形式的背后:两宋劝农制度的历史分析

Behind the Form: A Historical Analysis on the Quannong System of the Song Dynasty

宋代劝农之制起源颇早 ,其内容一是君王亲耕藉田 ,为天下率 ;二是通过各种途径向民众传递君王重视农事的信息 ,以达到劝勉诱导的目的。秦汉以后 ,随着帝制国家职能的不断理性化 ,劝农典礼日渐被纳入日常行政的范畴。至北宋 ,地方州县长官均以劝农使入衔 ,从此成为定制。每年春季二月出郊 ,作劝农文以劝诱农功 ,也成了地方长官的经常性职责。至宋代定型的劝农制度是中国传统“道之以德 ,齐之以礼”的政治文化在生产领域的一个典型表现 ,它对当时民众的社会行为有一定的影响 。

With the political-culture analyzing method, this paper discusses the origin, contents and functions of the Quannong (persuading the peasants to develop agriculture) system of the Song Dynasty, which originated from the pre-Qin period (221-207 BC). The main contents of this system in its early stage is that in the early spring days the king symbolically ploughed a piece of land near the suburbs of his capital, in order to send to his subjects a clear message of the importance he attached to agriculture. It was expected that peasants would be encouraged by his majesty's guidance, and thus agricultural production of the country would be promoted. With the rationalization of political system since the Qin period, Quannong gradually became a routine work of the Chinese governments at different levels. Under the Northern Song Dynasty (960—1127), 'Quannong (envoy)' was added to the official rank of heads of counties and prefectures. They each were required to take the (responsibility) to persuade peasants in his jurisdiction to work harder in the field. The actual work as a (“Quannong) envoy' in the Song period was to go to the countryside to reward peasants with food and wine in early February, and to write an essay, Quannong Wen, to express his encouragement, and to distribute it to the peasants. Formalistic as it is, the Quannong system is a typical manifestation of the traditional Chinese (political) culture. As one of its social impacts on the Song society, it helped the spread of advanced agricultural technology with its institutional basis.