清代候补官员发省委署制度成因初探

The System of Sending Alternate Provincial-level Officials in the Qing Dynasty

在清代,原本在中央候补的官员可通过加捐分发到各省,以备地方上的差委和署任之用。该制度的出现源于地方和中央的共同需要,它与清代的官缺制度、官员的分发试用制度和捐纳制度有着密切的联系。分发、委署和试用制度在发展中逐渐形成三位一体的格局,成为清代地方铨政的重要环节,用以甄核候选官员的人品和才能。随着清代捐纳制度的兴盛,分发到省的官员日益增多,地方逐渐形成严密的委署章程,以保证分发人员委署任职时的公平公正。但在咸丰以后,随着军事繁兴,地方委署章程限于名存实亡,委署制度陷入重重危机。归于地方督抚的委署权逐渐侵夺中央吏部的铨选权,直接造成了清代地方铨政的紊乱和吏治的败坏。

In the Qing Dynasty, the number of government officials was fixed. Since more and more intellectuals got the official qualifications, they had to wait as alternate officials for many years. At the same time, plebeians were able to get the qualifications by contributing. The central government faced a big pressure on this big number of alternates. On the other hand, the grass-roots officials always left their jobs temporarily for many reasons. The governors of provinces always needed many alternates to succeed their jobs. Therefore, many alternate officials were sent to local provinces by contributing money to the government. The methods were gradually institutionalized. Talents could be found from these alternate officials. This system had a significant impact on the dynasties. However, since of the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, it got into scrapes.