试论汉代中尉的几个问题

Several Problems Concerning Zhongwei in the Han Dynasty

中尉一职起源于刘邦集团中,至迟在吕后二年就已经成为徼循京师的中央官员。直到武帝时期,其权力很大,控制着京师及京畿地区的军事力量。中尉徼循京师的权力主要表现在对京师一些较大案件的处理上,所以武帝为保障中央集权,大批酷吏被任命为中尉。较之其他官员,中尉与皇帝的关系比较密切,由此衍生出处理宗室之狱这一职责。武帝之后,中尉的职能朝着形式化的方向发展。中尉的军事职能主要体现在非常时期的屯驻和征伐,特别是征伐的职能越来越明显,但中尉对其所属军队没有绝对的控制权。

The rank of Zhongwei, the official in charge of the inspection of troops in the protection of capital city and imperial court originated from Liu Bang clique. At latest on the second year of Lu Hou＇s reign, this rank had become the position of a central official in charge of the inspection of the troops in the capital city and its environs. The power of Zhongwei had been great until Emperor Hanwu＇s administration, which included the control of the troops in the capital city and its environs. The power of Zhongwei mainly manifested itself in the handling of bigger cases. In order to guarantee the centralization of state power, Emperor Hanwu appointed large numbers of officials to the rank of Zhongwei. Compare with other officials, Zhongwei was closely attached to the emperor and hence the duty of supervision of the prisons of the imperial clan.After the reign of Emperor Hanwu, the duty of Zhongwei was practically formal in terms of developmental orientation. The military duties of Zhongwei mainly lie in the stationing of troops and going on a punitive expedition. In particular, the duties of punitive expedition were becoming more and more conspicuous. However, Zhongwei had no absolute controlling power over the army under him.