Revisiting the Establishment of the System of Dominant Families by Emperor Xiaowen in Northern Wei Dynasty
The decline in the governing capacity of Xianbei meritorious aristocracies from the imperial clans of Northern Wei constituted the central impetus behind Emperor Xiaowen's decision to relocate the capital and institute the System of Dominant Families.This evaluation of prominent clans,led by the emperor,the princes of imperial clans,and the meritorious aristocracies of eight surnames,aimed at solidifying their political and social standing,focusing primarily on the eight surnames,as well as other Xianbei meritorious aristocrats and Han gentry families occupying key positions within the bureaucratic system.This top-down restructuring of the political hierarchy within the ruling elite encompassed all social strata.The exclusion of Xianbei soldiers from the Dai people from the System of Dominant Families left them as the military backbone supporting the power of the Xianbei meritorious aristocracies of the imperial clans.In an attempt to appease this group,the Northern Wei court indis-criminately conferred military ranks,leading to their encroachment on the political and official posi-tions traditionally held by the gentry and dominant families.Consequently,the System of Dominant Families,characterized by clear divisions in official posts and distinctions between aristocrats and civilians,struggled to endure.Political strife ensued among Hu and Han dominant families,lower-class soldiers,and the chieftains and warlords of the six garrisons in Northern Dai,ultimately contribu-ting to the downfall of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
万方数据
维普
