Journal paper

Issue No.	No. 44
Title	The Truth about People of Humble Origins in Charge of Confidential Affairs and the Political Ethos in the Southern Dynasties — A Study on the Secretaries
Author	Leu Chuen-sheng
Page	1-36
Abstract	The academic circles have almost deeply been convinced that the emperors in the Southern Dynasties assigned people with lower social positions to assume the power ever since Chiao I in Ching Dynasty presented the theory that most of the time people of humble birth were in charge of confidential work in the Southern Dynasties. Nevertheless, the research considers there is really ample room for doubt as to Chiao’s remarks that people of humble origins being in charge of the confidential work. Moreover, the research, based on the fact that people of humble birth being in charge of the confidential work in the government of the Southern Dynasties were mainly assigned to the position of the emperors’ secretaries then, would like to recheck the real facts about the humble social inferiors’ work assignment and position in the Southern Dynasties by studying more historical materials culled from historical biographies on those who were assigned to the position of emperors’ secretaries. 　　The research is confirmed that it seems improper to overestimate the phenomenon that people of humble origins being in charge of the confidential work in that, after all, it is just a peculiar and temporary situation in the history of the Southern Dynasties. Besides, it has been imprecise for the academic circles over the past years to figure out the history of the Southern Dynasties merely in terms of the humble social inferiors’ work assignment and position. In reality, it was quite common that the emperors with military identity springing from humble origins intertwined with the powerful aristocratic family to dominate the political affairs of the Southern Dynasties altogether rather than those with humble origins totally seized power from the powerful hereditary family in politics.
Keyword	the Southern Dynasties, people of humble origins, the emperor’s secretary, the powerful family politics, the imperial authority politics
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