“御史监察”的历史构造与运转实效

Historical Structure and Operational Results of the“Censor’s Supervision”System in Ancient China

在古代中国,"御史监察"既是政制构造的一个重要部分,反映了政府权力的划分和制衡,又是政制运作的一个关键环节,隐含着帝王对政府权力的控制和利用。御史的创置及其监察职责的设定,恰是这种权力控制理论的重要制度体现。历史上,"政制"包括静态意义上的构造和动态意义上的运作。如果说,从静态的视角看,御史的选任及其职守,构成了一个重要的人的因素;巡察制度的因革、监察区域与层级的划分,构成了一个主要的制度性因素;那么,从动态的视角看,御史的弹劾及其实效、御史监察的独立性及其限度,就构成了一个不可或缺的实践性因素。后者融洽地整合了前两者,促进了御史监察制度的有效运转,进而对于古代政制构造与运作的平衡和政治秩序的维系,发挥了不可或缺的作用。

In ancient China,the"censor’s supervision"system was not only an important part of the political system that reflected the allocation and the counter-balance of government powers,but also a significant link in the operation of the political system that embodied the emperor’s control and use on government powers.The creation of censors and their supervisory function were exactly the important institutional embodiment of the power-control theory.Historically,the"political system"consisted of both static structure and dynamic operation.If it can be said that,from the static point of view,the appointment and the functions of censors constituted an important human element,the evolution of the circuit supervision system and the classification of supervision districts and levels constituted a main institutional element of the"censor’s supervision"system,then,from the dynamic point of view,the impeachment of censors and its substantial results,and the independence and the limits of censor’s supervision,constituted a necessary practical element of this system.The latter one integrated the former two in a harmonious way and promoted the effective operation of the censor’s supervision system,thus playing an indispensable role in maintaining the balance of the structure and operation of the political system and upholding the political order in ancient China.