International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2020

An inside story of Shi Miyuan’s dictatorship and its changes in the late Southern Song Dynasty

(Abstract)

KOBAYASHI, Akira

The scholars analysing Shi Miyuan’s dictatorship in the past believed that Shi Miyuan(1164-1233) had been in some antagonistic relation with the bureaucrats from the Doctrine School of Neo-Confucianism (daoxuejia) since he took power in the second year (1209) of Jiading, and he pushed out such figures as Zhen Dexiu (1178-1235) and Wei Liaoweng (1178-1237). However, it was not the case. Shi had succeeded in stable operation of the regime in the early years after he took power. Troubles occurred after the war between the Song and Jin dynasties in the tenth year (1217) of Jiading. At that time, among the officials in charge of military affairs at the front line, many were from Fujian area and disciples of Zhu Xi (1130-1200), and their misjudges and arbitrary decisions resulted in the Southern Song’s failure in the Sizhou Battle. To establish a system in which he could be in command for the war, as Prime Minister, Shi sent his trusted followers to be in charge of defense and military affairs to collect important information from the frontline and report to him. Moreover, his in-laws and confidants were put on key posts. Therefore, the scholar-bureaucrats from Fujian and Zhu Xi’s disciples were left out, and their discontent lead to the political struggles in the time of Emperor Lizong (1224-1264).