An Analysis of the Official Careers of Those Who Commenced Their Appointments from the "Mizhu" Positions During the Liu Song and Southern Qi Dynasties

Abstract

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, official positions were classified as "pure" (qing) or "turbid" (zhuo). The posts of Mishu Lang (Secretarial Court Gentleman) and Zhuzuo Lang (Editorial Court Gentleman), as the foremost qing positions, were highly contested among scions of elite clans as their inaugural appointments. Beginning one's career through these "Mizhu" (秘著, abbreviation for 秘书监 Mì shū jiān and 著作郎 Zhù zuò láng, prestigious scholarly positions in the imperial bureaucracy) roles not only signified the family's prestige and social standing but also foreshadowed a flourishing official trajectory.   During the Liu Song and Southern Qi dynasties, a total of 38 individuals commenced their careers as Mishu Lang, Zhuzuo Lang, or Zhuzuo Zuolang (著作佐郎, Assistant Editorial Gentleman), all hailing from eminent southern clans such as the Langye Wang Family (琅琊王氏, Wang's Family from Langye) and Jiyang Jiang Family (济阳江氏, Jiang Family from Jiyang) , concentrated within 13 prominent aristocratic families of the Southern Dynasties. Scions of these noble houses typically began with Mizhu appointments, advanced through prestigious mid-level posts like Taizi Sheren (Crown Prince's Attendant), and accumulated experience through frequent rotations—often including provincial postings as grand administrators—before returning to the central court to assume key offices, ultimately ascending to the highest echelons of power.   Under the influence of the menfa (aristocratic clan) system, while top-tier lineage status provided considerable advantages for bureaucratic entry, individual talent and political ambition remained pivotal in shaping one's official career.

魏晋以来，官分清浊，秘书郎、著作郎作为首要清官，是甲族贵胄起家争夺之官。以秘著起家不仅彰显了家族的地位与门望，而且也预示了之后仕途的飞黄腾达。南朝宋齐时期以秘书郎、著作郎、著作佐郎起家者共38人，皆出自南朝的高门望族，如琅琊王氏、济阳江氏等，集中在南朝13个士族之中。贵族子弟以秘著起家，历经太子舍人等清要官职，经频繁的迁转、外出任太守以积累经验，再迁回中央任重要官职，最终官至显位。在门阀制度的影响下，第一流的门第虽然为士族子弟入仕提供了种种便利，但其个人才能与政治抱负仍对其仕途产生重要影响。