Chapter 23 Chapter Seven: The Creation and Development of Political Books

The earliest surviving political book in my country is the "Tong Dian" compiled by Du You in the Tang Dynasty.This is the first general history of laws and regulations in the history of our country. Among the "Siku Quanshu", "Tong Dian" is the first of the canonical and political books. The author Du You (735-812 A.D.), styled Junqing, was born in Jingzhaowannian (now Chang'an County, Shaanxi Province) in the Tang Dynasty.His ancestors have been officials for generations, and he has also been an official all his life. He once served as the Jiedu envoy of Huainan, and also served as an official in transportation, salt and iron for many years. Duke Qi.As an official in the four dynasties of Tang Dynasty Daizong, Dezong, Shunzong, and Xianzong, it is conceivable that he was busy with government affairs.But he was diligent and studious all his life, and he often kept his hands on the scroll. He wrote with a lamp, and wrote "Tong Dian" with more than 30 years of hard work.In addition, there are other works such as "Financial Management Essentials" and "Guan Shi Guilue".

"Tong Dian" has 200 volumes and is the first general history that records the succession and transformation of my country's ancient economic and political systems.From the legendary Tang Yu to the period of Suzong, Daizong, and Dezong in Tang Dynasty, it is a historical summary of the laws and regulations in the early stage of Chinese feudal society. According to historical records, Liu Zhi, the son of Liu Zhiji (zixuan) in the early Tang Dynasty, once compiled a "Zheng Dian" with 30 volumes. It was very praised by the people at that time.After reading it, Du You felt that it was not detailed enough, so he was determined to add more categories and enrich the content, so he participated in "Da Tang Kaiyuan Ritual" and "Book of Music", expanded and expanded, and wrote 200 volumes of "Tong Dian". "Zheng Dian" has long been lost, and its weight is much smaller than "Tong Dian", so its content should have been included in "Tong Dian".It took Du You 30 years to compile the "Tong Dian", which shows the depth of his hard work.Objectively speaking, Du You's environment and life experience also provided the conditions for writing "Tong Dian".Du You was an important figure in the ruling class from a local official to Huainan Jiedushi, and later became a prime minister.He is familiar with the political and economic systems of the Tang Dynasty, and he is also clear about the changes in rites, music, military, and punishment, and some of them participated in or heard and witnessed.Coupled with his careful study of the laws and regulations of the past dynasties, the content he wrote is informative, reliable and meaningful.On the other hand, feudal society developed to the Kaiyuan and Tianbao years of the Tang Dynasty, which was a period of high political and economic development, and various scattered and fragmented records about laws and regulations could no longer meet social needs.Therefore, it is an objective need to systematically and comprehensively summarize the laws and regulations of the past dynasties.The purpose of Du You's painstaking research and conclusion was also to serve the ruling class of the Tang Dynasty at that time. Therefore, many contents in the book relate to the system at that time and express personal opinions.

The whole book is divided into nine parts: food and goods, elections, officials, rites, music, soldiers, punishment, prefectures and counties, and frontier defense. Each part is divided into several subheadings.Taking the annals and relevant historical materials from various histories before the Tang Dynasty, reorganized them according to the category, arranged them in the order of dynasties, traced the source and Ming Dynasty, and integrated the ancient and modern into one volume.Among them, the materials of the Tang Dynasty are taken from the actual records, national history and related archives, etc., and the content is richer and more detailed.Each category is organized and discussed, expressing Du You's views, many of which are very exciting and profound.For example, the theory at the end of "Shihuo" advocates frugal use and thin collection to calm the people. In the category of "Officials", he said: "One person governs the world, not the world serves one person", that is to say: the monarch and officials are to govern the country, not to be served by the people of the world.He advocated simplifying the organization and reducing the burden on the people. These are progressive ideas that are compassionate to the people.He advocated that with the development of history, the laws and regulations should also be changed, and in the "Tong Dian" put the "food and goods" in the first place, changing the order of rituals and music first, then food and goods, which was never the case in previous history books. No.He also cited the Eight Policies of "Hong Fan", "one is food, the other is goods", and "Guanzi" "warehouses are real, know etiquette, have enough food and clothing, and know honor and disgrace" as arguments, and proposed that the foundation of education lies in the simplicity of enough food and clothing. materialistic thinking. The "Tong Dian" does not contain astronomy, five elements, etc. that have nothing to do with politics and economy, and are mixed with superstition. These are all commendable.

After the publication of "Tong Dian", it was quickly valued by people because of its practicality and practicality.People commented that with the "Tong Dian", "you can know the world without going out; you can understand human feelings without entering politics" (Li Han's "Preface"). "Summary of the General Catalog of Siku Quanshu" claims that "all the history of the past dynasties is recorded, detailed but not annoying, simple but important, and Yuan Yuan (that is, the original) version, all are useful practical studies. Not just journalists Comparable, those who study the anecdotes before the Tang Dynasty, hereby make up the Yuanhai!" These comments are appropriate and in line with reality.

"Tong Dian" and "Tong Jian", one writes the system, and the other writes historical events. When studying history, read them together, refer to each other, and complement each other. The Qing Dynasty followed the style of "Tong Dian", and officially revised "Xu Tong Dian" and "Qing Dynasty Tong Dian" (formerly known as "Huang Chao Tong Dian" to show respect for the dynasty).