“狸猫换太子”传说的虚与实——后真宗时代:宋代士大夫政治下的权力博弈

Fiction and Fact of the Legend “Palm Citvet for Prince”:the Era after Emperor Zhenzong,a Power Game under Scholar-bureaucrat Politics in the Song Dynasty

撇去表面荒诞无稽的浮沫,从各种戏剧作品讲述的"狸猫换太子"传说背后,洞察到的将是一个时代历史的大真实。宋真宗在位二十六年,刘太后继而临朝十二年,初期的士大夫政治经历了正常时期,也经历了非正常时期。其间还伴随着党争的风起云涌。这可以称得上是一种全经历,短短几十年的初期士大夫政治便把此后几百年的政治梗概全面演习了一遍。真宗时代与后真宗时代,便成为此后宋代历史的"故事"与先例。那一时代仅仅一两代士大夫的短期作为,引导了长时段的历史走向。此后的北宋与南宋,又有过多次皇太后或太皇太后的临朝。刘太后临朝时期在士大夫规制下的种种言行,都成为了祖宗之法,成为她们效法和遵守的规范。这一切,都是"狸猫换太子"传说背后所潜藏的真实。

Skimming off the ridiculous surface,we can discern the great truth of a historical period through the legend 'Palm Civet for Prince' narrated in various dramatic works.The reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song lasted for twenty-six years,and afterwards,Empress Dowager Liu presided the court for twleve years.The scholar-bureaucrat politics in early Song Dynasty experienced both normal period and abnormal period,along with surging conflict between parties.The political outline of centuries hereafter was exercised comprehensively in such few decades.Therefore,the era of and after Emperor Zhenzong became the 'story' and 'precedent' of the dynasty.The short-term behavior of one generation of literati or two guided the historical trend for a long time.Afterwards in the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties,there were again many empress dowagers or grandma-empresses presiding the court.The words and deeds of Empress Dowager Liu under the regulation of literati became the ancestral laws to be followed.Those are all the reality hidden behind the legend.