唐 後期의 帝位 계승과 宦官의 ‘專橫’ ― 遺命 전달 및 遺詔의 起草 과정을 중심으로 ―

Abstract

The eunuchs of the late Tang Dynasty actively intervened in the process of imperial succession, a phenomenon often categorized as the abuse of eunuch power in historical records. The accounts suggest a causal link between the eunuchs' interference in the imperial succession process and the considerable confusion during similar periods of succession. However, the specific causal relationship between these two facts remained ambiguous in existing narratives. This paper aims to provide a clearer understanding of the relationship between the imperial court and eunuchs by examining the process of drafting and transmitting posthumous edicts following the emperor's death in the late Tang Dynasty. During Tang Dynasty, most posthumous edicts closely adhered to existing documents, with the substantive content lying in the section containing the names of the future emperor and the chief regent. Due to the high importance attached to posthumous edicts, it is presumed that the document's creation and transmission occurred in a secure manner, making it difficult for eunuchs to illegitimately intervene in the process. Investigating actual cases of eunuch involvement in the imperial succession process during the late Tang Dynasty reveals that eunuchs could participate as bearers of posthumous edicts following the emperor's death. In this process, eunuchs could influence the selection of the next emperor, indicating a potential manipulation of the document's structure. However, the reason eunuchs functioned as the bearers of the emperor's posthumous edicts was that the emperor directly chose the eunuch in charge of confidential matters, known as Shumishi, as the bearer. Therefore, the process itself was not illegal. This emperor's choice is linked to the fact that Shumishi's responsibilities included managing the disbursement of royal decrees. In this sense, it is challenging to categorize Shumishi's participation in the posthumous edict drafting process, influencing the imperial succession, as an extralegal interference in the system. Therefore, the criticisms by historians, accusing eunuchs of meddling in the imperial succession process, are limited to cases where eunuchs, other than Shumishi, manipulated or fabricated posthumous edicts to elevate their desired candidate to the position of the next emperor. Such actions were likely facilitated by the absence of empresses and crown princes during the late Tang Dynasty. Many emperors deliberately refrained from appointing empresses and crown princes to strengthen imperial authority. However, in cases where an emperor died without a crown prince, leaving a vacuum of power until the appointment of the next emperor, the influence of eunuchs, especially as bearers of posthumous edicts, was significantly enhanced. The absence of an empress to fill the power vacuum during the interim period between the emperor's death and the ascension of the next emperor empowered the eunuchs to wield considerable influence. In this context, the eunuchs' intervention in the imperial succession process, shaping the narrative of the next emperor, can be seen as a consequence of both the emperor's strategic decisions and the absence of empresses and crown princes. Although these measures were taken consistently to strengthen imperial power, the convergence of these factors resulted in a temporary power vacuum, providing a institutional basis for eunuchs to influence imperial power after the emperor's death until the ascension of the next emperor.