Development
of the Civil Service
Before the
beginning of our magnificent Song dynasty, China suffered under
a period of unrest. Many nobles seized power and plotted to weaken
the imperial throne. It was a time of war and chaos, harmful to
all in China. Then, about 150 years ago,
General
Zhao Kuangyin reunified China. Under glorious Song rule,
China has prospered greatly. Cities have increased in size and number,
and trade has flourished throughout the land.
The old administration,
limited as it was to the nobility, would not have been adequate
to handle these changes. Thus, it was necessary to ensure that the
civil service grew and developed along with the country. The Song
Emperors decreed that the civil service should be expanded and its
authority centralized in order to establish and maintain peace and
harmony in the provinces.
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