Han Dynasty Maiguanyujue Study

Selling official posts for a consideration as a special history phenomenon has been existed over two thousand years in China. Literature of Qin dynasty has referred to this issue. "Barter ranks" first appeared in the period of Emperor Hui of Han, and in the period of Emperor Wu of Han, the selling phenomenon is more common. Calls like "ru wu bu guan"(入物补官)and "ru yang wei lang"(入羊为郎)have been released many times. "Sell official posts" first appeared in the period of Emperor Ling of Eastern Han Dynasty. "Sell official posts for a consideration" is adopted by rulers of past dynasties. Records of the Historian, History of the Han Dynasty, and History of the Later Han Dynasty, and other ancient literature recorded. In modern times, scholars analyze this phenomenon from the point of administration generally. This article based on historical facts; analyze this phenomenon in Han Dynasty comprehensively related with the economic theory.The introduction details the results of previous studies which play a very good guide for this article, meantime, point out the lack of them:So far, there is no monograph about this theme, "sell official posts for a consideration". And the previous studies are not systematic and comprehensive enough, leaving space for the writing of this article.The first chapter is the study of official system in Han dynasty. Qin and Han periods, Ranks have special status and mission, in order to easy to study, it is essential to understand the official system at that time. There are a lot of previous research results, and this article will complement the previous studies with the new unearthed Materials, and explain the official system that will be used in this article in advance.The second chapter is the carding of the phenomenon during the Han period. Throughout the Han Dynasty, I think that can be divided into three periods, namely: early Western Han Dynasty—sound stage; late Western Han Dynasty—metamorphic stage; late eastern Han Dynasty—corrupt stage. There is a very obvious problem that the article does not refer to the phenomenon during early Eastern Han. There have been no historical materials about selling official post at that time. As to this question, I think, then, the phenomenon existed, because of the more stringent system, the trade is not as rampant as the period of Western Han. On the other hand, the phenomenon had been continued many years, which was not newly to discuss, historian record on this issue seldom.The third chapter will explain the reason of the phenomenon from the perspective of supply and demand. There is a deep historical background for the appearance of anything, this phenomenon is no exception. The official post not only is the symbol of social status, but also has the political and economic interests, which can bring many direct benefits, so the official post becomes a big consumer market. Nation, specifically the king or the ruling group is the provider of the post, the landlord class; the rich are those who demand official post. The poor people are scattered official post owner, only the transit point, the post maybe give them short-term benefits, but in the long run, this kind of trade ultimately will damage the interests of the people.The fourth chapter first lists the "List of the Han Dynasty sale of public", at a glance, analyze the characteristic of selling official post. The author's main point is that the phenomenon, began from Emperor Wu of Han, led to the official corruption, but the official post that be sold had no real right, they are just petty officers. And the officers, originally have the power, buy the official post in order to be the owner of the higher status. Then, the article sums up the impact from the state, the ruling class and ruled class.Finally, it is a summary of the phenomenon of selling official post for a consideration. When the situation appears, it is not the synonym of corruption. At the beginning, it play a positive role to the promotion of socio-economic development. After Emperor Wu of Han, its nature changed. During the period of late Eastern Han, rampant trade of official post leading to official corruption, speed up the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Make a general survey, analyzing the "officers" who own the post by buying, we can realize that selling the official post is the means to political rent-seeking and increasing revenue for a nation. If the ruler handle it reasonably, there will be not all rabble.