The Political Predicament of Neo-Confucian Scholars in the Southern Song Dynasty: A Case Study of the Qingyuan Party Prohibition

Abstract

Southern Song Neo Confucian scholars expanded their political influence and sought political resources through lectures and other means of disseminating ideas. Taking advantage of the changes in national policies after Emperor Xiaozong ascended to power, they gradually began to enter the political hierarchy of the Southern Song Dynasty. After going through the three dynasties of filial piety, light, and Ning, a political force deeply rooted in the political arena of the Southern Song Dynasty gradually formed and quickly climbed to the political core of the Southern Song Dynasty after Zhao Ruyu guided Shao Xi to meditate. However, within just two years, the emerging political group of Neo Confucian scholars collapsed, and Neo Confucianism was completely in trouble in Southern Song society. The essence of the Qingyuan Partisan Prohibition is a political game. Why did the Neo Confucian political group, which should have been in the development stage, fall to this point? It has positive significance for a correct and comprehensive understanding of the political model of the Southern Song Dynasty and the characteristics of literati in political interaction.
The prosperous academic atmosphere that continued from the Northern Song Dynasty underwent a reconstruction under the special political and military situation of internal and external troubles in the Southern Song Dynasty, which also led to a long-term unstable political operation within the court. The specific manifestations include the issue of the Jin Dynasty's emphasis on war and peace, the attitude towards Wang Anshi's reform and the Yuan You Party led by Sima Guang, and the many unexpected events of the emperor's abdication and succession, which led to the lack of a long-term stable dominant policy in the political situation of the Southern Song Dynasty. This also made it easy for Neo Confucian scholars to fall into multiple political disputes, which was obviously difficult for those with insufficient political experience to cope with. At the same time, although the Neo Confucianism of the Song Dynasty went through two stages of development and improvement with Neo Confucian scholars such as Zhu Xi, it was still in a developmental and immature stage in the early and middle periods of the Southern Song Dynasty, and therefore could not rely on academic reputation in society as its political support. Before and after the Qingyuan Partisan Prohibition, due to insufficient political consciousness and changes in the environment and situation, Neo Confucian scholars were in an extremely unfavorable position in competition with the Han political group, resulting in a large number of Neo Confucian scholars being severely persecuted. Since then, most scholars have completely withdrawn from politics, either devoted themselves to writing books and discussing Taoism, or retired to the countryside, making it difficult for them to make political achievements. The author believes that the difficulties faced by Neo Confucian scholars during the Qingyuan Partisan Prohibition can be summarized into three main aspects: weak political foundation, lack of governance ability, and distorted organizational models. The essence that led to its occurrence was the continuation of the party struggle between the two Song dynasties, as well as the continuation of Neo Confucianism and other schools of thought and competition.