2023 HKDSE 中國歷史 Practice Paper | DSE Mock

### Instructions: Answer either Question 1 or Question 2. (This is Question 1)

Read the following sources and answer the questions.

**Source A**
"Since ancient times, the Three Dukes discussed the Dao, and the Six Ministers divided duties. Since the First Emperor of Qin established the Prime Minister, the dynasty perished in a few generations. Han, Tang, and Song followed this system; though there were virtuous prime ministers, there were also many who monopolized power and disrupted the administration. Now, I abolish the Prime Minister and set up the Five Military Commissions, the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Office of Transmission, and the Court of Judicial Review to manage world affairs. They counterbalance each other and dare not dominate one another, with all matters ultimately decided by the Court. In the future, when my descendants become emperors, they are absolutely not allowed to establish a Prime Minister. If any minister dares to propose establishing one, the civil and military officials shall immediately impeach them and subject them to severe punishment."
— Adapted from *Ming Taizu Shilu* (Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu of Ming)

**Source B**
"The abolition of the Prime Minister system in the Ming Dynasty was originally intended to strengthen imperial autocracy, concentrating all power in the hands of the Emperor. However, the affairs of the realm were vast and numerous, and the Emperor's energy was limited; he could not manage them alone. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu, the Grand Secretariat was first established, where Hanlin officials were ordered to assist with confidential state affairs, marking the origin of the cabinet system. After the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the power of the cabinet gradually grew. While the power of drafting proposals (*Piaoni*) fell to the Grand Secretaries, the power of red-ink approval (*Pihong*) was held by the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial. If the monarch neglected state affairs, the eunuchs seized the opportunity to usurp power, creating an anomalous political situation where there was 'no title of prime minister, but the reality of one,' even leading to the disaster of eunuch dictation."
— Adapted from a modern scholar's discussion on the evolution of Ming political systems

**Questions**
(a) Based on Source A, state the historical reason why Ming Taizu abolished the Prime Minister, and identify the measure he implemented to prevent any future attempt to reinstate the office. (4 marks)

(b) According to Source B, what practical problem did the Emperor face after abolishing the Prime Minister? How did the early Ming emperors attempt to resolve this problem? (4 marks)

(c) Explain the interaction and division of labor between the Grand Secretariat (*內閣*) and the Palace Eunuchs (*宦官*) in mid-to-late Ming dynasty administration as described in Source B. How did this lead to the rise of eunuch power? (6 marks)

(d) "The abolition of the Prime Minister by Ming Taizu ultimately weakened rather than strengthened the effective governance of the empire." To what extent do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer with reference to the sources and your own historical knowledge. (6 marks)

Answer the following questions based on the sources provided and your own historical knowledge:

**Source A**
"In the second year of Jianlong (961 AD), following Zhao Pu's advice, Emperor Taizu of Song invited Shi Shouxin and other generals to a banquet and said: 'Life is as brief as a passing stallion. Why not accumulate wealth, purchase fields and estates for your descendants, and spend your remaining years enjoying music and dance? In this way, there will be no suspicion between emperor and subjects...'’"

**Source B**
"The centralization system of the Song Dynasty was practiced for over a century. Although it eliminated the threat of local military separatism (fanzhen), the state faced constant foreign invasions and military weakness. Internally, the bureaucracy expanded endlessly and annual expenditures soared, ultimately leading to a chronic state of poverty and weakness (ji-pin ji-ruo)."

**(a)** Based on Source A and your own knowledge, explain how Emperor Taizu of Song weakened the military power of local generals and consolidated central control. (6 marks)

**(b)** Based on Source B and your own knowledge, analyze how the centralization policies of the early Song led to the problems of "redundant officials" (冗官), "redundant soldiers" (冗兵), and "redundant expenses" (冗費). (9 marks)

**(c)** "The centralization of power in the Song Dynasty did more harm than good to the overall development of the dynasty." Do you agree with this statement? Explain your view with reference to historical facts. (10 marks)

Answer the following questions based on the sources provided and your own historical knowledge:

**Source A**
"Liang Ji monopolized the court affairs, reaching a level of consort clan dominance unparalleled in history. His incompetent brothers were also placed in powerful positions, and officials great and small came from his faction. During the reigns of Emperors Shun, Chong, Zhi, and Huan, his power overshadowed the empire; he even poisoned the young emperor, yet none of the officials dared to speak up."

**Source B**
"After the mid-Eastern Han Dynasty, many emperors ascended the throne at a young age, and the Empress Dowagers attended to state affairs, naturally relying heavily on their own fathers and brothers. When the emperors grew up and wished to reclaim power, the court officials had already aligned with the consort clans. Thus, the emperors could only rely on the eunuchs close to them to eliminate the consort clans. This cycle of power transfer repeated endlessly, eventually leading to the complete corruption of court politics."

**(a)** According to Source A and your own knowledge, describe the power and negative impacts of consort clans (外戚) in the mid-to-late Eastern Han Dynasty. (6 marks)

**(b)** Based on Source B and your own knowledge, explain the structural cycle of consort clans and eunuchs taking turns in power in the Eastern Han. (9 marks)

**(c)** "The rise of consort clans and eunuchs was the primary cause of the collapse of the Eastern Han Dynasty." To what extent do you agree with this statement? Explain your view by comparing this with other factors (such as peasant uprisings or local warlordism). (10 marks)

Part (a): Explain the specific measures implemented in the Song dynasty's imperial examination system to prevent fraud and expand the ruling base, and analyze their impact on social mobility during that period. (10 marks) Part (b): 'The Eight-Legged Essay system established in the Ming and Qing dynasties greatly strengthened monarchical autocracy, but seriously hindered the development of science and scholarship in China.' Do you agree with this statement? Discuss with reference to historical facts. (15 marks)

Part (a): Identify the political and social crises faced by Wang Anshi during the Northern Song dynasty, and analyze how he attempted to realize his Confucian ideal of statecraft through the financial and military measures of the 'Xining Reforms.' (10 marks) Part (b): 'The primary reason for the failure of Wang Anshi's reforms lay in his improper deployment of personnel and his failure to win the support of mainstream intellectuals of the time, rather than any inherent flaws in the direction of the reforms.' Do you agree with this statement? Discuss with reference to historical facts. (15 marks)