The Tang Quartet Museum For Study

Sifang Guan in Tang Dynasty is a reception agency concerning foreign affairs with a administrative management function to receive envoys from minorities and other states. Explorations and studies on Sifang Guan have been made in the past but still leaving a great space for us, especially on the investigation of Sifang Guan in Tang Dynasty. Through analysis on the historical materials, this thesis probes into the evolvement, establishment, function as well as its role in the management of ethnic relations and tries to root out the mainstream and essentials of interactions of minorities in Tang Dynasty.The newness of this study mainly represents in four points. Firstly, it reorganized the successive relationships and the evolving trail of "She", "Manyi Di", "Siyi Guan", "Sifang Guan" and "Huitong Guan". Secondly, it dissertates the establishment and function of Sifang Guan in Tang Dynasty posting that Sifang Guan on a certain level is a barometer and wind vane for the ethnic and foreign relations of Tang Dynasty. Through the analysis of the residents structure in Sifang Guan, we can draw a conclusion that the exchange between Tang Dynasty and the advantaged minorities and countries are the leading exchange in Tang Dynasty's ethnic relations and foreign relations. Thirdly, Sifang Guan plays a very important role in implementation of the ethnic policy of "tolerance and benefit without fail" and realization of the foreign policy of "pleasing the neighborhood and attracting the far away" which aims at showing the strong foreign image of Tang Dynasty and strengthening the interaction of Tang and the neighboring minorities as well as strengthening the friendly exchanges with bordering countries.The shortcomings of this study are mainly at two aspects. First, as lack of historical materials, this study can only states vigorously that the residents in Sifang Guan are envoys from all sides but to know exactly who and where were they from. Second, the investigation on relations between Sifang Guan and other departments are limited in depth leaving a lot of questions to study. Those two problems needs to be further explored and solved step by step.The content is as following:Chapter one is an introduction. It focuses on the source of the topic, the meanings of the topic, the survey of Sifang Guan research, the research method and the emphasis of the thesis.Chapter two introduces the origin and the development of the Sifang Guan. Based on the previous studies, the author further analyses the historic reason and social background of Sifang Guan's developemt. The study mainly deals with House in Pre——Qin period, Manyi Di in Qin and Han Dynasties, Siyi Guan in Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sifang Guan in Sui and Tang Dynasties, Duting Yi in Song Dynasty, Huitong Guan in Yuan and Ming Dynasties. It explains that the main reason for the development of SifangGuan is the objective demands of the ethnic relationships and the foreign relationships. The change and reform of the central government receiving organization subrdinated to the general interest of the state.Chapter three is the intoduction of the administrative organization of SifangGuan. This part focus on its organization, the manning quotas, and the main responsibilities of its staff. At the same time, pay attention to research the foreign guest from circumjacent nation,such as paying—tribute—legate, begging—legate, allied—legate, notifying—legate, trading—legate, congratulating—legate, etc.Chapter four discuss the relation between the Sifang Guan and other departments,for example Honglu Hotel, Libin Court, Taipu Si, Jiangzuo Jian, local hotel, and other departments of the central government of Tang Dynasty. Expatiate the function of Honglu Hotel, Libin Court, Taipu Si, Jiangzuo Jian etc.hereby,draw a conclusion that the Sifang Guan take on the main task to serve the most foreign guests.Chapter five pay much attention to expound the function of Sifang Guan,Base on the historical materials, the author bring up a viewpoint that Sifang Guan with responsibility for recepting foreign guests, showing proprieties, conciliating, trading, collecting information. Last part is epilogue. Mainly discusses Sifang Guan in the Tang Dynasty implement open inclusive foreign policy and enlightened relaxed political rule of the environment,to cooperate with theTang Dynasty, the complete heavy diplomatic reception the task, to show strong diplomatic image, promote the Tang Dynasty and peripheral national exchange and integration, strengthen the Tang Dynasty and neighboring countries friendly exchanges between the positive role. And according to the situation of Sifang Guan reception of the foreign guests, reveals during the Tang Dynasty between nation association and national relations is an important phenomenon, namely the communication and exchanges between The Tang Dynasty and the surrounding strong nation and great power, is the mainstream, predominates of the subject of national association and exchange, by contraries,the communion and exchange between Tang and the surrounding weak nations and countries in the main body of the exchange exchanges the submissive and subsidiary position.