1906, the Qing dynasty announced "preparing for constitutionalism", streamlining institutions, reforming central departments, and merging some departments with overlapping functions to form large departments. The specific way is to merge Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple and Honghong Temple into the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Industry into the Ministry of Commerce, which was named the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. Taibu Temple was merged into the Ministry of War, renamed the Ministry of War, and imperial academy was merged into the Ministry of Entrance. Of course, these merged departments have a long history.
As a sacrificial institution in Qing Dynasty, Changsi Temple has existed since Qin and Han Dynasties. However, in the Qing Dynasty, its responsibilities were replaced by the Ritual Department, which was only responsible for some sacrificial ceremonies. Guangsi Temple is a banquet management institution in Qing Dynasty, and its responsibilities overlap with the etiquette department seriously. 1898 It was merged into the Ministry of Rites during the Reform Movement of 1898, then separated, and finally merged into the Ministry of Rites this time. Hongfu Temple is an institution specialized in etiquette in Qing Dynasty, and its responsibilities are as important as the etiquette department. 1898 was merged into the Ministry of Rites during the Reform Movement of 1898, and this time it was merged again.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Qing Dynasty was founded in the fifth year of Tiancong, namely 163 1 year. It is an institution that manages state affairs and palace projects, and is responsible for civil building systems, the use of utensils, the methods of dispersing and lowering canals and weirs, and the code of providing hundreds of millions of graves. Civil engineering, water conservancy engineering, machinery manufacturing engineering, mining and metallurgy, textile and other government-run industries. Are responsible for the whole country, responsible for the unified measurement of some financial currencies. At that time, there were rich hair halls, Qian Bao Yuan Bureau and gunpowder bureau. In this administrative reform of Guangxu, these institutions were abolished.
Taibu Temple was the institution that managed Ma Zheng in Qing Dynasty. There are Soma factories in its jurisdiction, but the military affairs department and the Eight Banners are mainly responsible for the military supplies used by the country. Taipu Temple is just some royal families who need to prepare horses for the emperor's inspection. In fact, it has become a branch of the military affairs department. In addition, imperial academy was abolished and schools in imperial academy were assigned to previously established departments.
186 1 year 1 month 20th, the Qing government set up the Foreign Affairs Office of the Prime Minister in an attempt to "establish a Ministry system". Before the establishment of the Prime Minister's Office, the diplomatic affairs of the Qing court were handled by the Ritual Department, the vassal department, the Red Temple and other institutions, and the Prime Minister's Office concentrated the diplomatic power scattered in these departments. From then on, the Qing Dynasty had a special diplomatic organization. At first, the prime minister's office was only responsible for diplomacy, trade and tariffs. Later, it gradually expanded to railways, mining, firearms and weapons manufacturing, and became a major department. During the Guangxu period of the Reform Movement of 1898, Lang Shenzhong, the criminal department, said at the memorial service: "This is a matter for the Prime Minister's yamen. Six of them are not only complicated, but also comprehensive. " 190 1 year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Prime Minister's Office was renamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it was still "six years ago".
In fact, before the publication of the "preparatory constitutional system", the Qing Dynasty had carried out small-scale institutional reforms in 1898, 190 1 year, 1903 and 1905, but the piecemeal improvement at this time was in jeopardy. In fact, during the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu promulgated measures to incorporate Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple and Hong Song Temple into the Ministry of Rites, but they were not put into practice until 1906.
1August 30, 998, due to the "old system",
Although Kang Youwei also thought this unusual move of Emperor Guangxu was "turning politics into courage", he still felt a little sudden. Kang Youwei said: "I have been talking about reforming the official system, but mainly adding new ones, not reducing the old ones." He insisted on adopting a moderate policy of coexistence of the old and the new. Even Liang Qichao felt that "it is the most difficult to lay off officials"
Then, why did Emperor Guangxu take such unusual measures? At first, Guangxu issued "Ming Dingguo Imperial edict" on June 1 1, announcing the implementation of political reform, but in August, the political reform was obviously at a crossroads and met with great resistance. For example, Guangxu should rectify the bureaucracy and put an end to "rape of officials and professionals at work." On July 29th, he ordered the yamen to cut down the rules and regulations of cumbersome management affairs and set up a new chapter. Therefore, the yamen refused to "report indiscriminately on the pretext that there is no case to help."
Therefore, Emperor Guangxu wanted to start with the abolition and merger of idle institutions and redundant staff, attack the stubborn and conservative forces, and at the same time eradicate the activity strongholds of some conservative officials. According to records, when Guangxu's decree was promulgated on August 30, "the old minister cried to the corner." The governor of Guangdong Province who has never implemented the word "New Deal" since the reform was dismissed; Subsequently, six senior officials of the Ministry of Rites, including Whitehead, were dismissed by Emperor Guangxu.
Imperial reform is the reform of the political management system of the imperial court after the Reform Movement of 1898 in Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty. The Reform Movement of 1898 failed, and the subsequent reform of the "Ministry system" naturally failed. There are many painful lessons worth pondering. To sum up, there are three main lessons:
First, Guangxu's "Ministry system" reform was too hasty.
This reform is too hasty. During the 103 days of the Hundred Days Reform, Emperor Guangxu successively promulgated about 108 reform decrees, with an average of 1.7 per day. The largest number was September 12, and 1 1 reform decrees were promulgated within one day. Although this move of Emperor Guangxu reflected his urgent mood of "striving for self-improvement while observing the times", it also left the sequela of too hasty reform.
1August 30th, 898, the imperial edict of abolishing yamen and reducing redundant staff was issued. At present, the imperial edict of Zhu Gai is included in the First Historical Archives of China, and the full text is recorded in Qingzhi. It can be seen that Emperor Guangxu was not satisfied with the decree drafted by military aircraft. In addition to some words circled, there are words written by Tian. Among the decrees drafted by officials, this is the one with the most words. Among them, Emperor Guangxu strictly stipulated the completion date of the merger of departments, and Zhu Bitian "limited the rehearsal to one month, which seemed to eliminate this power and gradually enrich a small amount of funds, thus expanding the new regulations". Emperor Guangxu's restrictions on Zhu Bi showed his anxiety about the New Deal.
Second, institutional reform lacks prior planning and remedial measures afterwards.
On August 30th, Guangxu ordered the abolition of Zhan Shifu's yamen, Zheng Tong emissary, Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple and Honghong Temple. However, the handover of related functions was not completed ahead of schedule. On September 1 day, he instructed to merge all the affairs of the abolished government office into six cabinet offices. The specific affairs of the merger shall be handled by the university students, six ministers and assistant ministers within five days. But obviously, within five days, the university student and six officials failed to come up with a concrete and feasible plan, so on September 10, Guangxu ordered the university student and six ministers, assistant ministers and governors to put forward the plan as soon as possible. Yamen has announced the cancellation of 10 days, but there is no specific merger plan yet. The resulting power is actually empty, which undoubtedly provides a handle for the old-fashioned forces.
Third, there is no proper resettlement plan for the abolished officials.
On September 8, Emperor Guangxu issued a decree stipulating that layoffs can be decided by the General Administration of Railways and Mines and the General Administration of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, and appointments will be made later. Soon, a coup took place, and Emperor Guangxu's desire for a "big system" was shattered. Of course, layoffs are a top priority, but if not handled properly, it will also add more resistance to those who are skeptical about reform. This is a matter of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lives. Guangxu did not think carefully beforehand, nor did he think of feasible remedies in time afterwards. Hurd, an Englishman who worked at the General Administration of Customs and Taxation in China at that time, said: "The emperor's instructions were correct, but his adviser Kang Youwei and others lacked work experience. They just stifle progress with kindness. They put enough food for nine years, regardless of the size and digestive capacity of his stomach, and stuffed him in within three months, so he was strangled for the time being. "
In fact, at the end of the Qing Dynasty, the government was corrupt, the officialdom was dark, and the people lived in poverty, with many disadvantages. Neither the Reform Movement of 1898 nor the "Great Unification" reform can change the fate of the Qing Dynasty.