Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional festivals - What is the difference between the enfeoffment system and the county system in ancient China?

What is the difference between the enfeoffment system and the county system in ancient China?

The difference between enfeoffment system and patriarchal clan system;

The so-called enfeoffment system, also known as the feudal state and the founding of the people's Republic, is to distribute clan in-laws to various places and establish a sub-state while ensuring the strength of the royal family. Feudalism and patriarchal clan system are closely related. Patriarchal clan system is a measure to combine blood relationship with political relationship. The patriarchal clan system established a strict inheritance system of land, property and power. In this way, through the feudal system and patriarchal clan system, a hierarchical system was established, which was conducive to consolidating dynasty rule.

The difference between enfeoffment system and county system;

First, the inheritance system is different.

The enfeoffment system sprouted in Xia Dynasty and prevailed in Western Zhou Dynasty. This is a system in which the monarch gives Yi Tian as a salary to the imperial clan. There are three kinds of objects to be sealed: first, relatives with the same surname as Zhou Wang, that is, the royal family; Second, heroes; Third, the descendants of the ancient holy king, that is, the descendants of the previous generation of nobles. No matter who sealed it, once it is sealed, it will be passed down from generation to generation, that is, the hereditary system will be implemented.

On the other hand, the county system is the opposite. County chiefs and county orders are directly appointed and removed by the emperor and cannot be hereditary, that is, the appointment and removal system is implemented.

Second, the scope of responsibility is different.

Under the system of enfeoffment, the vassals not only enjoyed administrative power in the fief, but also had the right to manage land and population. However, the blocked vassal must fulfill certain obligations to the Zhou Emperor. For example, we should hire King Zhou regularly, contribute all kinds of property to him, accept his orders to send troops to defend the royal family or pacify the rebels, and do our duty to his weddings, funerals and hunting trips.

County system is different. County magistrate and county magistrate only exercise administrative power within their own jurisdiction, and gradually lose their sovereignty over land and population. The county magistrate and county magistrate are only responsible for managing the people, collecting taxes, recruiting soldiers and corvees.

Third, the positioning of "governing the land" is different.

The fiefs under the enfeoffment system are mostly located around the fiefs, and their center is the fiefs, that is, the direct ruling center of the monarch or fiefs.

There are many differences in county system. When it was first built, most of the county towns were in remote strategic areas. For example, after Qin Nanping's hundred jumps, Nanhai County, Guilin County and Xiang Jun County were established; After attacking Xiongnu in the north and recovering Shuofang, Jiuyuan County was established. The county is close to the ruling center, a relatively wealthy Feng Jingen area. Later, with the development of productive forces and the needs of politics and military affairs, the geographical distribution of counties gradually tended to be consistent, and finally developed into a subordinate relationship between counties.

Fourth, the role of history is different.

The enfeoffment system embodies "is it the land of kings under the thin sky?" Is it the political situation that "Wang Chen" dominates the world? This is in line with the characteristics of low economic development level, political imbalance and great cultural differences in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and has certain progressive significance. However, due to the absolute sovereignty of the vassal States in the fiefs, they became independent kingdoms of all sizes. Under certain conditions, these kingdoms evolved into completely independent countries, which directly or indirectly threatened the security of the monarch, resulting in the political situation of hegemony and mutual annexation of all ethnic groups, the decline of the monarch's power, the marginalization of power, and finally led to complete division. The formation of the hegemonic situation in the Spring and Autumn Period can be said to be the inevitable product of the enfeoffment system.

The emergence and implementation of the county system eliminated the hidden dangers brought by the enfeoffment system and enabled the emperor to directly control the local administrative system, which became an integral part of China's feudal autocratic rule for more than 2,000 years. Thus, the county system had a far-reaching impact on the social adjustment of China's traditional feudal society.