科举社会中四明楼氏的盛衰

The Vicissitudes of Clan Lou in Imperial Examination Society

得益于赵宋的右文重教,更受惠于科举制度的全面推进,四明楼氏内则通过引导子弟趋经业儒以从中开辟仕进前途,外则借由联姻豪族富室、参与地方公益等方式拓展其族资门望,遂能较为平稳地成长为两宋浙东地域首屈一指的名门望族。然则时至南宋晚期,主要因为宋廷的人事发生了不利于四明士人的变动,楼氏族人也就无可避免地失意于政坛,再无官场权势可资凭借的楼氏家族,遂日就沉沦,终至没落。

Benefited from the education priority policy of Song dynasty and the promotion of imperial examinations, clan Lou grew up steadily into a famous clan in east Zhejiang by guiding their descendants to pursue official career on the one hand, by forming alliance through marrying into the rich and powerful and by participating in the public service. But the family declined to underworld in the late period of southern Song dynasty, because of personnel change, loss of power.