1. Background:
During the process of national conquest, the rulers of the Northern Wei Dynasty implemented national discrimination and cruel national oppression policies against people of all ethnic groups, which often appeared in wars of conquest. Crazy ethnic killings and ethnic conflicts continue to intensify (necessity of reform).
By the middle of the Northern Wei Dynasty, although ethnic conflicts had gradually eased, class conflicts had become increasingly acute due to excessive exploitation and oppression by the ruling class, and peasant uprisings broke out every year.
In 471 AD (the fifth year of Emperor Xing's reign), Tuoba Hong ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowen. Since then, the peasant uprisings continued unabated, and the court's brutal suppression not only failed to quell the people's uprisings, but instead inspired more conflicts and struggles.
In order to alleviate social and ethnic conflicts, Empress Dowager Feng and Emperor Xiaowen successively carried out a series of reforms, collectively known as Emperor Xiaowen's reforms.
2. Content:
① Rectify the administration of officials
In 472 AD (the second year of Yanxing), the official was appointed for a long time and was promoted to one level after one year; Those with poor performance will be punished or even demoted even if they take office soon.
②Reform the tax system
In 475 AD (the fifth year of Yanxing), in order to change the chaotic situation in which states, counties, and counties competed for rent collection, the government determined that the county could only It is forbidden to use big buckets, long rulers and heavy scales when collecting goods.
③The salary system was promulgated
In 484 AD (the eighth year of Taihe), the salary system was promulgated, stating that those who took bribes other than salary and filled a bolt of silk would be punished by death.
In the Land Equalization Order promulgated the following year, it was also stipulated that local governors could be given a certain amount of land according to their official position. The public land awarded was not allowed to be purchased and was handed over to the next person when he resigned.
④ Implementing the Land Equalization System
In 485 AD (the ninth year of Taihe), the Land Equalization Order was promulgated, which made detailed arrangements for adult people of different genders, slaves, and cattle. Subject to field regulations.
There are differences between open fields and mulberry fields. Grain is grown in the open fields and cannot be bought or sold. It will be returned to the state at the age of seventy. Mulberry fields planted with mulberry, elm, and jujube trees do not need to be returned to the state. The excess part can be sold and the insufficient part can be purchased.
When returning land, appropriate care will be given to the elderly, young, disabled, widowers and widowers. ?
⑤The creation of the three-chief system
In 486 AD (the tenth year of Taihe), the suzerain supervisory system was replaced by the three-chief system, and the township official organization of neighbors, li, and party was adopted , to restrain local powerful people from sheltering a large number of registered residents.
⑥Reforming the Rent System
In 486 AD (the tenth year of Taihe), Emperor Xiaowen also carried out corresponding reforms in the rent adjustment system.
⑦Changing Chinese surnames
Emperor Xiaowen ordered that the surnames of the Xianbei people (usually compound surnames) be changed to single surnames.
⑧Banning the Hu language
Emperor Xiaowen implemented the most important policy in Sinicization, which was to change the language and stipulate that Xianbei compound language should no longer be spoken.
3. Impact:
The Sinicization reform measures implemented by Emperor Xiaowen were conducive to easing class conflicts and played a positive role in the recovery and development of social economy.
The nine-rank Zhongzheng system established in the Cao Wei Dynasty had become a situation in which officials were selected from aristocratic families during the Western Jin Dynasty, and two social classes, the gentry and the common people, evolved. This is the origin of the famous saying "There are no nobles in the lower class".
Because the Xianbei people themselves do not have advanced cultural literacy and have no independent thoughts on political reform, they blindly copy the policies of the previous Han regime and inherit this clan system that has seriously affected social development.