Conservative Group In The Early Northern Song Dynasty

The early Northern Song Dynasty produced a conservative political group consists of Zhao Pu, Li Fang, Lv Mengzheng, Lv Duan, Wang Dan, Li Hang, etc. A common political practice pursued by such conservatives was 'following the routine, governing by noninterference'. Through mutual appointment in bureaudom and good personal friendship, the group came into being in the reign of Tai Zong. It was the result of conflicts between emperor and bureaucrat as well as different political cliques. In spite of the situation in former reign, the group was in the ascendant in the reign of Zhen Zong. It played a key role in the evolution of Northern Song Dynasty. For the interests of the group, Li Hang and Wang Dan took a series of political tactics such as restriction of imperial power, exclusion against outsiders, balance among different cliques and self -restraint, etc. As a result of such means, not only the political power of the group, but also the interests of whole bureaucrat was safeguarded. In brief. Conservative Group was a group at the core in the political evolution of Northern Song dynasty.