The Bureaucracy in the Song Period: From Disorder to Stability

by Deng Xiaonan

Overview

The bureaucracy has always played a crucial role in the exercise of political power, and how officials are appointed is directly related to the effectiveness of state governance. This book conducts a clear and structured study of the complex personnel management system in imperial China.

It examines the main features of the official appointment system in the Song dynasty (960–1279), such as the separation of official ranks and their duties, the agencies and regulations for appointing officials, the merit rating system, the coexistence of 'seniority' and 'functional rank' in the recruitment and selection of officials, and other important procedures, including the recommendation system, the evaluation for reassignment system, and the system of appointments to commissions. Focusing on both the institutional regulations and their practical implementation and effectiveness, the book reveals many contradictions and coping mechanisms in the Song dynasty's personnel management system.

This book will appeal to scholars and students of Song dynasty history, personnel administration, and civil service.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032667065
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/30/2025
Series:	China Perspectives
Pages:	386
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Born in 1950, Deng Xiaonan graduated from Peking University's History Department in 1985. She was the director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, and a professor of history at Peking University. She was also the vice-chairman of China History Society. Her areas of interest include the history of the Song period, the bureaucracies and institutions of middle-period China, and gender in the Tang and Song dynasties.

Table of Contents

1. Establishing offices and allotting assignments in the Song period  2. Agencies and regulations for the appointment of officials  3. Implementation of the merit rating system in the Song period  4. The parallel existence of ‘seniority’ and ‘functional rank’ in civil service recruitment and selection  5. The recommendation system and its uniquely important role in civil service recruitment and selection  6. The system of rank promotion based on the evaluation of merit rating results and seniority  7. The system of appointments to commissions in the Song period  8. Conclusion