Chapter 4 In the third quarter, two drastic reforms
After this fierce debate, Qin Xiaogong's doubts were dispelled, and he confidently supported Shang Yang's proposition.In 359 B.C., Duke Xiao officially worshiped Shang Yang, and under his auspices, reforms were carried out vigorously.
Shang Yang's reform was carried out in two stages.
The first reform began in the third year of Qin Xiaogong (359 BC), and the main contents are as follows:
Compile the household registration and implement the law of continuous sitting.In order to adapt to the needs of social change, Shang Yang first rectified the household registration law of "serving household registration" implemented when he offered his father, and changed it to the "shiwu system".That is to say, the five families are "Wu", and the two Wu are "Shi". Each household in each Wu family monitors and checks each other. "Don't accuse the adulterer of a traitor and chop him at the waist, accuse the adulterer and behead the enemy for the same reward; hide the adulterer and surrender the enemy for the same punishment" ("Historical Records·Shang Jun Biography").Shang Yang took this measure to further stabilize the social order and create a good social environment for the realization of political reform.
Abolish the old custom of living in groups and promote the small family system.Where there are two or more men in a household, they must be separated when they reach the age of self-reliance, and women must also marry when they reach a certain age, otherwise the tax will be doubled.When the children of rich families reach their prime of life, they will separate out to start a family and start a business.When children from poor families reach adulthood, they are recruited as custodial sons-in-law.Support individual small-scale production of each family and mobilize their production enthusiasm, the purpose is to develop agricultural production and increase social wealth.
Promulgated a policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business, rewarding farming and textiles.Shang Yang believed that agriculture was the "principal industry", and handicrafts and commerce were the "last industries".If a country wants to be prosperous and strong, it must focus on agricultural production.However, some peasants abandoned agriculture to do business, or engaged in handicraft production, "becoming merchants and crafts, all to avoid agricultural wars" ("Shang Jun Shu Agricultural War Chapter"), all in order to avoid agricultural production and military service.Shang Yang stipulated: Anyone who works hard to engage in agricultural production and pays more grain and cloth will be exempted from his corvee; anyone who abandons farming to do business or becomes poor due to laziness, the whole family will not be a government slave.By increasing the customs tax on the market, merchants are forced to abandon business and return to agriculture.Use rewards and punishments to accelerate the development of agricultural production.
Heavily rewarded military merits and established a twentieth-level title.Shang Yang encouraged fighting for the country, and those who made military merits were awarded different titles according to their merits.In order to commend and reward officials and soldiers who have contributed to the country, the 20th rank of nobility has been re-established. , (6) officials and officials, (7) public officials, (8) public vehicles, (9) five officials, (10) Zuo Shuchang, (11) right Shuchang, (12) Zuo Geng, (13) ) Zhong Geng, (14) Right Geng, (15) Shao Shang Zao, (16) Da Shang Zao (that is, Da Liang Zao), (17) Si Che Shu Chang, (18) Da Shu Chang, ( Nineteen) Guanneihou, (twentieth) Chehou ("Han Shu Baiguan Gongqing Biao").According to the rank of the title, the number of fields and houses, the number of servants and maidservants, and the order of clothing are determined.If one of the enemy's heads is captured in a battle, he will be awarded a first-level title, with a hundred acres of land and nine acres of house, which can be used as an official with a salary of 50 shi. An official with a hundred stone salary.Those who have made great military achievements can also be given feudal titles.Clan nobles who have no military merits will be deprived of their titles.Those who have meritorious service can enjoy the glory and wealth; those who have no merit, even if they have a rich family, they are not allowed to spend extravagantly.As for "private fights" that are not for the state, they will be severely punished depending on the severity of the circumstances.
The second reform took place in the twelfth year of Qin Xiaogong (350 BC), when the Qin State had moved its capital to Xianyang (now northeast of Xianyang, Shaanxi).Ordered reform again, the main contents are as follows:
It is forbidden for father and son brothers to live in the same room.This is the continuation and deepening of the first reform to implement the small family system.In response to the custom of "father and son brothers living in the same room" among Rongdi and other ethnic groups, further reforms have been made to live together and set up separate households in order to increase the population and meet the needs of farming and warfare.
The well field system was abolished, the borders were opened up, the private ownership of land was recognized, and land trading was allowed.This is an important content of Shang Yang's reform.Earlier, the land ownership system of the Qin State in the slave society was state-owned.With the growth of feudal economic factors, this land system was gradually destroyed.At the time of Qin Jiangong, preliminary adjustments had been implemented, which shook the well field system.Shang Yang's second reform, announcing "opening the land and sealing the frontier", completely abolished the well field system in the form of land ownership in the slave society, and generally promoted the feudal private ownership of land, expanding the feudal economic base.
Set up a sub-county system to strengthen the central government's rule over the localities.Specific measures: abolish the enfeoffment system of the Western Zhou Dynasty, divide several townships and towns into 31 counties; set up magistrates and prime ministers in counties to take charge of political affairs; set up lieutenants to be in charge of military affairs.The county became the basic organizational form of the local regime of the Qin government.The main officials such as county magistrates and county magistrates are directly appointed and dismissed by the imperial court.The widespread establishment of the county system laid the foundation for the establishment of the centralized rule of the landlord class.
Unified weights and measures.Before the Qin reform, the collection of taxes was not uniform, and the measuring instruments were also inconsistent.In order to ensure the country's financial revenue, the government has formulated a unified standard measuring and measuring instrument, which is neatly divided into buckets, barrels, weights, scales, feet, and feet.One liter of its standard measuring device is equal to 0.2 liters today, and one foot of its standard ruler is equal to 0.23 meters today.The existing "Shang Yang Fang Sheng" is a standard measuring instrument promulgated at that time.The implementation of these measures has favorably promoted the exchange and development of the national economy.
At the time of the first reform, laws and regulations had been enacted and completed one after another, but they were not announced to the whole country immediately.Shang Yang worried that after the decree was promulgated, the common people would have doubts and distrust him.So, how to win the trust of the people, so that people can establish the concept that laws must be followed and legislation must be enforced?Shang Yang thought hard and finally found a way.
One day, Shang Yang sent people to erect a three-foot-long log at the south gate of the city.People gathered around curiously, and more and more people gathered.Shang Yang announced in public: "Whoever can move this log to the north gate will give him ten gold!" Ten gold for moving a piece of wood?Everyone present felt very fresh and looked at each other, but no one moved.Shang Yang said loudly again: "Anyone who can move it will be rewarded with 50 gold!" There must be a brave man under the heavy reward, and a man carried the log to the north gate.Shang Yang immediately gave him 50 gold in public, proving with practical actions that he was consistent with his words and deeds, and he would never break his promise.This is the story of Shang Yang.
Under such circumstances, reforms were carried out rapidly across the country.
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