As one of the unified dynasties in China, the Song Dynasty suffered multiple invasions from minority regimes during its more than 300 year rule. In theory, the Song Dynasty was like this. Zhu Yuanzhang looked down upon all the emperors of the Song Dynasty, but only one person could receive Zhu Yuanzhang’s praise. So today, let’s explore Emperor Zhenzong’s attitude towards the anti-corruption work of the Northern Song Dynasty?
The Song Dynasty was a regime established during the chaotic times of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. In order to ensure the long-term rule of its own regime, Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin and later emperors severely cracked down on whether court officials were corrupt. After Emperor Zhenzong of Song succeeded to the throne, he issued an edict to promulgate the “Seven Articles of Literature and Martial Arts”, preparing to conduct a clean government education for officials across the country.
During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, he felt that the criminal law before the Tang Dynasty was too severe, so he carried out drastic reforms, and many forms of torture were gradually abolished by him. Emperor Zhenzong of Song was an emperor who could not tolerate court officials using torture to extract confessions from prisoners. For example, there was an official named Pan Yi who once captured a commoner and tortured him to extract confessions, resulting in a wrongful case. After being discovered by higher authorities, he was only fined. However, Zhao Heng was not very satisfied with the result and dismissed Pan Yi from office for investigation. He also notified officials across the country about this case.
The Song Dynasty also established a complete system for the selection and appointment of officials. According to regulations, officials in the court have a probationary period. If an official wants to be promoted to a regular position, they must be recommended by several formal officials, and other officials who have committed corruption crimes cannot be recommended for promotion. So the recommended candidates are very concerned about the moral character of officials who are still on probation.
Emperor Zhenzong of Song also specifically stipulated that corrupt supervisory officials should be severely punished, because according to historical records, the selection of supervisory officials in the Song Dynasty was very strict. Firstly, they must be honest and selfless, not afraid of the powerful and influential in the court; Secondly, one must have high cultural literacy and rich practical experience; Finally, if the relatives of the prime minister were to become supervisors, they would definitely be rejected by Emperor Zhenzong of Song.
Although Emperor Zhenzong of Song appointed treacherous ministers Wang Qinruo and Ding Wei as prime ministers in the later period of his reign, and was influenced by their teachings on the Book of Heaven and the Book of Fortune, he also extensively built palaces, causing great harm to the people and wealth. But it also made the annual income of the Northern Song Dynasty seven times that of the Tang Dynasty, and even in years of natural disasters during its rule, the annual income could still reach about three times that of the Zhenguan reign.
