Analysis Of “Lizhu Regulation” Before 1644

In 1615, Nurhachi established the system of the eight banners by inheriting the old system of Jurchen. The Eight Banners system was a balanced system. With the continuation of this idea, Eight Heshuo Beller politics had been formulated. The King had to discuss politics with seven other Beller who owned a rank of the Manchu nobility below that of the Prince.The minority was subordinate to the majority.Eight Heshuo Beller politics was bad to the concentration of imperial power. Huang Taiji needed to find a way to change this unfavorable situation.The "Lizhu Regulation" is one of the ways. Lizhu meant getting away from the hosts. Huang Taiji hoped that with it,the other Beller’s power could be restricted.This regulation had its own history. It could go back to the Nurhachi era. Then great importance was attached to the rights of servants. They were able to leave the hosts provided the hosts are not kind to them. But this rule was abandoned shortly after Nurhachi’s death, which is in accordance with the requirement that the other Beller wanted to protect their own rights. But the restoration of such rule was necessary to Huang Taiji. As a consequence, Huang Taiji, The Emperor of Qing, enacted "Lizhu Regulation" in1627.The main body of the Regulation was about the servant. But the servant had its own meaning different from the traditional one.Servants’ status is inferior in the Chinese history. According to The Eight Banners system, bannermen were divided into three classes——Beller, Jusen and Aha. Beller was the ruling class with a high political status. Jusen was the most extensive class. It was equivalent to the civilian class. The class of Aha was the traditional sense of servant.But at that time, Manchu people think that there was no noticeable distinction between Jusen and Aha since both of them had the obligations to their hosts. In addition, the slave identity was relative. Jusen was the servant to the class of Beller as well as the host to the class of Aha, which means the identity could change. After we had konwn these distinguishing features, it could be easy to understand the Regulations."Lizhu Regulation" was enacted in 1631.There were six clauses totally. They could be divided into two categories. A class cleared what the servants can do when their hosts violated the provisions of national law. The other kind of regulations protected the rights and interests of servants themselves,to be specific, the right to life, the right to inform against rape, the right to protect their Military exploit."Lizhu Regulation" played an important role in the strengthening of imperial power. However, its original intention was not to protect the servant. With the completion of the concentration of imperial power, It had completed its task. Then this regulation exited the stage of history naturally.