The bureaucracy has always played a crucial role in the exercise of political power, and how officials are appointed is directly related to the effectiveness of state governance. This book conducts a clear and structured study of the complex personnel management system in imperial China.

It examines the main features of the official appointment system in the Song dynasty (960-1279), such as the separation of official ranks and their duties, the agencies and regulations for appointing officials, the merit rating system, the coexistence of "seniority" and "functional rank" in the recruitment and selection of officials, and other important procedures, including the recommendation system, the evaluation for reassignment system, and the system of appointments to commissions. Focusing on both the institutional regulations and their practical implementation and effectiveness, the book reveals many contradictions and coping mechanisms in the Song dynasty's personnel management system.

This book will appeal to scholars and students of Song dynasty history, personnel administration, and civil service.

Born in 1950, Deng Xiaonan graduated from Peking University's History Department in 1985. She was the director of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, and a professor of history at Peking University. She was also the vice-chairman of China History Society. Her areas of interest include history of the Song period, the bureaucracies and institutions of middle-period China, and gender in the Tang and Song dynasties.