论唐代皇帝与高级官员政务沟通方式的制度性调整

On the Changing Methods of the Institutional Communication between the Emperor and Officials in the Central Government in the Tang Dynasty

信息问题是君主制的重要问题,古代皇帝面临着如何迅速、准确、尽量全面地掌握信息,同时又不被无效信息所包围的难题。本文从唐代中央官特别是常参官面奏或疏奏的制度性规定及其调整的角度进行讨论。安史之乱以前,调整的重点在于规范面奏与疏奏的层次、程序、功能,注重皇帝与宰相及官僚机构之间的分工,皇帝原则上只处理军国大事或现行法律规章所无法涵盖的问题,皇帝处于政务信息流转以及决策过程的顶端。安史之乱以后,皇帝给予部分中央官以疏奏特权,其疏奏得以直达御前。皇帝废除正衙奏事,利用延英召对方式,能够掌握面奏的时间、人员,并采取与中央主要官员分别沟通的方式。皇帝不再处于政务信息流转过程的顶端,而是处于政务信息流转过程的核心,控制着信息的筛选与分配。皇帝希望通过重要政务信息的控制、议题的选设、议政方式的安排等,努力掌握政务处理的主动性。

How to precisely and promptly make use of information submitted by the subjects was one of the core concerns of Chinese emperors. This paper at-tempts to analyze the institutional regulations on the oral and written petitions submitted by the officials to the central government, especially those consultants- in-ordinary. The An Lushan Rebellion marks a watershed here. Before the rebel-lion ,the modification concentrates on regulating of the levels, procedures, and functions of the petitions. After the rebellion, by privileging some officials with their rights of submitting the petition direcdy to the emperor, the emperor played a more active role in processing information. The evidence shows that he was able to decide discussion topics in the court, to select discussants, and the methods of the officials’ involvement in the discussions.