How did Emperor Guangwu of Han Dynasty Liu Xiu strengthen centralization of power?

The establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the adjustment of government functions

(1) Liu Xiu’s unification war

From the first year of Jianwu to the sixteenth year, it lasted 15 years of unification war. (1) mop up the Red Eyebrow Army and other peasant rebels, (2) eradicate armed separatist forces across the country. Finally, victory was achieved in the war of unification across the country. Subsequently, government functions were adjusted to adapt to the situation after the heavy blow of the peasant uprising.

(2) Adjustment of the functions of the feudal government in the Eastern Han Dynasty

1. Strengthen the Secretariat and weaken the power of the Three Officials

In the central government, Taiwei, Situ, and Sikong, known as the Three Officials, are only nominal heads of government, and the actual power lies with the Official Secretariat of China and North Korea. Emperor Guangwu had eliminated many other Chinese and Korean official positions, so the Shangshutai could concentrate administrative power more. There are Shangshu Ling of thousands of stones and Pushe of six hundred stones in the Shangshutai. Below Ling and Pu, there are six ministers who are in charge of common affairs. Each cao has a number of prime ministers and ministers. The emperor's choice of his trusted Sangong or other ministers to "record the affairs of the minister" is actually equivalent to direct command of the minister's desk. Therefore, the exclusive use of the minister's desk is the strengthening of the autocratic imperial power.

2. Strengthen the supervisory agency

(1) Improve the status of Yushi Zhongcheng. In the Qin Dynasty and the Western Han Dynasty, the highest central supervisory officer was the Yushi Dafu. During the reign of Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, He Wu proposed that three public officials be established, and the Yushi Dafu was renamed Sikong. He branched off the powers of the prime minister and had a very high status. There are two ministers under the imperial censor, one is the censor and the other is the middle cheng. In addition, there are also imperial censors, imperial censors, etc. After the establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the imperial censor was changed to Sikong, and he no longer shouldered the responsibility of supervision. Sometimes this position was not set up at all. Zhongcheng, who was originally a subordinate of the Yushi Dafu, was changed to the chief of Yushitai (mansion), responsible for supervising all officials. His power gradually equaled that of Si Li Xiaowei and Shangshu Ling.

(2) Reinstall the Sili Xiaowei. It was first established during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. It was an important central position and a local supervisor, responsible for supervising all officials in the capital. It was abolished when he became emperor. After the establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he restored it, expanded its powers, and took over a state. The counties belonging to the Sili Xiaowei Department include Henan, Hanoi, Youfufeng, Zuofengyi, Jingzhao, Hedong, and Hongnong. The rank of Sili Xiaowei is equivalent to two thousand stones, and there are twelve subordinate officials. They are in charge of detecting and prosecuting the violations of laws by hundreds of central officials and the affairs of the state. They are both capital officials and local officials.

(3) Expand the scope of powers of the governor. Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty first established a governor to strengthen supervision of officials and powerful and wealthy officials. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the scope of the governor's powers was further expanded. The country is divided into thirteen prefectures (departments), and each governor is appointed with a rank of 600 shi. In addition to the same functions and powers as those of the Western Han Dynasty, from the 12th year of Jianwu (36th year), it was customary to appoint Maocai every year, and one Maocai in the prefecture under the jurisdiction of the governor was elected every year. So the governor increased the right to vote. At the same time, the power of impeachment in local elections was also transferred to the governor.

3. The reform of local administrative institutions and the abolition of inland prefectures and governorships

Emperor Guangwu merged more than 400 counties, which is equivalent to 1/4 of the number of counties, cities, provinces and princes in the late Western Han Dynasty. The official position was reduced by 9/10, and the officials and soldiers of the Tinghou in the frontier fortress were also relieved one after another. These measures are mainly to save expenditure. One of the important reforms in local government was that the status of the state was gradually changed from a supervisory area to an administrative area with the nature of local power above the county; accordingly, the governor was changed into an executive with the function of unifying the county.

2. Measures to consolidate the dynasty

1. Retire the meritorious officials and enter the civil service. In order to deprive the generals of their military power in a timely manner, Liu Xiu proposed this measure. The key is to "retire the heroes." There are two methods to adopt. One is to praise the feudal lord. Such as "Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai" and so on. The second is to be invited by the court. That is to say, the meritorious officials do not hold official positions on a daily basis. If they have to serve, they are invited to the court to consult.

2. Rule the country with judo. This theory comes from Liu Xiu's understanding of Taoist works. As the saying goes, "softness can control hardness, and weakness can control strength." This is due to his consideration of social realities such as political darkness and economic depression in the late Western Han Dynasty. He advocated the use of Taoist ideas of rest and recuperation to restore the country's political and economic order.

3. Advocate Confucianism and announce prophecies to the world. Liu Xiu studied "Shang Shu" since he was a child and had a certain academic foundation. He vigorously advocated Confucianism, and lectures on Confucianism became a common practice in the court. The same was true for the Ming and Zhang emperors, and Confucianism officially became the orthodox thought established by the dynasty. Liu Xiu believed in prophecies all his life, and even more so after he came to the throne.

4． Release prisoners and reduce sentences. There were quite a few prisoners and slaves in Eastern Han Dynasty society, which became a major social problem. From the second to the twelfth year of Jianwu, Liu Xiu issued seven edicts to release slaves and pardoned a large number of prisoners. These measures eased social conflicts and increased a large number of labor forces.

5． Weaken the power of princes and kings. In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu's uncles, nephews and brothers were first granted the title of king, and then Liu Xiu's sons were granted the title of king. The former was first granted the title of king, then demoted to the rank of marquis, and then to the rank of duke. The former usually had one county, while the latter had two counties. Reflect the difference between closeness and distance. The princes and kings of the Eastern Han Dynasty had no political power to govern, and the ministers and prime ministers of the kingdom were appointed by the emperor. And restricted the political behavior of each king in many ways.