A Study Of Song

This paper focuses on a comprehensive study on Bi Shi’an, a prime minister in the early Song Dynasty. The paper consists of three chapters excepting introduction:Chapter one mainly combs the official experience and the family relationship of Bi Shi’an and finds the underlying reasons that brought continuous development to the Bi family’s. Chapter two discusses Bi Shi’an’s political views and performance in Chanyuan Treaty by the method of history study and concludes Bi Shi’an’s important influence on the politic of early Song. Chapter three, which is the main part of this paper, introduces the Interpersonal situations of Bi Shi’an and the socio-political atmosphere of the early Northern Song Dynasty that was reflected by his activities.As Bi Shi’an took the Enrollment in Civil Palace Examination, and experienced chaotic regime of the late Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten States and was influenced by Confucianism, he was conservative, experienced and full of prudent political thought.After Civil Palace Examination, he started from local beadle with conscientiousness and self-denial and accumulated rich political experience. Benefited from his step-mother Mis Zhu’s good education, in the first 40 years of Song, the court and the commonalty spoke highly of Bi’s morality which became a stepping-stone to advance.Bi Shi’an was first appreciated by Taizong and his official position experienced several changes. Afterwards he got the chance to assist the future emperor and became his inheritance official, then he developed very well in politic. In the ruling period of Zhenzong, Bi Shi’an had became a senior statesman of three rulers in succession. As he had gathered about 30-year political experience, and had both ability and morality,Zhenzong felt satisfied with him very much. As a result, he reached the highest rank finally. During this time, he was devoted to his duty and good at finding talents and promoted a lot of them. The most important is(was) his performance in Chanyuan Treaty which greatly influenced the politic of early Song.After Bi Shi’an becoming prime minister, Bi Shi’an’s social status and identity was increasing and his family became one of the prominent families in the early Song and developed smoothly in North Song. Thanks for ancestors’ heritage,especially the second and third generation, the decedents of Bi’s family had great advantages on the imperial official career, marriage and interpersonal communication and the family expanded and lasted long-term development in North Song.Under the atmosphere of “attaching great importance to intercourse”, Bi Shi’an’s official experience benefited his intercourse with different kinds of people which constitutes an important part in Shi’an’s long official career. The paper takes Bi Shi’an as the center, and chooses Songzhenzong, Kou Zhun, Wang Yucheng and other representatives in the rank order of speriors, peers, juniors and others, talking about the intercourse between Bi Shi’an and scholar-bureaucrats in the early Song which reflects the social atmosphere of emphasizing civil administration at the expense of national defense. The intercourse not only benefited the political future of Bi Shi’an but also benefited the development of his family.Bi Shi’an secured an official position for 40 years. He made remarkable achievements, and received good reputation in local government and the court.Although he makes great contribution to the country, what we need to pay attention is the not a sage of Bi Shi’an and he also has inevitable shortcomings. As many officials did at that time, Bi Shi’an took the advantage of his position for himself, his family,relations and friends. Notwithstanding, we should make objective comments on Bi Shi’an. His contribution to Chanyuan Treaty is foremost and his historical Status in the early Song should be admitted.