Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 346 Ren Neng and Xian Xian
Traditionally, China selects officials. Some people advocate selecting talents, while others advocate appointing talents.For example, in the Han Dynasty, in the second year of Emperor Gaozu, Liu Bang issued the Order of Seeking Talents, which contained "determine the world together with the world's nobles and virtuous officials, and compile it together." The order of seeking talents clearly stated that it was to select talents.Later, it became the inspection system of the Han Dynasty.The prosecution system was corrupted and became a de facto co-governance system of aristocratic families.In the Sui Dynasty, it was changed to the imperial examination system. After the imperial examination system was reformed, it was basically perfected in the Song Dynasty, and it became the main selection method for officials.

Wen Yanbo once said that the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats ruled the world together.This sentence is not surprising, in fact, it has meant this since Liu Bang.People of later generations use this sentence to satirize the officials of the Song Dynasty, but it is actually missing the point and a little inexplicable.

After the Song Dynasty, Mongolia entered the Central Plains, bringing a large number of nomadic habits.In politics, the check and balance between the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats, or the imperial power and the imperial power disappeared.After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he abolished the prime minister, and the imperial power was strengthened unprecedentedly.In the Qing Dynasty, the imperial power was strengthened again, and the ministers even became slaves.

It is often said in history that since Qin Shihuang established a unified regime, there has been a contradiction between imperial power and prime minister power in China.The general trend is that the imperial power is getting stronger and stronger, and the relative power is getting weaker and weaker.Some people even say that the Song Dynasty was a group system, which is a manifestation of the strengthening of imperial power.

Objectively speaking, the power of prime ministers in the Song Dynasty was not weak, but the power of a single prime minister in the Northern Song Dynasty was weak.But as an overall political affairs hall minister, the power is very great, which is far from comparable to that of the later Ming and Qing Dynasties.In the Southern Song Dynasty, many ministers of power appeared, and some of them were abnormal.

People of later generations study Chinese history and often talk about major trends.For more than two thousand years since the Han Dynasty, one sentence is often used to summarize the historical trend, and then various dynasties are included in this trend.If there is something that cannot be applied, it is said to be a special case of history, or even a reaction of history.For example, as history progresses, centralized power becomes stronger and stronger, and imperial power becomes stronger.For example, with the development of history, private commerce has become more and more developed. At this time, the sprouts of capitalism appeared, and at that time, the sprouts of capitalism also appeared.For example, with the development of history, taxation is becoming more and more monetized, and monetization is the direction of historical development, etc.

Why is this a trend?Most of what was said was not understood.Or it is the theory of foreign scholars, or ideology, or just a few scholars think so.What is the historical trend?Can't really believe it.

Wang Xiaolie remembered that in his previous life, there was a degree review meeting.A student went up to do research on the popularization of agricultural machinery.At the beginning, I talked about how difficult it was after the founding of the People's Republic of China, and how rapid development has been since the reform and opening up.The professors below were dumbfounded.Some people couldn't bear it and told him that before the reform and opening up, China's agricultural machinery industry had actually made great achievements. In the 20 years after the reform and opening up, it was either standing still or retreating on a large scale.It was not developed again until after 2000.This is the truth.

The same is often true of historical research.For example, the monetization of taxation is a major trend and represents the advancement of society.In fact, most of the time, it is very difficult for farmers to obtain currency.Not to mention in ancient times, even in modern times, the collection of industrial taxes in the 90s and various other miscellaneous taxes have caused great difficulties for farmers and caused a lot of social conflicts.To a large extent, farmers do not participate in commercial activities, and what they harvest is food, which is in kind. The monetization of taxes increases exploitation.

Many historical views bear this trace.Regarding the Song Dynasty, the most famous point of view is that the emphasis on literature over military affairs, the use of literature to control military forces, or the admiration of literature and restraint of military forces led to military weakness.Wang Xiaolie remembered that he had seen a British movie in which an engineer battalion officer commanded the war.According to these people, it can be regarded as using literature to control military force, and an old non-commissioned officer should be used as the commander.I don't know when this statement started, and it has even become a conclusion in the field of history.Speaking of the weakening of the Song Dynasty's military, some people often say something condescending.

Is history really like this?Just because the status of warriors is low, so their motivation is not high, so they don't work hard to fight, so they can't do it militarily?Why did it change to European and American countries, and then changed to another set of sayings?
Fundamentally speaking, the study of history has not insisted on seeking truth from facts.On a deeper level, there is an attitude problem.

When New China was founded, the teacher once said that we are good at breaking an old world and building a new world.It's just that later history shows that it is more difficult to build a new world than to break the old one.

The biggest difference between the new China and the old China is that the status of the people has been established.The legitimacy of the regime is no longer a lofty and illusory destiny, but the support of the people.It is not easy to truly understand this difference from an ideological point of view, and to truly stand on the standpoint of the people.Especially for many scholars and politicians, it is too difficult for them to think about problems and do learning from the standpoint of the people.

Build a new world, what kind of new world?

Even Wang Xiaolie couldn't answer this question.Then don't answer.What kind of people to choose to be officials and who to let in power, this issue is put aside for now.The so-called officials, all the power and honor, are all placed on the official uniform, or on the official seal.Whoever puts on the official uniform is the official.Whoever holds the seal is the official.It's not suitable, take off the official uniform and continue to be an ordinary person.

For the appointment of officials, the most important thing is selection.Choose people who can do it, that is, being able.The evaluation of officials, the most important thing is supervision.To be promoted, one must not only do well, but also be recognized by the people.That is, selection.

This official uniform is hung here, and those who are capable will do it.The route to promotion is there, and virtuous people are promoted.This is the method chosen by Wang Xiaolie, which is different from the previous life, and also different from the future life.

After listening to Wang Xiaolie's detailed explanation, all the officials couldn't help being stunned.

After a long time, Chen Qiudao said: "Officials are appointed, how can they be appointed? The imperial court relies on imperial examinations, what do we rely on?"

Wang Xiaolie said: "I have thought about it for a long time, and I still found that the imperial examination is a good way. The problem is that the imperial court does not train enough for those who pass the imperial examination. Once they pass the imperial examination, they will become officials. Afterwards, the training is simple, almost After a few months, I went out to do a real job. How can a person who is obsessed with studying suddenly know how to be an official? This is obviously not enough. I think that in the future, the imperial examination should be combined with the training school, so that the candidates not only Clear selection of literature, familiarity with classics, history, songs and Fu, and practical official skills. According to their academic achievements, they will be placed in suitable positions."

Chen Qiudao asked, "What kind of school?"

Wang Xiaolie said: "Our army takes the military academy as the core to train officers at all levels. The same is true for officials. Not only do they have to take the imperial examination, they also have to go to a special training school to study. After learning the skills, they will be sent to actual positions. Don’t worry too much about what to teach. We have actual officials and political records, so we just teach first. The teaching is not good at the beginning, but it will get better after a while. All in all, future officials must first wear official uniforms Only when you have the ability to be an official can you really become that official. After wearing the official uniform, if you don’t do things well, you will be rewarded and punished.”

Speaking of this, Wang Xiaolie said to Chen Yuyi: "The councilor should understand now, why did I say that I want to build a big yamen for you? Because in the future, at least in our place, the supervision of officials will be very important. As long as you become an official , we have to face supervision. This kind of supervision is no longer as simple as before, but in all aspects. Therefore, the income of the officials should be high, the status should be high, and the supervision will be stricter!"

Officials are selected personnel, in the words of later generations, they are the elites of society.Since they are elites, they should naturally have the income of elites, and they cannot be treated badly.In addition, they have a high social status.If you want such a social status, you have to face supervision.

(End of this chapter)