The Research On Publication Management In The Song Dynasty

Chinese woodblock printing is originated from the Tang Dynasty, being prosperous inSong dynasty. The prosperity of woodblock printing in Song Dynasties, has been paidattention to the whole world, and the wide scope, the large quantity and the high quality havekept a brilliant record. How does it put into management for such the brilliant publishingachievement? What is the true meaning to the current publishing management career in ourcountry? For these questions, since the western modern management theory spread into Chinaduring the period of reform and opening up, many academia researchers try to carry out thedeep interpretation with the modern management theory and they have made a lot ofachievements. However, there are still no integrated discussion papers. Based on its existingresearch results, this thesis has mainly focused on the research of the implementation aboutpublishing management in Song Dynasties with all-round aspects.First of all, the brilliant managemental efforts are depended on the background of thehighly-developed centralized system. Undoubtedly, the centralized autocracy and the feudalemperors’ intelligent management experiences are solid foundation and useful references forpublishing management. Without these points, it can’t be imagined that there is such amarvelous success. Therefore, the first chapter of the paper has a brief analysis on thecharacteristics of the system, and basic introduction about the prosperity of the developedsituation in order to make a further analysis about the management background.Secondly, the modern management science holds the view that the organization is themain body of the management, and no organization means no management. But due to a newindustry, there is no specific management institution on the woodblock printing business. Thefeudal rulers emphasize multi-aspects and various publication management from the central to local management institutions, which emerged the world’s biggest and numerous institutionsto participate in the publication management management at that time. In order to betterunderstand the institutions and analyze different publication management measures, thesecond chapter specially introduces the central and local administrative institutions, so as tohave a further understanding about the mechanism of the publication management.Thirdly, based on the research of the publication management background andinstitutions, this paper has a comprehensive analysis of the publication managementimplemented by the central government and the local administrative organizations. Thecentral authority, such as the Six Ministries and Three Departments, issued the publishingadministrative decrees, meanwhile, the central institutions such as Imperial College and ThreeHalls are responsible for the publication and printing about the encyclopedias. Additionally,the local government even including the administrative counties effectively deal with thepublishing process. Many facts show that the strict publishing management network hasalready been formed in Song Dynasties. Because of no specific institutions, the administrativeinstitutions at all levels have been almost responsible for the publication management,because of no specialized personnel, the officials at all levels have nearly become thepublication management personnel. Hence, it forms the multi-level publication managementsystem participated by the officials at all levels, so as to ensure healthy and orderlydevelopment of the publishing industry. The strict publication management network in SongDynasties has just provided a useful reference for modern publication management of ourcountry.Fourthly, this paper has analysis of the publication business management from the aspectof legal system. In order to effectively ban some harmful books, the emperors havepromulgated a number of laws in the form of imperial edicts and emphasize the compulsoryenforcement. Although there’s no specialized legal code of publishing, but the relative imperial edictsare rather rich. Compared with national laws, these imperial edicts have provided effectivesolution to the problems, and guarantee the healthy development of the publishing industry.An important symbol of mature publication management act is the establishment of thepressing censorship.Since the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, the government has examined thepublication content in advance, published the books after approval, so that it has changed thepassive situation of the punishment after publication. It has promoted the prosperity anddevelopment of the publishing career.Fifthly, this paper has analysis of the publishing business management from the aspect ofpublishing content. It’s mainly divided into three sections. The first one is to advocate andencourage the publication of books which are beneficial to the imperial ruling and politicalindoctrination, political stability and economic development, and livelihood needs of thepeople, meanwhile, the rulers have appointed special officials to have implementation in orderto guarantee the smooth publication. The second point is to limit and prohibit the publicationof books which are harmful to the political security, military secrets and other booksconcerned astronomy, calendar, geomantic omen etc. The emperors have no hesitation to useadministrative means such as banning, destruction, burning or capture of the lawbreakers inorder to ensure that the normal publication in accordance with the feudal ideology of theemperors. The third section is that without the publication in control, it will bring a lot ofinconveniences to the people’s life, such as the contemporary history and the ephemeris, lawsand other books which have the close relation with the people’s life.Sixthly, this paper has analysis of the publishing business management from the aspectof publishing distribution and copyright protection. Distribution is the last one of theimportant factors of publication. No distribution means no real publication. The emperors have attached great importance to book sales. Besides that, the Imperial College and localgovernments are issuing authorities assigned by the central government, so as to ensure thesuccessful sales of the books, and private bookstores are the minor distribution channel, whichis not the dominant institution in spite of the big sales quantity.The issue of copyright is accompanied by publication. The copyright protectionmeasures have obviously appeared in the Song Dynasty, but the copyright consciousness isstill weak on the whole society, and it has distinct characteristics of early commercialcopyright concept.