Medieval China

1. General

2. Social system

3. Political system

4. Judicial system

1. In the first centuries. China finally established and became the main feudal relations. Strengthened its position as the largest feudal ownership of land with the right to sales, strengthened great landowners ” strong houses” had developed a system of allotment of land ownership on public lands. The Three Kingdoms period, marked by the struggle of the kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu, ended in the III. For a short time the union of the country under the rule of the Western Jin Dynasty. This empire at the end of 316, was destroyed by the invading North China nomadic peoples. In southern China has been recreated the Jin Dynasty, called the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420 years.), and in the north to the IV. Establish dominance Syanbi Toba tribe and established the power of the Toba Wei Dynasty, or the Northern Wei. Until the end of the VI. lasted the war between the North and South kingdoms and feudal internecine struggle within themselves kingdoms.

During this period, the system was developed allotment ownership, called at the time " system of equal fields"; church began to expand (Buddhist) tenure. In the second half of VI. General Yang Jian founded the Sui dynasty, which brought together 589 North and South China. Members of this dynasty to seek an autocracy. Strengthening the central government was accompanied by the onset of the enslavement of the peasants and the ancient village community organization. Sui dynasty (long war, the construction of the Grand Canal, the construction of palaces) caused an extraordinary increase in public spending and an increase in duties are levied on the people. This policy has led to popular uprisings, which in 618 put on the throne a new ruling dynasty - Tan. Tang emperors, seeking to undermine the influence of the aristocracy and create a layer of service people, completely dependent on the imperial court, imposed a system of state examinations, which the successful delivery and graduation open access to public service. Thus was created by a well-established bureaucracy control.

2. In the social structure of China identifies three caste-class groups:

· Noble people - secular and spiritual nobility, military and civil
bureaucracy. They were the privileged persons who are exempt from labor service and corporal punishment, and some - and taxes. (In the period of the Wei dynasty adopted a law on " Eight conditions for the favorable consideration of cases" - " Ba and" are endowed with special status and officials formally raise the bureaucracy in a privileged position. His action has been canceled until the end of XIX century.) Rich merchants, moneylenders, large landowners joined the ranks of the " noble" by buying honorary titles and degrees;

· Good people, and good people - the common people, mainly small farmers and artisans, on which lay the burden of taxes and labor obligations;

· cheap people, or vile people - unequal free and slaves, public and private. Full rights to free included landless and land-poor peasants, tenants, who were in the position of semi-feudal and worked in the " strong homes" laborers, guards, servants, etc. Each caste and classes was marked by a certain image
life, obey certain rules of conduct, a certain type of clothing, jewelry, home. Forbidden, bypassing nearby stage, refer to the men who stood up for social rank. However, in contrast to the Indian varna transition from one group to another was possible.

3. The head of state was the emperor - " Son of Heaven". He had supreme
legislative and judicial branches, as well as the spiritual authority (was main
priest), rules based on the traditions and laws, and had unbounded
tainted law.

When Emperor existed Council of State, to positions in the which appoints the members of the imperial house and influential dignitaries. Council headed by two Chancellor (tszaysyana) - Left (senior) and right (Jr.), often independently decide matters of state. Among them were six subordinate departments (ministries).
First submitted to the Chancellor:

· agency officials, engaged appointment and dismissal of officials and
Cove;

· agency practices, monitoring compliance of ceremonies, etiquette,
morality;

To the Second Chancellor are:

· military department, organize military affairs in the empire;

· office of punishment, which is subordinate courts and prisons;

· department of public works being done by the labor howling duties taxed.

Administration of the country was carried out in three chambers: one chamber directed executive agencies (agencies). The other two were prepared and published by imperial decree, organized ceremonies.

Local governance based on the territorial principle. The largest administrative unit of the empire was the province. The country is divided into ten provinces, which, in turn, divided into regions (Chou) and counties. At all levels, led by officials who are appointed and dismissed by the center.

In the provinces, there were three administrative services, which were led by the authorized officials of high rank:

· administration, whose duties included accounting people and land, tax collection, monitoring of construction works and the distribution of water;

· military;

· supervision and control, are a special case - it was to control the entire local administrative staff, to fight corruption and abuse of officials. That body facilitated the centralization of the state apparatus.

4. In medieval China, as in other feudal states, court cases were considered not only in the judiciary, but also in administration, judicial functions. At the highest level of judicial hierarchy ladder in the XIV - XV centuries. In China was the Emperor himself, who had the supreme judicial authority, at the lower - the elected village elder. Court cases are mainly dealt in county governments - yamen. In the case of lack of evidence the case postponed or transferred. Special investigative judge in criminal cases. In the regions and provinces acted special courts to hear cases of serious crimes - murder, major theft, extortion. If the matter has not been finally decided in the area or province, it was sent to the capital judicial authority where decisions imposed on behalf of the emperor.