唐大明宫西掖、西院考

Research on the Xiye (西掖) and Xiyuan (西院) of the Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty

西掖指中书省,具体指省内的中书舍人院,方位在大明宫中轴线以西,唐后期亦指翰林学士院,其中西学士院位于翰林院以南,东学士院位于金銮殿以西;大明宫西院则指枢密院,位于中书省以北。这些都是唐朝的中枢机要之司,具有十分重要的地位。西掖的称呼早在汉代就已存在,称枢密院为西院应始于唐代中后期。西掖与西院的称呼一直延续到两宋时期。

According to related documents, Xiye referred to the Central Secretariat(中书省), specifically referring to Zhongshu Sheren Yuan, and was located on the west of the central axis. It was called Hanlin Academy. The Western Xueshi yuan was located on the south of the Hanlin Academy and the Eastern Xueshi Yuan was located on the west of the Jinluan Hall. Xiyuan referred to the Privy Council(枢密院)and was located on the north of the Central Secretariat. These government agencies, which played important roles in the administrative system were central and confidential departments of the government agencies of the Tang dynasty. The paper also makes a textual research on the location of Xi Ye and Xi Yuan in the palace, and studies their origin and influence on later generations. Xiye was also a synonym for Hanlin Xueshi Yuan in the late Tang Dynasty. The name Xiye could be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty, and it was called the Privy Council in the middle and late Tang Dynasty. The calls of the Xiye and Xiyuan lasted until the two Song Dynasties.