How big an official was Di Renjie in Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi? How does it compare with the governor?

I think many people have watched the drama "Detective Detective Di Renjie". The year before last, with the popularity of the character Li Yuanfang again, this TV series has become even more famous and unknown to everyone. dawn. So people who have watched this drama may have the impression that whenever the protagonist Di Renjie in the TV series goes on a private visit to observe the people's sentiments, and encounters officials who bully the people, he will step forward and severely reprimand them, but in this case When reprimanding someone, they often don't give their name first.

When the official couldn't bear the rebuke, he would shout loudly: "Who are you?". At this time, Di Renjie would be very coquettish and say to him: "Tongfeng Pavilion Luantai" Pingzhangshi Di Renjie?. At this time, when the official heard this name, he would tremble with fright and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "The official deserves to die. I don't know if Mr. Ge came here and bumped into Mr. Ge. Please atone for your sins?", and then this At that time, Di Renjie said in a very coquettish manner: "I miss you for your first offense. I will not argue with you for the time being. Get up!" ?

Although the above is just a plot in a TV series, and inevitably contains many fictional elements, the official position of "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" actually existed, and it does have its own A qualification that makes many officials tremble.

So, how big an official is Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi? Why does it make many officials so frightened?

First of all, we need to know that the names of "Fengge" and "Luantai" are unique to Wu Zetian's period. "New Book of Tang. Baiguanzhi" records: In the first year of "Guangzhai", the name was changed to Zhongshu. The provincial name is Fengge... In the first year of Chui Gong, the lower province was changed to Luantai? So "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" is actually a unique official title during the Wu and Zhou Dynasties. It has never appeared in other dynasties, so many people may be unfamiliar with it, but if we call it another way, Many people will suddenly realize and say: It turns out this is it! ?.

So what is this name? In fact, the official official title of "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" in other dynasties was "Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi".

In the early Tang Dynasty, in terms of the official system of the Tang Dynasty, although the names and ranks increased or decreased over time, they were mostly based on those of the Sui Dynasty ("New Tang Book. Hundred Official Records"), so in the Tang Dynasty During the dynasty and the Tang Dynasty, the three provinces of Zhongshu, Menxia, ??and Shangshu were still the highest central power agencies in the country. The three provinces were responsible for the formulation, review, and implementation of central decrees and policies.

Among them, the secretarial officer of Zhongshu Province is responsible for the drafting and issuance of central government decrees and policies; the secretarial officer of Menxia Province is responsible for reviewing central government decrees and policies, and signing memorials, and has a seal The power to refute (return the emperor's improper edicts and refute the erroneous memorials issued by the ministers); the Shangshu Province, the chief official, is responsible for implementing the central decrees and policies formulated by the Zhongshu Province and reviewed by the Menxia Province.

Therefore, in the Tang Dynasty, the chief ministers of the three provinces: Zhongshu Sheng Zhongshu Ling, Menxia Sheng Shizhong, and Shangshu Sheng Shangshu Ling were the "prime ministers" of the Tang Dynasty. They are in charge of the military and political affairs of the country, and are responsible for assisting the emperor in comprehensively managing state affairs ("New Book of Tang. Baiguanzhi" records: "The chiefs of the three provinces, Zhongshu Ling, Shizhong, and Shangshu Ling*, are responsible for discussing national affairs. This prime minister's position is also ?). Among them, the left and right servants of Shangshu are in charge of the six officials and the general province, and have jurisdiction over the six departments of officials, households, rituals, soldiers, punishments, and work; In all affairs of the state, Zhongshu Ling will be in charge of the general affairs, and Zhuan will be the judge to save trouble.

Of course, after Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, because Emperor Taizong once served as the Shangshu Ling of the Shangshu Province, descendants no longer held this official position in order to avoid suspicion. Since then, the actual chiefs of the Shangshu Province have been ministers. ("New Book of the Tang Dynasty. Records of Hundred Officials" records: "Taizong was appointed as the Minister of the Secretariat, but his subordinates did not dare to occupy his position, so Pu She became the governor of the Shangshu Province?"). From the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Pu She was appointed as the minister to the left and right. Zhongshu Ling and Shi Zhong are the positions of prime minister.

At that time, in order to facilitate the deliberations of the chiefs of the three provinces, the Emperor of Tang Dynasty set up an institution in Menxia Province specifically for the deliberations of the chiefs of the three provinces, called the Political Affairs Hall (it was moved to Zhongshu Province during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty). , in order to facilitate the three provinces to jointly manage national military and political affairs.

Afterwards, because the "Zhengshitang" was established to facilitate the joint office of the "prime ministers" of the three provinces, over time the "Zhengshitang" became the highest deliberative body to assist the emperor in handling military and political affairs across the country. Soon after, because only the governors of the three provinces, that is, the prime ministers, were originally qualified to discuss matters in the "Zhengshitang", a custom was gradually formed in the Tang Dynasty, that is, all those who could enter the "Zhengshitang" to participate in state affairs were Tang Dynasty officials. To the actual "prime minister".

Of course we have also said that when the "Zhengshi Hall" was first established, only the chiefs of the three provinces were eligible to enter the "Zhengshi Hall" for discussion, that is, Shangshu Zuopushe, Zhongshu Ling and Shizhong, and the rest Officials have no right to enter the "Government Hall". In other words, the only people qualified to make decisions on military and political affairs across the country at that time were the governors of these three provinces, which meant that they alone controlled the political power of the Tang Dynasty. Obviously such things are absolutely not allowed by the emperor and cannot be tolerated. He will never allow the power of the prime minister to completely override the imperial power, let alone allow a few people to monopolize the military and political power of the country.

However, at that time, there were only a few positions for the governors of the three provinces, and most of them were controlled by powerful families. The Emperor of Tang Dynasty did not have many opportunities for his cronies to fully occupy these positions.

But Emperor Tang couldn't just watch his world being controlled by them, so what should he do? At this time, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, came up with a good idea. In order to allow his cronies to legitimately enter the "Zhengshitang" to participate in state affairs, and to weaken the influence of the governors of the three provinces on government affairs, Li Shimin adopted... Using his official position as prime minister and using his name to indirectly allow his cronies to enter the political hall, and at the same time weaken the power of the chiefs of the three provinces.

In the first year of Zhenguan, in order to divide the power of the governors of the three provinces, Li Shimin asked Du Yan, then the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Wei Zheng, the Secretary Supervisor, to go to the "Zhengshi Hall" to participate in state affairs. Of course, based on their original official positions, they were definitely not qualified to enter the "Zhengshitang" to manage state affairs together with the "prime ministers" such as the governors of the three provinces. Therefore, in order to allow them to legitimately enter the "Zhengshitang" to participate in state affairs, Li Shimin gave them the gift. ?Temporary official title for participating in the political affairs of Henan Dynasty.

And this "participation in the politics of the Henan Dynasty" was the prototype of the later "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Ping Zhang Shi".

In the eighth year of Zhenguan, Li Jing, the right servant of Shangshu, resigned from office due to foot illness. Li Shimin admired his move very much and said with great appreciation: I have been in wealth since ancient times and can know where to stop. Very few are sufficient. No matter how stupid or wise you are, you cannot know for yourself that even though your talents are not good enough, you still have a strong desire to hold a position, even if you are sick, you still force yourself. Gong's ability to understand the general idea is commendable. I am not going to become Gong Yazhi now. I want to take Gong as a model for the generation? ("Old Tang Book? Biography 17"). After that, Li Shimin, who was in a good mood, not only awarded Li Jing a high official and a generous salary. , and also issued an edict to ask him to come to his door every three or two days and write Pingzhang Zhengshi, which means giving him Pingzhang Zhengshi (Pingzhang Zhengshi means to discuss national affairs, and it is an official name) Li Jing relied on this temporary official title. Even if he resigned from all previous official positions, he would still be qualified to participate in state affairs in Menxia Province and Zhongshu Province, and this would be the future? Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi? Zhong? Pingzhangshi The origin of ?

In the seventeenth year of Zhenguan, Prince Zhan Shi Li Ji entered the "Zhengshi Hall" with the temporary official title of "Tong Zhongshu's third rank" to participate in state affairs. "New Tang Book. Baiguan Zhi" records: "Tong Zhongshu's family is of the third rank, which is called Tong Shizhong and Zhongshu Ling". Because at that time, the three provinces' chief ministers, Shizhong and Zhongshu Ling, were all of the third rank, so Li Shimin wanted to let Li Jizai enter. After the Zhengshitang was able to have the same status and power as Shizhong and Zhongshu Ling, he was given the temporary official title of "Tongzhongshu Menxiasanpin", and the name "Tongsanpin" was built here.

After Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, those who became prime ministers must be added to the "Three Ranks of Tongzhongshumen", even if they were of high rank; but not Sangong, Sanshi, and Zhongshuling ("New Book of Tang". "Hundred Officials"). After Li Zhi, as long as he is a prime minister who enters the political affairs hall to discuss affairs, except for those whose original officials are Sangong, Third Division, and Zhongshu Ling, they do not need to add the third-grade official title of Tong Zhongshu. The rest of the officials want to enter the political affairs hall. Anyone who participates in state affairs must have the official title of "Tong Zhongshu's Third Rank". Without this official title, he cannot be called "prime minister" and cannot join the "Zhengshi Hall" to participate in state affairs.

Of course, it should be noted that at this time, those who are eligible to be added to the third-grade official rank under Tong Zhongshu’s sect are only officials whose official rank reaches third-grade or above. As for those whose official rank does not reach the third rank, but the emperor wants them to enter the "Zhengshi Hall" to participate in state affairs, starting from the first year of Gaozong Yongchun, they will be given the title of "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi". The temporary official title is located under the third rank of Tongzhongshu Menxia. According to Mr. Bo Yang, the third rank of Tongzhongshumenxia is the actual prime minister, and Pingzhangshi, the second rank of Tongzhongshumen. Prime Minister?.

Of course, no matter what, as "New Tang Book. Hundred Officials" said? Later, it may be called "discussing gains and losses", "participating in political affairs", etc. The names are not the same, they are all the positions of prime ministers. , "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Ping Zhang Shi" was actually the "prime minister's position" in the Tang Dynasty.

So as the "Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi" in the Wu Zhou Dynasty, the "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" was naturally the "position of prime minister" in the Wu Zhou Dynasty, as the saying goes. ?The position of prime minister is to assist the emperor to oversee hundreds of officials and govern all affairs. His responsibilities are very important? ("New Book of Tang. Records of Hundred Officials") As an official in military and political affairs, he was definitely one of the top officials in the Wu Zhou court, and his power had almost reached its peak.

As a "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" Di Renjie, he naturally has the qualifications to make people tremble. After all, as a prime minister, he almost has the power to decide the positions of more than two-thirds of the officials in the country. Official career, and even destiny, this kind of power can already go sideways in the local area.

As for "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi", as the "prime minister", the governor is naturally not qualified to compete with him, although the highest rank of the governor can be from the third grade ("New Book of Tang". According to "Hundred Officials Chronicles", there is one governor in Shangzhou, from the third rank), and the official who serves as "Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhang Shi" may only have the highest rank of the fourth rank, but the power and status of the governor are Far inferior to Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi, who was in charge of military and political affairs across the country.

After all, although the governor is a powerful official in the local area and is in charge of the military and political affairs of a state, he is only a high-ranking local official, while Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi is in charge of The "Prime Minister" of military and political affairs across the country is definitely not comparable to the governor who is just in charge of a state.