Politics of Powerful Ministers and the Political Competition in Imperial Edict Writing in the Southern Song Dynasty

Abstract

In the Southern Song Dynasty, powerful ministers came to prominence in succession. Qin Hui served two terms as Grand Councilor for 19 years, while Han Tuozhou, Shi Miyuan, and Jia Sidao controlled the imperial government for a long time. As these ministers sought to control the appointments and dismissals of imperial edict drafters, the imperial edicts, which were meant to reflect the emperor’s will, gradually became tools for achieving their purposes with flattery or aggressive language. The imperial edict drafters not only had the duty to convey the emperor’s will in the writing of edicts but also needed to reflect impartiality and factual accuracy in their advocacy. While powerful ministers had a significant impact on the Southern Song politics, the scholar-officials’ commitment to maintaining the “rules of the founding emperor” allowed these officials to retain a political status that enabled their involvement in decision-making and to uphold public discourse. This dynamic, to some extent, created a balance of power between the emperor and the Grand Councilors. The writing of imperial edicts distinctly showcased the political competition among the emperor, powerful ministers, and the imperial edict drafters, shedding light on the trends and evolution of scholar-official politics in the Song Dynasty.

Keywords

the Southern Song Dynasty / powerful ministers / imperial edict writing / political competition

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2024 Higher Education Press