Pursuing Moral Governance: The Political and Social Implications of the Baxing (Eight Virtues) Scheme in Late Northern Song (960–1127) China

Abstract

A millennium ago in Northern Song (960–1127) China, Emperor Huizong initiated the “Eight Virtues of Conduct” in order to recruit morally upright officials. In place of the candidates’ skills in literary composition and understanding of the Confucian classics, this scheme adopted candidates’ moral virtues as their major criterion of selection. This paper analyzes how this scheme was implemented. It also shows that the rejection of certain genuinely virtuous nominees and the recruitment of some candidates who had exhibited objectionable conduct somehow compromised the emperor’s ideal. This analysis is followed by a discussion of the political and social implications of the scheme. Instead of perceiving this promotion channel as a means for Huizong and Chief Councilor Cai Jing to eliminate dissidents and install ideological conformity, the author argues that the scheme was an initiative of the emperor to counter the chief councilor’s dominance and alleviate factional conflicts. The final section examines the extent to which this scheme facilitated social mobility in the Song dynasty.

宋徽宗為了引進道德高尚的官員至其官僚體系，於北宋末年創行了「八行」取士之法。「八行法」主要以候選人的道德操守而非其文才和學識作為選拔的標準。本文探討「八行法」在北宋末年如何實施，指出在過程中一些道德高尚的人拒絕入仕。相反一些道德水平一般的人卻得以混入官場，如此種種均導致徽宗皇帝的理想難以實踐。文章接著討論「八行」取士的政治和社會影響。作者認為「八行法」是徽宗皇帝為了抗衡權相蔡京和緩和黨爭而設的計劃，並不認同此舉是徽宗和蔡京消除異己和統一思想的手段。文章的最後部分考察「八行」取士這一方案究竟在何種程度上促進了宋代社會的流動。