The Transformation of Specific Emissary Positions from Officials without Ranks to Ranking Officials during the Five Dynasties and the Early Song Dynasty

In the early Tang Dynasty,the legal system was implemented,and officials’ status and privileges were primarily based on laws and statutes.In the late Tang period,the emissary positions which were not belonged to the legal system became prevalent,and the privileges for most assignments were determined by Sanguan(“散官”，the prestige titled officials),basic official ranks,etc.During the Five Dynasties and the early Song Dynasty,emissary positions within civil and military officials,inner officials,and military positions gradually became ranking officials,allowing status and privileges such as salaries,rank positions,hereditary privileges,and redemption from penalties to be determined based on the emissary positions themselves.In the early Northern Song Dynasty,the bureaucratic hierarchy was typically composed of officials with ranks and emissary posts which were become ranking officials already.When the emissary positions became ranking officials,taking the Hanlin Academicians(“翰林学士”) and regional military commissioners for example,the emissary positions could either be purely ranked officials or official positions with specific duties.The transformation of emissary positions from officials without ranks to ranking officials was a unique and crucial step in the formation of the bureaucratic hierarchy in the early Northern Song Dynasty.