early years and Xu Yan in the later years. Yang Kan,Xue Kui
Even so, throughout his life, Ouyang Xiu never really held a high position in the temple, held real power in the court, and had great power. He was just famous and had high achievements in literature.
But in the eyes of the real rulers of the Han Empire, he was not ranked at all. He was more like a Buddha statue placed in the palace by the family members. Once his words and deeds went out of line, he would be demoted.
Cai Xiang is also a great figure of the generation and a leader of the Qingliu School. He was born in Fujian School and is now the leader of the Putian School. Fu Bi and Han Qi have many years of political experience and are already rising stars in the imperial political arena. They are well-known in both the government and the public, but they are indispensable along the way.
Promote and support talented prime ministers such as Zhang Jian and Du Yan.
Zeng Gong, the number one scholar in Jinke, was a great scholar at Jixian Palace. He was the disciple of Ouyang Xiu who supervised the compilation of "History of the Country" when he was in Fangzhou. It is said that he was the disciple of "ancient prose". What this means is self-evident.
It was Fan Zhongyan. If his father had not established the reputation of direct access to Emperor Taizong, and if he had not combined the aura of Loujiang and Suiyang, two schools with important influence on the imperial political arena, he would never have been able to rank in the Zaitang one day.
Of course, the most critical point for Fan Gong to finally enter the palace, worship the minister, and gain "the hope of gathering the world" lies in the training and promotion of Emperor Sejong. There must also be good luck and the orthodox emperor "obedient"
It was precisely in this talent selection mechanism and official growth environment that Fan Zhongyan's years in power were evaluated by later generations as "the last fair era of the Han Empire."
And even though Fan Gong was dedicated to serving the public good, the fairness he maintained must be put in double quotation marks, because the court system he maintained was fundamentally to protect the powerful people of the empire.
On the one hand, he resolutely maintained imperial rule and discipline, and on the other hand, he suppressed and restricted the powerful bureaucrats who were the cornerstone of rule. It is conceivable what kind of contradictions, entanglements and difficulties Fan Zhongyan went through during his rule. It was said to be bitter.
There is nothing wrong with struggling to support yourself.
Things were not perfect, and it was precisely because of the increasingly suffocating and constraining political environment and promotion system after Fan Zhongyan that it became so rare for the empire to maintain the clarity it struggled to maintain during Fan Zhongyan's time.
However, even if it is further consolidated, it is still possible for the world's scholars and talented people from poor families to rise. The ladder of climbing the dragon is also firmly maintained and consolidated by the common people's bureaucrats, and is used as a facade by the noble group.
The path to ascent, even if narrow, exists after all
In contrast, what is really suffocating is the army. For more than a hundred years, the military aristocrats' control over the imperial army has been declining, but they still have a strong voice.
On the other hand, while military bureaucracy is on the rise, some rules that belong exclusively to military orders and military and political systems have become more solidified. The most obvious point is the promotion mechanism and promotion paths.
By the orthodox era, it was very common for imperial officers and soldiers to be promoted based on their background and identity. It had even become deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and accepted by others, as if this was the rule they were born with.
It is extremely rare for an ordinary soldier who enlists in the army to become a "centurion" in his lifetime without a supporter and just relying on normal military training, garrison, fighting and other professional activities.
More people are sent back to their hometowns to work in the countryside after they age out. If they perform meritorious service or earn a military position, they may have the opportunity to be assigned to the local sergeant system or the rural soldier system, and receive compensation from the local government.
For a job like this, one is basically one out of ten.
The Han army in the orthodox era has gradually lost the glory and treatment it once had for ordinary officers and soldiers. The Zhaolie Temple in Tokyo holds a grand ceremony every year, but the spirit and will that once touched the heart and struck the soul have gradually become tainted.
dust
The sources of imperial officers are mostly from the blessings of noble generals, and they come from several major military schools in the empire. As for the military examinations, they have been completely ruined. Up to now, they are only among the resumes of some officers who are about to be promoted.
one.
As for the selection of military talents, the army has its own rules!
And this kind of solidification of the army is particularly hardened by the navy.