What are the unwritten rules in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty? Why were these officials so honest?

Corrupt officials were killed in all dynasties, but officials in the Song Dynasty were rarely arrested for corruption. The money that officials in the Ming Dynasty were greedy for was not as much as the salary of officials in the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty implemented a policy of high salaries to support integrity, and officials like Bao Zheng could be said to be multi-millionaires. But there were three unwritten official rules in the Song Dynasty that made them all very honest.

First, officials are not allowed to enter the pub. From the River Along the River During the Qingming Festival, we can see that the catering industry in the Song Dynasty was very developed. Restaurants were all over the streets and alleys, but officials were rarely seen.

Because once discovered, whether it is official or private matters, what awaits these officials is removal from office. According to records, Lu Zongdao, an official of the Song Dynasty, had guests at home and didn't have enough wine glasses, so he took them to a restaurant and evaded them. But this was known to the emperor because Lu Zongdao was the prince's teacher at that time and was relatively honest. He was only given a punishment, but he almost lost his official position.

Second, food must not be taken from all directions. This rule means that officials are not allowed to ask for specialties and delicacies from various places, and it is strictly enforced. It is said that one day the emperor was ill, and the queen wanted to find some supplements for him. However, this supplement was more common in the Jianghuai area, but rare in Tokyo. The queen remembered that the prime minister was from Jianghuai, and asked the prime minister if his family had any. The prime minister's wife secretly sent the supplements to the palace. It can be seen that this rule is very strict, even the emperor has to be secretive.

Third, scholars above the level of scholar-bureaucrats must not be killed. In ancient times, there was a saying not to kill scholar-bureaucrats, and this was also said in the Song Dynasty. Although it is not a law, it is also the oath of Song Taizu and can be regarded as a family rule. Because it is the rule of the emperor's family, it has become the rule of the people of the world. In the 300 years of the Song Dynasty, it was rare to see them executing literati and officials.