Volume 178 Treatises 131: Finance and Economics 1f

食貨上六〈（役法下振恤）〉役法

Food and Goods, Upper Scroll, Part Six (Service Law, Lower Section: Relief and Succor) Service Law

中書舍人蘇軾在詳定役法所，極言役法可雇不可差，第不當於雇役實費之外，多取民錢，若量入為出，不至多取，則自足以利民。司馬光不然之，光言：“差役已行，續聞有命：雇募不足，方許定差。屢有更張，號令不一。又轉運使欲合一路共為一法，不令州縣各從其宜，或已受差卻釋役使去，或已辭雇卻復拘之入役，或仍舊用錢招雇，或不用錢白招，紛紜不定，浸違本意。 ”遂條舉始奏之文，嚐許州縣、監司陳列宜否。 “自今外官苟見利否，縣許直上轉運司，州許直奏，使下情無壅。詳定所第當稽閱監司、州縣所陳，詳定可否；非其任職而務出奇論、不切事情者勿用，亦不可以一路、一州、一縣土風利害概行天下。 ”從之。

Su Shi, a Secretariat drafter serving on the commission to finalize the service law, argued forcefully that corvée should be met by hiring laborers rather than by rotational assignment. His only objection was that the state should not collect more from the people than the actual cost of hired service. If revenues were measured against outlays and no surplus were taken, the system would benefit the people on its own. Sima Guang disagreed. He said, "Rotational assignment was already in effect, and we then heard a further order: only when hired recruitment proved inadequate might fixed rotational assignment be allowed. Orders were changed again and again, and the commands no longer matched one another. Transport commissioners also wanted a single law for an entire circuit instead of letting each prefecture and county adapt the rules locally. Some men already assigned by rotation were released; some who had refused hiring were forced back into service; some circuits still paid to recruit laborers while others recruited without pay. The result was chaos that steadily betrayed the policy's original purpose. Closing quotation mark He then cited the provisions of the original memorial and restored the permission once granted for prefectures, counties, and supervisory officials to report what worked and what did not. "Henceforth, whenever local officials outside the capital see benefit or harm in the law, counties may report straight to the transport commission and prefectures may memorialize the throne directly, so that grievances from below are not blocked. The review commission should examine what supervisory officials and local governments submit and decide what is feasible; opinions from men outside their proper duties who seek novelty without regard to facts should be rejected; nor may the customs and interests of one circuit, prefecture, or county be imposed on the entire empire. Closing quotation mark The court approved.

未幾，詔：“諸路坊郭五等以上，及單丁、女戶、官戶、寺觀第三等以上，舊輸免役錢者並減五分，餘戶等下此者悉免輸，仍自元祐二年始。凡支酬衙前重難及綱運公皂迓送飧錢，用坊場、河渡錢給賦。不足，方得於此六色錢助用；而有餘，封樁以備不時之須。”

Soon afterward an edict declared: "In every circuit, urban households of the fifth rank and above, together with single-male households, female-headed households, official households, and monasteries rated third rank or higher that formerly paid exemption money shall all receive a fifty-percent reduction. All lower ranks are fully exempt, effective from the second year of Yuanyou. All payments for yamen-runners' hazardous duties, transport-corps service, clerks, and escort allowances shall come from market-stand and ferry revenues. Only if those revenues prove insufficient may the six categories of service funds be drawn upon; any surplus shall be sealed in reserve for emergencies.

臣僚上言：“朝廷雖立差法，而明許民戶雇代，州縣多已施行。近命弓手須正身，恐公私未便。 ”詔：“不願身自任役，許募嚐為弓手而有勞效者，雇直雖多，毋逾元募之數。 ”御史中丞劉摯言：“弓手不可不用差法者，蓋鄉人在役，則不獨有家丁子弟之助，至於族姻鄉黨，莫不與為耳目，有捕輒獲；又土著自重，無逃亡之患。自行雇募，盜寇充斥，蓋浮惰不能任責故也。如五路弓手，熙寧未變法前，身自執役，最號強勁，其材藝捕緝勝於他路。近日復差，不聞有不樂而願出錢雇人。惟是川蜀、江、浙等路，昨升差上一等戶，皆習於驕脆，不肯任察捕之責。欲乞五路必差正身，餘路即用新敕，厘為三色：舊有戶等已嚐受差者，曾有戰鬥勞效應留者，願雇人代己者。立此三色，所冀新舊相兼，漸習禦捕。 ”侍御史王岩叟亦言雇代恐不能任事，略與摯同。

Officials memorialized: "Although the court established rotational assignment, it clearly allowed households to hire substitutes, and most prefectures and counties had already put this into practice. The recent order requiring bowmen to serve in person may prove inconvenient for both government and populace. Closing quotation mark The throne replied: "Households unwilling to serve in person may hire men who have previously served as bowmen with proven merit. Although wages may be high, they must not exceed the original recruitment rate. Closing quotation mark Censor-in-Chief Liu Zhi argued: "Bowmen must be assigned by rotation. When a local man serves, he has not only his household retainers and sons to help him; kinsmen and neighbors all serve as his eyes and ears, and arrests follow swiftly. As natives bound to their home soil, they value their standing and do not flee. Since hiring was allowed, banditry has spread, because drifters and idlers cannot bear real responsibility. In the Five Circuits, before the Xining reforms bowmen served in person and were famed as the toughest; their skill at pursuit and arrest surpassed every other region. Since rotational assignment was restored, no one has complained or offered money to hire a substitute. Only in Sichuan, the Yangzi delta, and the southeast, where households promoted one rank for assignment had grown soft and proud, were men unwilling to bear patrol and arrest duties. We ask that the Five Circuits require service in person, while other circuits follow the new edict and divide households into three groups: those previously assigned by rotation; those with proven combat merit who should remain; and those willing to hire substitutes. With these three categories, old and new methods may blend until men gradually master patrol and arrest. Closing quotation mark Attending Censor Wang Yansou likewise warned that hired substitutes might not perform their duties, largely agreeing with Liu Zhi.

監察御史上官均言：“役之最重，莫如衙前，其次弓手。今東南長名衙前招募既足，所差不及上戶，上戶必差弓手，則是以上戶就中戶之役，實為優幸。上戶產厚而役輕，下戶產薄而無役，然則所當補恤，正在中戶。今若增上戶役年，使中戶番休稍久，則補除相均矣。 ”又言：“近許當差弓手戶役得雇人為代，此法最便。議者謂‘身任其役，則自愛而重犯法’，熙寧募法久行，何嚐聞盜賊充斥？彼自愛之民，承符帖追逮則可，俾之與賊角死，豈其能哉？兩浙諸路以法案差弓手，必責正身，至有涕泣辭免者。此豈可恃以為用哉？今既立法許雇嚐為弓手而有勞效之人，比之泛募，宜有間矣。”

Investigating Censor Shangguan Jun said: "Of all corvée duties, none weighs heavier than yamen-runner service; bowman duty comes next. In the southeast, permanent yamen-runner posts are already filled by recruitment, so rotational duty no longer reaches upper households. Upper households are therefore assigned as bowmen—taking middle-household duties instead. This is a real privilege for the wealthy. The wealthy hold large estates yet bear light duties; the poor hold little and bear none. Relief should therefore target middle households. If upper households served longer terms so middle households could rest longer between rotations, the burden would balance fairly. Closing quotation mark He added: "The recent permission for assigned bowmen to hire substitutes is the most practical rule. Critics claim that men serving in person cherish their reputations and fear breaking the law. Yet under the long-standing Xining recruitment system, when was banditry ever rampant? Such self-regarding men can serve warrants and make arrests, but how can they be expected to fight bandits to the death? In the Liang-Zhe region, bowmen assigned under the statute must serve in person; some wept and begged to be released. How can such men be relied upon? Now that the law permits hiring men who have previously served as bowmen with proven merit, the result should differ greatly from indiscriminate recruitment.

殿中侍御史呂陶謁告歸成都，因令與轉運司議定役法。後議立增減役年之法曰：“戶多之鄉以十二年，戶少以九年，而應差之戶通輪一周。以一周月日而參之戶等，戶稅多者占役之日多，少者以率減下，則均適無頗矣。雖以等周差，皆許募人為代，如此則四等往往少差，而五等差所不及矣。衙前悉令招募，以坊場錢支酬重難，此法為允。”

Palace Attendant Censor Lü Tao, granted leave to return to Chengdu, was instructed to work with the transport commission on finalizing the service law. They later proposed a method for adjusting service years: "In populous townships the cycle shall be twelve years; in sparse townships nine years, until every liable household has served one full rotation. Within each cycle, days of service shall be apportioned by household rank: higher taxpayers serve more days, lower taxpayers fewer, in proportion—achieving balance without injustice. Although assignment still rotates by rank, all may hire substitutes—so fourth-rank households are rarely assigned, and fifth-rank households scarcely at all. Yamen-runners shall all be recruited, with hazardous-duty pay drawn from market revenues—an acceptable arrangement.

當是時，議役法者皆下之詳定所，久不能決。於是文彥博言：“差役之法，置局眾議，命令雜下，致久不決。 ”於是詔罷詳定局，役法專隸戶部。

At that time every proposal on the service law was referred to the review commission, which deliberated for months without reaching a decision. Wen Yanbo then said: "The rotational-assignment system was sent to a commission for collective debate, while contradictory orders kept issuing from above, and nothing was decided for months. Closing quotation mark The court then abolished the review bureau and placed the service law solely under the Ministry of Revenue.

諫議大夫鮮於侁言：“開封府多官戶，祥符縣至闔鄉止有一戶應差，請裁其濫。凡保甲之授班行者，如進納人例，須至升朝，方免色役。 ”舊法，戶賦免役錢及三百緡者，令仍輸錢免役。侍御史王岩叟謂：“此法不見其利。借如兩戶，其一輸錢及三百千，其一及二百八九十千，相去幾何，而應差者三年五年即得休息，其應輸助者畢世入錢，無有已時，非至破家，終不得免。此其勢必巧為免計，有弟兄則析居，不則鹹賣其業，但少降三百千之數，則遂可免。不出二三年，高強戶皆成中戶。 ”其後又詔：舊輸免役錢戶及百千以上，令如六色戶輸錢助役。蓋欲以其錢廣雇，使番休優久。凡戶少之鄉，應差不及三番者，許以六色錢募州役；尚不及兩番，則申戶部，移用他州錢，以紓差期。鄉戶衙前受役，當休無代，即如募法給雇食之直；若願就投募者，仍免本戶身役，不願者，速募人代之。

Remonstrance Grandee Xianyu Shen said: "Kaifeng has many official households. In Xiangfu County an entire township had only one household liable for assignment. Please curb such abuses. All baojia members granted court audience ranks, like tribute contributors, should be exempt from categorized service only after reaching full court rank. Closing quotation mark Under the old law, households whose exemption payments reached three hundred strings were still required to pay money in lieu of service. Attending Censor Wang Yansou said: "This rule shows no benefit. Suppose two households: one pays three thousand strings in exemption money, the other two thousand eight or nine hundred. How great is the difference? Yet the household subject to rotation rests after three or five years, while the household paying assistance money pays for life without end. Unless ruined, it is never released. They will inevitably contrive exemptions: brothers will divide households, or families will sell property—anything to drop just below three thousand strings and escape forever. Within two or three years every wealthy household will have been reduced to middle rank. Closing quotation mark A later edict ordered households that formerly paid exemption money of one hundred strings or more to contribute assistance funds like the six service categories. The aim was to broaden hiring with those funds so households could enjoy longer rest between rotations. In townships with few households where rotation did not reach three cycles, the six categories of funds might recruit for prefectural service; if rotation fell short of even two cycles, they reported to the Ministry of Revenue to transfer funds from other prefectures and ease the assignment schedule. When a township yamen-runner had no substitute during rest, he received food wages as under the recruitment law; if willing to enroll in permanent recruitment, the household was exempt from personal service; if unwilling, a substitute was recruited at once.

元祐二年，翰林學士兼侍讀蘇軾言：“差役之法，天下皆云未便。昔日雇役，中戶歲出幾何；今者差役，中戶歲費幾何。更以幾年一役較之，約見其數，則利害灼然。而況農民在官，官吏百端蠶食，比之雇人，苦樂十倍。五路百姓樸拙，間遇差為胥吏，又須轉雇慣習之人，尤為患苦。 ”尋詔郡縣各具差役法利害，條析以聞。

In the second year of Yuanyou, Hanlin Academician and Court Reader Su Shi said: "Everyone says the rotational-assignment system is unsatisfactory. Under the old hiring system, how much did a middle household pay each year? Under rotational assignment, how much does a middle household spend each year? Compare the totals over a full rotation cycle and the advantage or harm becomes obvious. Moreover, when farmers serve in government posts, officials exploit them in countless ways. Compared with hired laborers, their suffering is ten times greater. The people of the Five Circuits are plain and unworldly. When occasionally assigned as clerks, they must hire experienced men in turn—an especially painful burden. Closing quotation mark The court soon ordered every prefecture and county to report the benefits and harms of rotational assignment in detail.

四年，右正言劉安世言，御史中丞李常請復雇募，懷奸害政。先是，常言：“差法詔下，民知更不輸錢，嚐歡呼相慶。行之既久，始覺不輸錢為害。何也？差法廢久，版籍不明，重輕無準，鄉寬戶多者僅得更休，鄉狹戶窄者頻年在役。上戶極等昔有歲輸百千至三百千者，今止差為弓手，雇人代役，歲不過用錢三四十千。中下戶舊輸錢不過三二千，而今所雇承符、散從之類，不下三十千。然則今法徒能優便上戶，而三等、四等戶困苦日甚。望詔一二練事臣僚，使與賦臣取差雇二法便於百姓者行之。無牽新書，無執舊說，民以為善，斯善矣。 ”而安世則以責民出錢為非，乞固守差役初議，故以常為罪。

In the fourth year, Right Rectifier Liu Anshi accused Censor-in-Chief Li Chang of seeking to restore hired recruitment out of treacherous intent harmful to governance. Earlier Chang had said: "When the rotational-assignment edict was issued, the people knew they would no longer pay money and once celebrated together. After it had been in force for some time, they began to see that not paying money was itself a harm. Why? The rotational system had been suspended so long that registers were unclear and burdens uneven. Broad townships with many households barely gained rest; narrow townships with few households served year after year. The wealthiest upper households once paid one hundred to three hundred thousand strings yearly; now they are assigned only as bowmen and hire substitutes for no more than thirty or forty thousand strings a year. Middle and lower households once paid only two or three thousand strings, but the warrant-bearers and attendants they must hire now cost at least thirty thousand. Thus the present law only favors the wealthy, while third- and fourth-rank households grow more distressed every day. We ask that one or two experienced officials join revenue officers in adopting whichever of rotation or hiring best serves the people. Do not cling to new texts or old doctrines. If the people find it good, that is enough. Closing quotation mark Anshi, however, condemned any policy that made the people pay money and urged the court to hold firm to the original rotational-assignment plan. He therefore accused Li Chang.

知杭州蘇軾亦言：

Su Shi, prefect of Hangzhou, also said:

“改行差法，則上戶之害皆去。獨有三等人戶，方雇役時，戶歲出錢極不過三四千，而令一役二年，當費七十餘千。休閑不過六年，則是八年之中，昔者徐出三十餘千，而今者並出七十餘千，苦樂可知。

"Switching to rotational assignment removed every burden on upper households. Only third-rank households suffered. Under hired service they paid at most three or four thousand strings a year, but one two-year rotation now costs more than seventy thousand. With no more than six years of rest in eight, they once paid thirty thousand strings gradually but now pay seventy thousand at once. The contrast in hardship is obvious.

朝廷既取六色錢，許用雇役以代中戶，頗除一害，以全二利。今惟狹鄉戶少，役者替閑不及三番，方得用六色錢募人以代州役，此法未允。何者？百姓出錢本為免役，今乃限以番次，不用盡用。留錢在官，其名不正，又所雇者少，未足以紓中戶之勞。

The court took the six categories of funds and allowed hiring to replace middle-household service, removing one harm while preserving two benefits. Now only in narrow townships with few households, when rotation falls short of three cycles, may the six categories of funds recruit replacements for prefectural service. This rule is unsatisfactory. Why? The people paid money to escape service, yet the funds are limited by rotation cycles and not fully spent. Money left in government coffers is unjust in name, and too few hires are made to ease middle-household burdens.

又投名衙前不足元額，而鄉差衙前又當更代，即又別差，更不支錢；若願就長名，則支酬重難盡以給之，仍計日月除其戶役及免助役錢二十千；及州役惟吏人、衙前得皆雇募，此外悉用差法，如休役未及三年，即以助役錢支募，此法尤為未通。自元豐前，不聞天下有闕額衙前者，豈嚐抑勒，直以重難月給可以足用故也。當時奉使如李承之之徒，所至已輒減刻，元祐改法，又行減削，既多不支月給，如何肯就招募？今不循其本，乃欲重困鄉差，全不支錢，而應募之人盡數支給，又放免役錢二千貫，欲以誘脅盡令應募，何如直添重難月給，令招募得行。乞促招闕額長名衙前刻期須足，如合增錢雇募，上之監司，議定即行。

Moreover, enrolled permanent yamen-runners did not fill the original quota, while township-assigned yamen-runners due for rotation were reassigned separately without pay; if willing to enroll permanently, full hazardous-duty pay was granted, with household service and twenty thousand strings of assistance money deducted by the day; for prefectural service only clerks and yamen-runners could be fully recruited; all else used rotation. If rest had not reached three years, assistance funds paid for recruitment—a rule especially incoherent. Before Yuanfeng no circuit reported unfilled yamen-runner quotas. Were men ever coerced? Monthly hazardous-duty pay simply sufficed. Even then commissioners like Li Chengzhi cut pay wherever they went. The Yuanyou reforms cut it again. With monthly wages often unpaid, who would volunteer for recruitment? Instead of addressing the root cause, the court would crush township assignees while paying recruits in full and remitting two thousand strings of exemption money to coerce enrollment. Why not simply raise monthly hazardous-duty pay so recruitment can work? We ask that unfilled permanent yamen-runner posts be filled by a fixed deadline. If higher wages are needed, report to supervisory officials, settle the amount, and implement at once.

役率以二年為一番，向來尚許一戶歇役不及三番，則令雇募，是欲百姓空閑六年。今忽減作二年。幸六色錢足用有餘，正可加添番數，而乃減番添役，農民皆紛然妄謂朝廷移此錢他之。雖雲量留一分備用，若有餘剩數，卻量減下無丁戶及女戶所敷役錢，此乃空言無實。丁口、產稅開收增減，年年不同，如何前知來年應役而預為樁科？若亟行減下，臨期不足，又須增取，吏緣為奸，不可勝防矣。大抵六色錢以免役取，當於雇役乎盡之，然後名正而人服。惟有一事不得不慮：州縣六色錢多少不同，若各隨多少以為之用，則敷錢多處，役戶優閑太久，六色人戶反覺敷錢數多。欲乞今後六色錢常存一年備用之數，而會計歲所當用，以贏餘而通一路，酌人戶貧富、色役多少預行品配，以一路六色錢能融分給，令州縣盡用雇人，以本處色役輕重為先後。如此則錢均而無弊，雇人稍廣，中戶漸蘇，則差役良法可以久行而不變矣。”

Service rotated every two years. Formerly, if a household's rest fell short of three cycles, hiring was permitted—giving the people six years free of duty. Now that rest has suddenly been cut to two years. Since the six categories of funds are ample, rotations should be increased, not reduced while duties increase. Farmers clamor that the court is diverting their money elsewhere. Although a tenth is supposedly held in reserve, any surplus is used to reduce assessments on households without adult males and female-headed households—a promise without substance. Household size, tax assessments, and revenues change every year. How can officials know next year's service burden in advance and pre-allocate funds? If reductions are rushed through, shortfalls at deadline will force new levies—and clerks will exploit the chaos beyond all prevention. The six categories of funds were collected to buy exemption from service and should be spent entirely on hiring labor. Only then is the policy just and the people will accept it. One problem remains: the six categories of funds vary by prefecture and county. If each locality spends only what it collects, wealthy districts enjoy excessive rest while contributors in high-assessment areas feel overcharged. We ask that one year's reserve of the six categories always be kept, with annual needs calculated from surplus pooled across each circuit, apportioned by household wealth and duty weight, so every prefecture and county can hire fully—prioritizing the heaviest local duties first. Thus funds would be fairly distributed without abuse, hiring would expand, middle households would recover, and rotational assignment could endure.

是時，論役法未便者甚眾。五年，再詔中書舍人王岩叟、樞密都承旨韓川、諫議大夫點檢戶曹文字劉安世同看詳利害。戶部請：“河北、河東、陝西鄉差衙前，以投募人所得雇直為則，而減半給之。投名衙前惟差耆長，他投皆免。”

At that time many officials argued that the service law remained unsatisfactory. In the fifth year, the court again ordered Secretariat drafter Wang Yansou, Bureau of Military Affairs duty attendant Han Chuan, and remonstrance grandee Liu Anshi, inspector of household-affairs documents, to review the law's benefits and harms together. The Ministry of Revenue proposed: "For township-assigned yamen-runners in Hebei, Hedong, and Shaanxi, pay half the hire wage received by enrolled recruits. Only village elders among enrolled yamen-runners shall be assigned by rotation; all other enrollees are exempt.

六年，三省援三路投募衙前役例，概行他路。詔：“凡投募人免其戶二等已下色役，鄉差人戶悉用投名人代之，願長投募者聽。 ”又詔：“諸州衙前已許量支雇直、餐錢，慮費廣難支，轉運、提刑司其隨土俗參酌立定優重分數及月給餐錢，用支酬額錢給之，不得過舊法元數。 ”州役之應鄉差者，若一鄉人戶終役皆未及四年，許以助役錢募人為之。總計一州雇直，其助役錢不足用，即於戶狹役煩鄉分先與雇代一役，役竟按籍復差如初。諸州歲計助役錢常留一分外，以雇直對計，或闕或剩，提刑司通一路移用。應差諸縣手力，合一鄉休役皆不及三年者，亦許用助役錢雇募；既終一役，別有閑及三年者，復行差法。諸州縣置差役都鼠尾簿，取民戶稅產、物力高下差取，分五等排定，而疏其色役年月及其更代人姓名於逐戶之下。每遇差役，即按籍自上而下，吏毋得移竄先後。坊場、河渡錢以雇衙前而有寬剩，亦令補助其餘役人。

In the sixth year, the Three Departments extended the Three Circuits' enrolled yamen-runner precedent to all other circuits. An edict declared: "Enrollees are exempt from second-rank and lower household duties; township assignees shall all be replaced by enrollees; long-term enrollment is permitted. Closing quotation mark Another edict stated: "Prefectures already pay measured hire wages and meal allowances to yamen-runners. Fearing excessive cost, transport and judicial investigation commissions shall set preferential rates and monthly meal allowances by local custom, drawing from compensation funds without exceeding original-law amounts. For prefectural duties still assigned by township rotation, if no household in a township had completed four years of service, assistance funds might recruit replacements. If a prefecture's assistance funds could not cover hire wages, narrow townships with heavy burdens might hire one rotation in advance, then resume normal assignment from the register when it ended. Each prefecture's annual assistance funds, beyond the one-tenth reserve, were balanced against hire wages; shortfalls or surpluses were adjusted circuit-wide by the judicial investigation commission. Where county hand-power was assigned by rotation, if every household in a township had rested less than three years, assistance funds might also hire replacements; after one rotation ended, if three years of rest had accumulated, rotational assignment resumed. Every prefecture and county kept a master rotational-assignment register ranking households by tax property and wealth into five grades, recording each duty's years of service and replacements beneath each name. Assignments followed the register from top to bottom; clerks could not alter the order. Surplus market-stand and ferry revenues after hiring yamen-runners were also used to subsidize other service personnel.

三省言：

The Three Departments reported:

“朝廷審定民役，差募兼行，斟酌補除，極為詳備；而州縣不盡用助役錢募人，以補頻役之地。今括具綱目，下之州縣，使恪承之。

"The court has fixed commoners' service duties with rotation and recruitment combined and relief carefully weighed—an extremely detailed system; yet prefectures and counties do not fully use assistance funds to hire men for the most burdened districts. We now compile an outline and send it to every prefecture and county for strict compliance.

其一曰：應差之戶，三等以上許休役四年，四等以下許休役六年。若戶少無與更代，卸役不及應閑年數，即用助役錢募人代役以足之。其二曰：狹鄉之縣役人，除衙前州胥許雇、壯丁直差不雇外，凡州縣役人皆許招募，以就募月日補除應差而閑不及四年、六年之人，使及年數。每縣通計應差、應募役數若干，立定二額：差者訖役，以應差人承之；雇者有闕，別募人充數。二額悉已立定，如戶力應升應降，須俟三年造簿日按籍別定；未應造簿，止憑定額為準。若本等戶少，不充州縣合役之數，即用次等戶之物力及本等七分者為之。其三曰：寬鄉之縣，除已雇衙前、州胥外，餘役皆以序按差。其四曰：官雇弓手，先雇嚐充弓手之人，如不足，以武勇有雇籍者充。他役人願就雇，其選受亦如之。其五曰：壯丁皆按戶版簿名次實輪充役，半年而更。其六曰：一州一路有狹鄉役頻縣分，募錢不足，提刑司以一路助役寬剩錢通融移用；又不足，以坊場、河渡寬剩錢給之。仍通紐一歲應用支酬衙前之類費錢若干，而十分率之，每年於寬剩數內更留二分，以備支酬衙前之類，樁留至五年，通迭一全年寬剩總額，即止不樁；又不足，戶部以別路逐色寬剩錢移用以補足之。其七曰：助錢歲歲樁留一分，每及五分止，或時支用，即隨撥補，使常足五分之數。其八曰：“軍人應差迓送者，本以代有雇錢役人，其沿迓送軍人有費，提刑司計數歸之轉運司。其九曰：重役人應替而願仍就募者，許給雇錢受役。其十曰：役人須有稅產乃得就募。其有蔭應贖及曾犯徒刑，雖願募不雇。若工藝人，須有貲產人二戶任之。雇直雖多，皆不得加於舊法已募之數。其十一曰：陝西鎮戎德順軍、熙州衙前，皆受田於官以當募直，內地戶願如其法應田募者聽之，仍以坊場、河渡補還轉運司合輸租課。”

First: households of the third rank and above may rest four years between duties; fourth rank and below, six years. If households are too few to rotate and rest falls short of the required years, assistance funds shall hire replacements until the quota is met. Second: in narrow townships, except yamen-runners and prefectural clerks who may be hired while strong youths remain on rotation, all other county personnel may be recruited; enrollment dates count toward the four- or six-year rest periods of assigned households. Each county shall fix two quotas for assignments and recruitments: when assignees finish, the next assigned household takes over; if recruited posts fall vacant, new recruits shall fill them. Once both quotas are fixed, rank changes must wait for the triennial register revision; until then the fixed quotas alone govern. If the original rank cannot fill the county quota, the next rank may serve, or households of the original rank at seven-tenths of normal wealth. Third: in broad townships, except hired yamen-runners and prefectural clerks, all other duties rotate in order. Fourth: official bowmen shall first be hired from men who have previously served as bowmen; if insufficient, from registered martial men. Other personnel volunteering for hire are selected by the same rules. Fifth: strong youths rotate in strict register order, changing every half year. Sixth: where narrow townships lack recruitment funds, the judicial investigation commission shall transfer surplus assistance funds circuit-wide; if still insufficient, from surplus market and ferry revenues. Also calculate annual payments for yamen-runners and similar duties; each year retain two-tenths of surplus for five years as a rolling reserve for such payments, then stop further accumulation; if still insufficient, the Ministry of Revenue shall transfer surplus funds from other circuits. Seventh: one-tenth of assistance funds shall be reserved yearly until five-tenths is reached; emergency spending shall be replenished at once to maintain five-tenths. Eighth: "Soldiers assigned to escort duty replaced paid service personnel; escort expenses shall be counted by the judicial investigation commission and charged to the transport commission. Ninth: heavy-duty personnel due for replacement who wish to re-enroll may receive hire wages while serving. Tenth: recruits must hold taxable property. Men with hereditary redemption privileges or penal-servitude convictions shall not be hired even if willing. Artisans require two propertied households as guarantors. Hire wages may not exceed rates under the old law. Eleventh: yamen-runners at Zhenrong Deshun Army and Xi Prefecture in Shaanxi receive government fields in lieu of wages; inland households may follow the same method, with market and ferry revenues repaying the transport commission's rent.

凡縣，歲具色役輕重、鄉分寬狹、凡役雇直有無餘欠，各以其實枚別而上之州。州上監司，監司聚議，連書上戶部。仍別具一路移用及寬剩縣分錢數，致之戶部。

Each county shall annually report to the prefecture the weight of each duty, whether townships are broad or narrow, and whether hire funds showed surplus or deficit. Prefectures report to supervisory officials, who convene and memorialize the Ministry of Revenue jointly. They shall also report circuit-wide transfers and counties with surplus funds to the Ministry of Revenue.

先是，收到官田，嚐令：田已籍於官及見佃人逃亡，悉拘入之，留充雇募衙前。至是，遂參行田募之法。

When confiscated government fields were received, an order once directed that fields registered to the government whose tenants had fled be seized to support recruited yamen-runners. The field-recruitment method was now put into practice.

八年，詔：“耆長、壯丁役期已足，不許連續為之。 ”蓋知其利於賕請，不願更罷故也。民有執父母喪而應在役者，三等以下戶除之，三等以上戶令量納役錢，在戶錢十分止責輸三分，服除日仍舊。

In the eighth year, an edict stated: "Village elders and strong youths whose terms are complete may not serve consecutive terms. Closing quotation mark The court knew they profited from bribes and refused to leave office. Households in mourning for parents who would otherwise serve: third rank and below are exempt; third rank and above pay three-tenths of their assessed service money until mourning ends.

哲宗始親政，三省言役法尚未就緒，帝曰：“第行元豐舊法，而減去寬剩錢，百姓何有不便？ ”範純仁曰：“四方異宜，須因民立法，乃可久也。 ”遂令戶部議之。右司諫朱勃言：“輸錢免役，有過數多敷者；用錢雇役，有立直太重者；役色之內，又有優便而願自投募，不必給雇者。請詳為裁省。 ”中書言：“自行差法十年，民間苦於差擾，前後議者紛紜，更變不一，未有底止。”

When Emperor Zhezong first took personal rule, the Three Departments said the service law was unfinished. The emperor said: "Simply restore the Yuanfeng law and remove surplus collections—how could the people be harmed? Closing quotation mark Fan Chunren said: "Regions differ; law must follow the people—only then can it endure. Closing quotation mark The Ministry of Revenue was ordered to deliberate. Right Bureau remonstrator Zhu Bo said: "Exemption payments sometimes exceed the quota; hired service sometimes sets wages too high; some duties are so light that men volunteer without wages. Please trim these abuses in detail. Closing quotation mark The Secretariat replied: "For ten years under rotational assignment the people have suffered harassment; debate has been endless and changes constant, with no end in sight.

於是詔：“復免役法，凡條約悉用元豐八年見製。鄉差役人，有應募者可以更代，即罷遣之。許借坊場、河渡及封樁錢以為雇直，須有役錢日補足其數。所輸免役錢，自今年七月始。耆戶長、壯丁召雇，不得已保正、保長、保丁充代，其他役色應雇者放此。所敷寬剩錢，不得過一分，昔常過數、今應減下者，先自下五等人戶始。路置提舉官一員，視提刑置司之州為治。如方俗利害不同，事有未盡未便而應更改增損舊法者，畫一條疏，與轉運、提刑司連奏。”

An edict then declared: "Restore the exemption-from-service law under the Yuanfeng eighth-year regulations. Township assignees may be replaced and dismissed when volunteers enroll. Market, ferry, and sealed-reserve funds may be borrowed for hire wages but must be repaid when service revenues arrive. Exemption payments shall begin this seventh month. Village heads, household heads, and strong youths shall be recruited; if necessary, security officers may substitute; other hired duties follow the same rule. Surplus assessments may not exceed one-tenth; reductions shall begin with fifth-rank households and below. Each circuit shall appoint one supervisory official based where the judicial investigation commission sits. Where local conditions require changes to the old law, itemized proposals shall be submitted jointly with transport and judicial investigation commissions.

又詔：用舊法取量添酒錢贏數，給惟法司吏餐錢；不足，則抵當息錢亦許貼用。先嚐以七月起輸，其後又自來年始。土俗差雇不一，姑仍其舊，俟起輸，至五月盡行雇法，凡因差在役者悉罷遣之。舊免役法行，壯丁間有差而不募者，其毋敷役錢如故。凡錢額所敷，取三年雇直實支，而酌一年中數，立為歲額，以均敷取。此外所取寬餘，不得過通額十分之一。免役錢方復未輸，且以助役錢給雇直，不足，雖免役寬剩錢亦許給用。

Another edict: surplus from added wine taxes under the old law shall pay legal-affairs clerks' meal allowances; if insufficient, pawn-interest funds may supplement. Collection was first ordered to begin in the seventh month, then postponed to the following year. Local assignment and hiring customs differ; for now keep existing practice until collection begins, then by the fifth month fully implement hiring and dismiss all assignees. Under the old exemption law some strong youths were assigned rather than recruited and paid no service money, as before. Assessments shall be based on three years' actual hire costs, using the median year as the annual quota. Surplus collected beyond this may not exceed one-tenth of the total quota. Before exemption payments resumed, assistance funds paid hire wages; if insufficient, exemption surplus might also be used.

七月，戶部看詳役法所言：“幕職監當官之官、罷官，依元豐製，悉用雇役人迓送而差定其數，凡元祐溢額所添廂軍皆罷減。其有抑鄉差之人仍舊在役，或改易名字就便應募，悉計其在役月日應得更代者，以次蠲遣之。諸路舊立出等高強戶，力轉高，敷取難勝，應出免役錢百千以上，每累及百千，悉與減免三分。凡人戶匿寄財產、假借戶貫、冒名官戶苟可避免等第科配者，各以違製論；許人陳告，以其半給之。元豐令：在籍宗子及太皇太后、皇后緦麻親得免役。皇太妃宜亦如之。 ”詔皆如請。

In the seventh month the Ministry of Revenue reported: "Staff and supervisory officials on leave shall use hired escorts under Yuanfeng rules at fixed numbers; all Yuanyou garrison additions beyond quota are dismissed. Township assignees still serving, or who changed names to enroll, shall be dismissed in order as their replacement dates arrive. Extra-high strong households whose assessments had grown unbearable shall receive a thirty-percent reduction for every hundred strings of exemption money owed above the first hundred. Those who conceal property, borrow registers, or falsely claim official status to avoid assessment shall be punished for violating regulations; informants shall receive half the confiscated property. The Yuanfeng code exempted registered imperial clansmen and mourning kin of the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress. The Imperial Consort Dowager should receive the same exemption. Closing quotation mark The court approved all requests.

舊戶等簿，如略可憑即用之，若漫滅等第，即雖未及應造之年，亦令改造。戶部舉行元豐條製，以保正長代耆長，甲頭代戶長，承帖人代壯丁。二年，申詔諸路：“役人額數、雇直，並依元豐舊制，仍依已命，寬剩錢不得過一分。常平免役，元豐上用提舉官專領，轉運、提刑司自今毋預其事。”

Old household registers may be used if still reliable; if ranks are illegible, new registers shall be made even before the triennial deadline. The Ministry of Revenue implemented Yuanfeng rules, replacing village elders with security chiefs, household heads with cell heads, and strong youths with warrant-bearers. In the second year an edict to all circuits stated: "Service quotas and hire wages shall follow Yuanfeng regulations, with surplus collections still capped at one-tenth. Ever-Normal Granary and exemption funds, under Yuanfeng managed solely by supervisory officials, shall no longer involve transport or judicial investigation commissions.

舊置重修編敕所看詳中外文字本，以去年所差鄉役未盡善，遂入議曰：“都、副保正比耆長事責已輕，又有承帖人受行文書，即大保長苦無公事。元豐本製，一都之內，役者十人，副正之外，八保各差一大長。今若常輪二大長分催十保稅租、常平錢物，一稅一替，則自不必更輪保丁充甲頭矣。凡都保所雇承帖人，必選家於本保者，而雇直皆從官給，一年一替，則自無浮浪稽留符移之弊。承帖雇直固有舊數，其今所雇保正之直示耆長，保長之直則視戶長；若應此三役不願替代者，自從其願。壯丁元不敷雇直處，聽如其舊。承帖雇錢許以舊寬剩錢通融支募，如土俗有不願就保正長雇役者，許募本土有產稅戶，使為耆長、壯丁以代之。其所雇耆、戶長，已立法不得抑勒矣，若保正、長不願就雇而輒差雇者，從徒二年坐罪。 ”詔皆從之。

The office revising statutory compilations, reviewing domestic regulations, noted that last year's township service assignments were flawed and proposed: "Chief and deputy security chiefs already bear lighter duties than village elders, and warrant-bearers handle documents—leaving great security chiefs with little real work. Under Yuanfeng rules, ten men served each security district: besides the deputy chief, each of eight cells appointed one great cell head. If two great cell heads rotate to collect taxes and Ever-Normal funds from the ten cells, one term per tax cycle, security youths need no longer serve as cell heads. Warrant-bearers must be chosen from the district itself, paid by government wages yearly—eliminating idlers who delay official documents. Warrant-bearers' wages keep their old rates; security chiefs' wages match village elders', and security heads' wages match household heads'; those unwilling to accept these three posts may decline. Strong youths in districts that never paid hire wages may follow old practice. Warrant-bearers' wages may draw on old surplus funds; where locals refuse security chief and head hiring, propertied natives may be recruited as village elders and strong youths instead. Coercion of hired village and household heads is already forbidden; forcibly hiring security chiefs and heads against their will carries two years' penal servitude. Closing quotation mark The court approved all proposals.

三年，左正言孫諤言：“役法之行，在官之數，元豐多，元祐省，雖省未嚐廢事，則多不若省；雇役之直，元豐重，元祐輕，雖輕未嚐不應募，則重不若輕。今役法優下戶使弗輸，而盡取諸上戶，意則美矣，而法未善也。夫先帝建免役之法，而熙寧、元豐有異論，元祐有更變，正惟不能無弊爾。願無以元豐、元祐為間，期至於均平便民而止。則善矣。 ”翰林學士蔡京言：“諤之論多省、輕重，明有抑揚，謂元豐不若元祐明矣。諤於陛下追紹之日，敢為此言，臣竊駭之。免役法復行將及一年，天下吏習而民安之，而諤指以為弊，則所詆者熙寧、元豐也。且元豐，雇法也；元祐，差法也，雇與差不可並行。元祐固嚐兼雇，已紛然無紀矣，而諤欲不間熙、祐，是欲伸元祐之奸，惑天下之聽。 ”詔罷諤正言，黜知廣德軍。

In the third year, left rectifier Sun E said: "Under the service law, Yuanfeng employed more officials and Yuanyou fewer; yet work was never neglected—fewer is better than more; hire wages were higher under Yuanfeng and lower under Yuanyou; yet recruitment never failed—lighter is better than heavier. The present law exempts lower households while taxing upper households entirely—the intent is noble, but the method is flawed. The late emperor established exemption-from-service, debated under Xining and Yuanfeng, and altered under Yuanyou—because no law is without flaws. Do not divide Yuanfeng from Yuanyou; seek only fairness and convenience for the people. That would be best. Closing quotation mark Hanlin academician Cai Jing replied: "Sun E's praise of Yuanyou's lighter, smaller system clearly favors Yuanyou over Yuanfeng. On the day Your Majesty restores the old policies, he dares say this—I am astonished. The exemption law has been restored nearly a year; officials are practiced and the people at peace, yet Sun E calls it flawed—slandering Xining and Yuanfeng. Yuanfeng is the hiring system; Yuanyou is rotational assignment—hiring and rotation cannot coexist. Yuanyou once mixed hiring with rotation into chaos, yet Sun E would blur Xining and Yuanyou—extending Yuanyou's treachery to confuse the realm. Closing quotation mark Sun E was dismissed as rectifier and demoted to prefect of Guangde Army.

後又詔：“諸縣無得以催稅比磨追甲頭、保長，無得以雜事追保正、副。在任官以承帖為名、占破當直者，坐贓論。所管催督租賦，州縣官輒令陪備輸物者，以違製論。”

Another edict forbade counties to summon cell heads and security heads for tax grinding or security chiefs for miscellaneous duties. Incumbent officials who occupy regular posts under the name of warrant-bearers shall be judged for embezzlement. If prefectural officials force them to deliver goods when supervising tax collection, punish under violation of regulations.

是歲，以常平、免役、農田、水利、保甲，類著其法，總為一書，名《常平免役敕令》，頒之天下。詔翰林學士承旨兼詳定役法蔡京依舊詳定重修敕令。侍御史董敦逸言：“京在元祐初知開封府，附司馬光行差法，祥符一縣，數日間差至一千一百人。乞以役法專委戶部。 ”詔令疏析。京奏上，復令敦逸自辨，京無責焉。

That year regulations on Ever-Normal Granary, exemption, farmland, waterworks, and security forces were compiled into the Statutes on Ever-Normal Granary and Exemption from Service and promulgated empire-wide. Cai Jing, Hanlin academician and service-law reviewer, was ordered to revise the statutory compilation. Attending censor Dong Dunyi said: "In early Yuanyou Cai Jing, as Kaifeng prefect, followed Sima Guang's rotational assignment—in Xiangfu County alone eleven hundred men were assigned within days. Entrust the service law solely to the Ministry of Revenue. Closing quotation mark The court ordered a detailed response. Cai Jing responded; Dong Dunyi was ordered to defend himself—Cai Jing was cleared.

元符二年，以蕭世京、張行為郎。二人在元祐中，皆嚐言免役法為是，帝出其疏擢之。既而詔河北東西、淮南運司，府界提點司，如人戶已嚐差充正夫，其免夫錢皆罷催。後又詔：“雖因邊事起差夫丁，須以應差雇實數上之朝廷，未得輒差。其河防並溝河歲合用一十六萬八千餘夫，聽人戶納錢以免。”

In the second year of Yuanfu, Xiao Shijing and Zhang Xing were appointed court gentlemen. Both had once defended the exemption law under Yuanyou; the emperor promoted them citing their memorials. An edict ordered Hebei, Huainan, and metropolitan transport offices to stop collecting corvée exemption money from households once assigned as regular laborers. Another edict stated: "Even when border emergencies levy corvée labor, actual assignment and hiring numbers must be reported to the court—no arbitrary levies. The 168,000 laborers needed annually for river defense and ditch maintenance may be commuted to cash payments.

建中靖國元年，戶部奏：“京西北路鄉書手、雜職、鬥子、所由、庫秤、揀、掏之類，土人願就募，不須給之雇直，他路亦須詳度施行。 ”詔從之。知延安府範純粹言：“比年衙前公盜官錢，事發即逃。乞許輪差上等鄉戶使供衙役。 ”殿中侍御史彭汝霖劾純粹所言有害良法，宜加黜責。詔純粹所乞不行。其後，知襄州俞以襄州總受他州布綱而轉致他州，是衙前重役並在一州，事理不均。臣僚謂輒毀紹聖成法，請重黜。 坐責授散官，安置太平州。

In the first year of Jianzhong Jingguo the Ministry reported: "In the Jingxi North Circuit, locals volunteer as copyists, clerks, runners, and warehouse staff without wages; other circuits should consider the same. Closing quotation mark Approved. Fan Chunzhe, prefect of Yan'an, said: "Yamen-runners have openly embezzled government funds and fled when exposed. Permit rotational assignment of upper-rank township households for yamen service. Closing quotation mark Palace attendant censor Peng Rulin impeached Fan Chunzhe for undermining the good law. Fan Chunzhe's request was denied. Later Yu, prefect of Xiangzhou, noted that Xiangzhou received other prefectures' cloth-transport quotas and forwarded them onward—concentrating all yamen-runner burdens in one prefecture unfairly. Officials accused Yu of destroying Shaosheng law and demanded heavy punishment. Yu was demoted to irregular rank and assigned to Taiping Prefecture.

崇寧元年，尚書省言：“前令大保長催稅而不給雇直，是為差役，非免役也。 ”詔提舉司以元輸雇錢如舊法均給。永興軍路州縣官乞復行差役；湖南、江西提舉司以物賤乞減吏胥雇直，罷給役人雇錢，皆害法意，應改從其舊。詔戶部並遵奉《紹聖常平免役敕令格式》及先降《紹聖簽貼役法》，行之天下。

In the first year of Chongning the Secretariat said: "Making great security heads collect taxes without wages is rotational service, not exemption. Closing quotation mark Supervisory commissions were ordered to distribute hire money as under the old law. Yongxing Circuit officials sought to restore rotational assignment; Hunan and Jiangxi commissions sought lower clerk wages and no service wages because goods were cheap—all contrary to the law and to be reversed. The Ministry of Revenue was ordered to enforce the Shaosheng statutes and annotated service law empire-wide.

二年，臣僚言：“常平之息，歲取二分，則五年有一倍之數；免役剩錢，歲收一分，則十年有一年之備。故紹聖立法，常平息及一倍，免役寬剩及三料，取旨蠲免，以明朝廷取於民者，非以為利也。而集賢殿修撰、知鄧州呂仲甫前為戶部侍郎，輒以狀申都省，乞刪去上條。 ”詔黜仲甫，落職知海州。後又詔：常平司候豐衍有餘日，具此製奏蠲之。

In the second year officials said: "Ever-Normal interest at two-tenths yearly doubles in five years; exemption surplus at one-tenth yearly provides one year's reserve in ten. Shaosheng law therefore remitted Ever-Normal interest at doubling and exemption surplus at three quotas, showing the court did not profit from the people. Closing quotation mark But Lü Zhongfu, formerly vice minister of revenue and now prefect of Dengzhou, memorialized to delete that provision. Closing quotation mark Lü Zhongfu was demoted to prefect of Haizhou. Later, when Ever-Normal funds were abundant, commissions were to memorialize for remission under this rule.

大觀元年，詔：“諸州縣召募吏人，如有非四等以上戶及在州縣五犯杖罪，悉從罷遣，不得再占諸處名役，別募三等以上人充。 ”於是舊胥既盡罷，而弊根未革，老奸巨猾，匿身州縣，舞法擾民，蓋甚前日。其後，又不許上三等人戶投充弓手，所募皆浮浪，無所顧藉，盜賊公行，為害四方。至是，復詔州縣募役依元豐舊法。

In the first year of Daguan an edict stated: "Recruited clerks not of fourth rank or above, or with five prefectural cane convictions, shall be dismissed and never reappointed; recruit third rank and above instead. Closing quotation mark experienced clerks were dismissed, but veteran schemers hid in local government and manipulated the law worse than before. Later upper-three-rank households were barred from bowman service; recruits were drifters without local ties, and banditry spread everywhere. The court then ordered recruitment under Yuanfeng rules again.

政和元年，臣僚言：“元豐中，鞏州歲敷役錢止四百千，今累敷至緡錢近三萬。又元豐八年，命存留寬剩錢毋得過二分，紹聖再加裁定，止許存留一分。此時考詳法意，非取寬剩，遂改名準備錢，而嚴立禁約，若擅增敷歲額及樁留準備過數者，並以違製論。今乞飭提舉常平官檢察，及核究鞏州取贏之因以聞。 ”從之。

In the first year of Zhenghe officials reported: "Gongzhou's service assessment was four hundred thousand under Yuanfeng; it now nears thirty thousand strings. eighth year of Yuanfeng capped surplus at two-tenths; Shaosheng reduced it to one-tenth. The surplus was renamed reserve funds with strict limits: unauthorized increases or excess reserves were punishable. Closing quotation mark Supervisory officials were ordered to investigate Gongzhou's excess assessments. Closing quotation mark Approved.

宣和元年，言者謂：“役錢一事，神宗首防官戶免多，特責半輸。今比戶稱官，州縣募役之類既不可減，雇令官戶所減之數均入下戶，下戶於常賦之外，又代官戶減半之輸，豈不重困？ ”詔：“自今二等以上戶，因直降指揮非泛補官者，輸賦、差科、免役並不得示官戶法減免，已免者改之。進納人自如本法。 ”保長月給雇錢，督催稅賦。比年諸縣或每稅戶一二十家，又差一人充甲頭及催稅人，十日一進，赴官比磨，求取決責，有害良民，詔禁之。七年，詔：“州縣昨因儆察私鑄，令五家為保。城郭亦差坊正、副領受文書，由此追呼陪費，或析居、逃移以避差使。其所置坊正、副可罷。”

In the first year of Xuanhe critics said: "Emperor Shenzong first required official households to pay half service money to prevent excessive exemption. Closing quotation mark Now many claim official status while recruitment cannot be cut; official households' reductions are shifted to lower households, who pay regular tax plus officials' half—doubling their burden. Closing quotation mark Second-rank and above households receiving non-general office by demotion edict shall not claim official reductions; existing reductions are revoked. Tribute contributors follow the original law. Closing quotation mark Security heads receive monthly wages to collect taxes. Some counties assigned one tax collector per ten or twenty households, summoning them every ten days for grinding and punishment—harming good people; forbidden by edict. In the seventh year an edict noted: "Prefectures formed five-household security groups to inspect private coining. Urban ward chiefs received documents, faced summons and expenses, and some divided households or fled to avoid duty. Ward chiefs and deputies may be abolished.

自紹聖復雇役，而建炎初罷之。已而討論其法之不可廢也，參政李固言於高宗曰：“常平法本於漢耿壽昌，豈可以王安石而廢之？ ”且當時招射士無以供庸直，詔官戶役錢勿減半，民戶役錢概增二分。後復減之。兼官舊給庸錢以募戶長，及立保甲，則儲庸錢以助經費。未幾，廢保甲，復戶長，而庸錢不復給，遂為總製窠名焉。

Hired service restored under Shaosheng was abolished at the beginning of Jianyan. Soon officials argued the law could not be abandoned; councilor Li Gu told Emperor Gaozong: "The Ever-Normal system derives from Han Geng Shouchang—how can it be abolished because of Wang Anshi? Closing quotation mark Lacking funds for archers' wages, official households' reductions were suspended and common households' assessments raised twenty percent. Later assessments were reduced again. Concurrent officials once paid corvée money to recruit household heads; under security groups that money was stored for expenses. Security groups were soon abolished and household heads restored, but corvée money was no longer paid—it became a general revenue category.

然役起於物力，物力升降不淆，則役法公。是以紹興以來，講究推割、推排之製：凡百姓典賣產業，稅賦與物力一並推割。至於推排，則因其資產之進退為之升降，三歲而一行之。然當時之弊，或以小民粗有米粟，僅存室廬，凡耕耨刀斧之器，雞豚犬彘之畜，纖微細瑣皆得而籍之。吏視賂之多寡，為物力之低昂。上之人憂之，於是又為之限製，除質庫房廊、停塌店鋪、租牛、賃船等外，不得以豬羊雜色估計，其後並耕牛租牛以免之。若江之東西，以畝頭計稅，亦有不待推排者。

Service arises from assessed wealth; if wealth assessments are accurate, the service law is fair. Since Shaoxing, transfer-cutting and transfer-ranking systems were refined: when property is sold, tax and wealth assessments transfer together. Transfer-ranking adjusts assessments every three years according to changes in assets. Abuses included registering every hoe, axe, chicken, and pig of households with only a little grain and a hut. Clerks set wealth assessments according to bribes received. Authorities imposed limits: pawnshops, warehouses, rented oxen, and chartered boats were excluded, and later plowing and rented oxen too. In the Yangzi delta, tax is calculated by mu and sometimes needs no transfer-ranking.

保正、長之立也，五家相比，五五為保，十大保為都保，有保長，有都、副保正；餘及三保亦置長，五大保亦置都保正，其不及三保、五大保者，或為之附庸，或為之均並，不一也。戶則以物力之高下為役次之久近。

Security chiefs and heads are organized thus: five households form a group, ten groups a district, with cell heads and district chiefs; districts with fewer than three groups or five great groups are merged or attached variably. Households rotate service according to wealth, the wealthy serving less often.

若夫品官之田，則有限製，死亡，子孫減半；蔭盡，差役同編戶。〈（一品五十頃，二品四十五頃，三品四十頃，四品三十五頃，五品三十頃，六品二十五頃，七品二十頃，八品十頃，九品五頃。）〉封贈官子孫差役，亦同編戶。〈（謂父母生前無官，因伯叔或兄弟封贈者。）〉凡非泛及七色補官，不在限田免役之數；其奏薦弟侄子孫，原自非泛、七色而來者，仍同差役。進納、軍功、捕盜、宰執給使、減年補授，轉至升朝官，即為官戶；身亡，子孫並同編戶。太學生及得解及經省試者，雖無限田，許募人充役。

Officials' landholdings are limited; on death descendants' exemption is halved; when hereditary privilege ends, they serve like ordinary households. (First rank fifty qing, second rank forty-five qing, third rank forty qing, fourth rank thirty-five qing, fifth rank thirty qing, sixth rank twenty-five qing, seventh rank twenty qing, eighth rank ten qing, ninth rank five qing.) Descendants of enfeoffed and bestowed officials serve like ordinary households. (Meaning: parents held no office in life, but rank was gained through enfeoffment via uncles or brothers.) All non-general and seven-category supplemental offices fall outside limited-land service exemption; Descendants recommended by memorial who originally entered through non-general or seven-category routes still bear rotational service like common households. Tribute contributors, military merit holders, bandit-catchers, chancellors' attendants, and reduced-year appointees who reach court audience rank become official households; On death, their descendants are treated like ordinary registered households. Imperial University students and examination degree-holders without limited fields may hire substitutes for service.

單丁、女戶及孤幼戶，並免差役。凡無夫無子，則為女戶。女適人，以奩錢置產，仍以夫為戶。其合差保正、長，以家業錢數多寡為限，以限外之數與官、編戶輪差。總首、部將免保正、長差役。文州義士已免之田，不許典賣，老疾身亡，許承襲。

Single-male, female-headed, and orphaned-infant households are exempt from rotational assignment. A household without husband and sons is a female-headed household. When a woman marries, dowry establishes property registered under her husband's household. Security chiefs and heads are assigned by estate size; amounts beyond the limit rotate with official and registered households. Commanders-in-chief and unit officers are exempt from security chief and head duty. Exempt fields of Wenzhou righteous warriors may not be sold; on death they may be inherited.

凡募人充役，並募土著之人，其放停兵及嚐為公人者，並不許募。既有募人，官不得復追正身。募人憑藉官勢，奸害善人，斷罪外，坐募之者。高宗在河朔，親見閭閻之苦，嚐歎知縣不得人，一充役次，即便破家，是以講究役法甚便。

Recruits must be natives; discharged soldiers and former government runners may not be hired. Once substitutes are hired, officials may not summon the liable household in person. If hires abuse official power to harm the innocent, the recruiter is also punished. In Hebei, Emperor Gaozong saw how one bad magistrate and one service rotation could ruin a household, and therefore refined the service law with great care.

乾道五年，處州鬆陽縣倡為義役，眾出田穀，助役戶輪充，自是所在推行。十一年，御史謝諤言：“義役之行，當從民便，其不願者，乃行差役。 ”上然之。朱熹謂義役有未盡善者四事。蓋始倡義役者，惟恐議之未詳，慮之未周，而踵之者不能皆善人，於是其弊日開，其流日甚。或以材智把握，而專義役之利；或以氣力淩駕，而私差役之權。是以虐貧優富，淩寡暴孤。義役之名立，而役戶不得以安其業；雇役之法行，而役戶不得以安其居，信乎所謂未盡善之弊也。淳熙五年，臣僚奏令提舉官歲考屬邑差役當否，以詞訟多寡為殿最；令役戶輪管以提其役，置募人以奉官之行移，則公私便而義役立矣。

In the fifth year of Qiandao, Songyang County in Chuzhou pioneered community service: neighbors pooled grain to support households on rotation, and the practice spread. In the eleventh year, censor Xie E said: "Community service should follow local preference; unwilling households should use rotational assignment." Closing quotation mark The emperor approved. Zhu Xi said community service still had four flaws. The pioneers feared incomplete planning, but successors were not all good men—so abuses spread daily. Some used clever schemes to monopolize community-service benefits; some bullied neighbors and seized control of rotational assignment. They abused the poor, favored the rich, and bullied the weak and solitary. Once community service was named, service households could not live in peace; when hired service ran, they could not settle their homes—truly the flaws Zhu Xi named. In the fifth year of Chunxi, officials proposed annual review of local assignment by litigation volume; service households would rotate management, recruits would handle documents, and community service would work for all.

慶元二年，吏部尚書許及之因淳熙陳居仁所奏，取祖宗免役舊法及紹興十七年以後續降旨符，修為一書，名曰《役法撮要》。五年，書成，左丞相京鏜上之。其法可以悠久，其或未久而輒弊者，人也。

In the second year of Qingyuan, Xu Jizhi compiled ancestral exemption laws and Shaoxing edicts into Essentials of the Service Law. In the fifth year, left chancellor Han Tong presented the completed book. The law could endure; when it failed soon, people were to blame.

振恤水旱、蝗螟、饑疫之災，治世所不能免，然必有以待之，《周官》“以荒政十有二聚萬民”是也。宋之為治，一本於仁厚，凡振貧恤患之意，視前代尤為切至。諸州歲歉，必發常平、惠民諸倉粟，或平價以糶，或貸以種食，或直以振給之，無分於主客戶。不足，則遣使馳傳發省倉，或轉漕粟於他路；或募富民出錢粟，酬以官爵，勸諭官吏，許書曆為課；若舉放以濟貧乏者，秋成，官為理償。又不足，則出內藏或奉宸庫金帛，鬻祠部度僧牒；東南則留發運司歲漕米，或數十萬石，或百萬石濟之。賦租之未入、入未備者，或縱不取，或寡取之，或倚閣以須豐年。寬逋負，休力役，賦入之有支移、折變者省之，應給蠶鹽若和糴及科率追呼不急、妨農者罷之。薄關市之征，鬻牛者免算，運米舟車除沿路力勝錢。利有可與民共者不禁，水鄉則蠲蒲、魚、果、蓏之稅。選官分路巡撫，緩囚係，省刑罰。饑民劫囷窖者，薄其罪；民之流亡者，關津毋責渡錢；道京師者，諸城門振以米，所至舍以官第或寺觀，為淖糜食之，或人日給糧。可歸業者，計日並給遣歸；無可歸者，或賦以閑田，或聽隸軍籍，或募少壯興修工役。老疾幼弱不能存者，聽官司收養。水災州縣具船筏拯民，置之水不到之地，運薪糧給之。因饑疫若厭溺死者，官為埋祭，厭溺死者加賜其家錢粟。京師苦寒，或物價翔踴，置場出米及薪炭，裁其價予民。前後率以為常。蝗為害，又募民撲捕，易以錢粟，蝗子一升至易菽粟三升或五升。詔州郡長吏優恤其民，間遣內侍存問，戒監司俾察官吏之老疾、罷懦不任職者。

Floods, drought, locusts, and epidemics are unavoidable, but a state must prepare; this is the Zhou Offices' twelve famine policies. Song governance rested on benevolence; relief for the poor and afflicted was more earnest than in prior dynasties. In lean years prefectures released Ever-Normal and Beneficial granary grain, sold at fair price, lent seed, or gave direct relief to all households alike. If insufficient, they released provincial stores or transferred grain from other circuits; or recruited wealthy households with rank and merit records; loans to the destitute were repaid by government at harvest. If still insufficient, inner palace funds or monk diplomas were sold; in the southeast, transport grain in hundreds of thousands of shi was held for relief. Uncollected taxes were forborne, reduced, or deferred to fertile years. Overdue debts were relaxed, corvée rested, branch deliveries reduced, and harmful levies halted. Market duties were lightened; ox sales and grain transport were relieved of fees. Shared profits were not forbidden; water districts' taxes on fish, fruit, and reeds were remitted. Officials toured circuits, easing prisoners and reducing punishments. Starving people who raided granaries received lighter sentences; fugitives paid no ferry fees; at the capital, gates gave rice; along the road, lodging, gruel, or daily grain. Those who could return home were sent with daily provisions; others received land, entered the army, or were recruited for public works. The aged, ill, and young unable to survive were taken in by government. Flood districts used boats to rescue people and supply fuel and grain. The government buried victims of famine and drowning and compensated drowned victims' families. When the capital was bitterly cold or prices soared, rice and coal were sold below market price. This became constant practice. Locusts were fought by paying the people for captures; locust eggs were exchanged for grain. Prefects were ordered to care for the people; inner attendants inquired; incompetent officials were inspected.

初，建隆三年，戶部郎中沈義倫使吳越還，言：“揚、泗饑民多死，郡中軍儲尚餘萬斛，宜以貸民。 ”有司沮之曰：“若來歲不稔，誰任其咎？ ”義倫曰：“國家以廩粟濟民，自當召和氣，致豐年，寧憂水旱耶？ ”太祖悅而從之。四年，詔州縣興復義倉，歲收二稅，石別收一斗，貯以備凶歉。平廣南、江南，輒詔振其饑，其勤恤遠人，德意深厚。

In the third year of Jianlong, Shen Yilun returning from Wu-Yue said: "Yang and Si famine victims die in multitudes while military stores hold ten thousand shi—it should be lent to the people." Closing quotation mark Officials objected: "If next year fails, who bears blame?" Yilun said: "Granary relief summons harmony and harvest—why fear drought?" Closing quotation mark Emperor Taizu approved. In the fourth year, prefectures restored charity granaries, collecting one dou per shi of the two taxes for famine reserve. Pacifying Lingnan and Jiangnan, they repeatedly relieved famine—deep kindness to distant peoples.

太宗恭儉仁愛，諄諄勸民務農重穀，毋或妄費。是時惠民所積，不為無備，又置常平倉，乘時增糴，唯恐其不足。真宗繼之，益務行養民之政，於是推廣淳化之製，而常平、惠民倉殆遍天下矣。

Emperor Taizong was frugal and benevolent, urging farming and thrift. Beneficial stores had reserves; Ever-Normal granaries bought grain lest stores run short. Emperor Zhenzong extended Chunhua policy until Ever-Normal and Beneficial granaries covered the realm.

仁宗、英宗一遇災變，則避朝變服，損膳徹樂。恐懼修省，見於顏色；惻怛哀矜，形於詔旨。慶曆初，詔天下復立義倉。嘉祐二年，又詔天下置廣惠倉，使老幼疾貧者皆有所養。累朝相承，其慮於民也既周，其施於民也益厚。而又一時牧守，亦多得人，如張詠之治蜀，歲糶米六萬石，著之皇祐甲令。富弼之移青州，擇公私廬舍十餘萬區，散處流民以廩之，凡活五十餘萬人，募而為兵者又萬餘人，天下傳以為法。知鄆州劉夔發廩振饑，民賴全活者甚眾，盜賊衰止，賜詔褒美。知越州趙抃揭榜於通衢，令民有米增價以糶，於是米商輻湊，越之米價頓減，民無饑死。若是之政，不可悉書，故於先王救荒之法為略具焉。

Emperors Renzong and Yingzong, on disasters, avoided court, changed dress, and reduced meals. Fear and repentance showed on their faces; compassion appeared in edicts. At Qingli's start, charity granaries were restored empire-wide. In the second year of Jiayou, Broad-Benefit granaries were ordered for the aged, young, ill, and poor. Successive courts inherited these policies; care for the people grew ever deeper. Local governors often excelled—Zhang Yong in Shu sold sixty thousand shi yearly, recorded in the Huangyou regulations. Fu Bi in Qingzhou lodged refugees in more than one hundred thousand buildings, saving five hundred thousand people and recruiting ten thousand soldiers—a model for the realm. Liu Qi of Yunzhou opened granaries; many lived; banditry ceased; the court praised him. Zhao Bian in Yuezhou posted notices inviting grain sales; merchants came; prices fell and none starved. Such policies are countless; here is a summary of ancient famine relief.

先是，仁宗在位，哀病者乏方藥，為頒《慶曆善救方》。知雲安軍王端請官為給錢和藥予民，遂行於天下。嚐因京師大疫，命太醫和藥，內出犀角二本，析而視之。其一通天犀，內侍李舜舉請留供帝服禦。帝曰：“吾豈貴異物而賤百姓？ ”竟碎之。又蠲公私僦舍錢十日。令太醫擇善察脈者，即縣官授藥，審處其疾狀予之，無使貧民為庸醫所誤，夭閼其生。天禧中，於京畿近郊佛寺買地，以瘞死之無主者。瘞屍，一棺給錢六百，幼者半之；後不復給，死者暴露於道。嘉祐末，復詔給焉。

Earlier Renzong, pitying the sick without medicine, issued the Qingli Good-Relief Prescriptions. Wang Duan of Yun'an requested government-funded medicine for the people; the practice spread empire-wide. During a capital epidemic, Imperial Physicians compounded medicine; two rhinoceros horns from the inner palace were inspected. One was a heaven-piercing horn; attendant Li Shunju asked to reserve it for the emperor. The emperor said: "How can I value curios above the people?" Closing quotation mark He had it destroyed. Private and public rents were remitted ten days. Skilled physicians gave medicine through county officials so the poor were not harmed by quacks. In Tianxi, land near capital temples was bought to bury unclaimed dead. Burial paid six hundred cash per coffin, half for children; later payment ceased and corpses lay on roads. At Jiayou's end, payment was restored.

京師舊置東、西福田院，以廩老疾孤窮丐者，其後給錢粟者才二十四人。英宗命增置南、北福田院，並東、西各廣官舍，日廩三百人。歲出內藏錢五百萬給其費，後易以泗州施利錢，增為八百萬。又詔：“州縣長吏遇大雨雪，蠲僦舍錢三日，歲毋過九日，著為令。 ”熙寧二年，京師雪寒，詔：“老幼貧疾無依丐者，聽於四福田院額外給錢收養，至春稍暖則止。 ”九年，知太原韓絳言：“在法，諸老疾自十一月一日州給米豆，至次年三月終。河東地寒，乞自十月一日起支，至次年二月終止；如有餘，即至三月終。 ”從之。凡鰥、寡、孤、獨、癃老、疾廢、貧乏不能自存應居養者，以戶絕屋居之；無，則居以官屋，以戶絕財產充其費，不限月。依乞丐法給米豆；不足，則給以常平息錢。崇寧初，蔡京當國，置居養院、安濟坊。給常平米，厚至數倍。差官卒充使令，置火頭，具飲膳，給以衲衣絮被。州縣奉行過當，或具帷帳，雇乳母、女使，糜費無藝，不免率斂，貧者樂而富者擾矣。

The capital's East and West Futian courts fed the destitute; later only twenty-four received grain. Emperor Yingzong added South and North Futian courts, feeding three hundred daily. Five million inner treasury cash yearly later became eight million from Sizhou profits. Edict: prefects remit rent three days in heavy snow, nine days yearly maximum. Xining second year: destitute beyond Futian quota received winter care until spring. Han Jiang of Taiyuan said: by law the old and ill received beans from the eleventh month to the third month. Hedong is colder; disburse from the tenth month to the second month; if surplus remains, until the third month. Closing quotation mark Approved. Destitute widowers, orphans, disabled, and poor without support dwelled in extinct-household properties; if none, in official houses funded by extinct-household property without monthly limit. Rice and beans were given under the beggar law; If insufficient, Ever-Normal interest money was provided. Early in Chongning, Cai Jing established Residency-Care courts and Relief-Dispensing wards. Ever-Normal grain was issued at several times the usual ration. Official soldiers served as staff; cooks were appointed; meals and padded clothing were supplied. Local officials overspent on curtains, nurses, and servants, levying broadly—the poor benefited while the wealthy were harassed.

三年，又置漏澤園。初，神宗詔：“開封府界僧寺旅寄棺柩，貧不能葬，令畿縣各度官不毛地三五頃，聽人安厝，命僧主之。葬及三千人以上，度僧一人，三年與紫衣；有紫衣，與師號，更使領事三年，願復領者聽之。 ”至是，蔡京推廣為園，置籍，瘞人並深三尺，毋令暴露，監司巡曆檢察。安濟坊亦募僧主之，三年醫愈千人，賜紫衣、祠部牒各一道。醫者人給手曆，以書所治痊失人，歲終考其數為殿最。諸城、砦、鎮、市戶及千以上有知監者，依各縣增置居養院、安濟坊、漏澤園。道路遇寒僵仆之人及無衣丐者，許送近便居養院，給錢米救濟。孤貧小兒可教者，令入小學聽讀，其衣襴於常平頭子錢內給造，仍免入齋之用。遺棄小兒，雇人乳養，仍聽宮觀、寺院養為童行。宣和二年，詔：“居養、安濟、漏澤可參考元豐舊法，裁立中製。應居養人日給粳米或粟米一升，錢十文省，十一月至正月加柴炭，五文省，小兒減半。安濟坊錢米依居養法，醫藥如舊制。漏澤園除葬埋依見行條法外，應資給若齋醮等事悉罷。”

In the third year, Leak-Seep burial gardens were established. Earlier Shenzong ordered metropolitan monasteries holding coffins of the poor to receive three to five qing of barren land per county for burial under monastic management. At three thousand burials one monk was ordained; after three years he received a purple robe; with purple robe came a master title and three more years of leadership; renewal was permitted. Closing quotation mark Cai Jing extended this into registered gardens with three-foot burials and supervisory inspection. Relief wards recruited monk managers; healing one thousand patients in three years earned purple robe and a Ministry diploma. Physicians kept registers of cures and failures for annual evaluation. Cities, garrisons, and markets of one thousand households or more added Residency-Care courts, Relief wards, and Leak-Seep gardens. Frozen corpses on roads and unclothed beggars were sent to the nearest Residency-Care court for money and rice. Teachable orphan poor entered elementary school with clothing paid from Ever-Normal funds. Abandoned infants were nursed by hirelings or raised as temple acolytes. In the second year of Xuanhe, Residency-Care, Relief, and Leak-Seep were ordered to follow Yuanfeng precedent at moderate scale. Residents received one sheng of rice and ten cash daily, plus winter fuel; children received half. Relief ward funds followed Residency-Care rules; medicine followed old regulations. Leak-Seep gardens provided burial only; fasting and sacrifice expenses were abolished.

高宗南渡，民之從者如歸市。既為之衣食以振其饑寒，又為之醫藥以救其疾病；其有隕於戈甲、斃於道路者，則給度牒瘞埋之。〈（若丐者育之於居養院；其病也，療之於安濟坊；其死也，葬之於漏澤園，歲以為常。）〉紹興以來，歲有水旱，發常平義倉，或濟或糶或貸，如恐不及。然當艱難之際，兵食方急，儲蓄有限，而振給無窮，復以爵賞誘富人相與補助，亦權宜不得已之策也。

When Emperor Gaozong fled south, refugees followed like shoppers flooding a market. They were clothed, fed, and given medicine; those killed in war or on the road received diplomas for burial. (Beggars were kept in Residency-Care courts; the sick in Relief-Dispensing wards; the dead in Leak-Seep gardens—yearly as constant.) Since Shaoxing, annual floods and droughts opened Ever-Normal and charity granaries for relief, sale, and lending without stint. In hard times military grain was urgent and stores limited; rank rewards inducing wealthy assistance were necessary expedients.

二十八年夏，浙東、西田損於風水。在法，水旱及七分以上者振濟，詔自今及五分處亦振之。二十九年，詔諸處守臣撥常平義倉米二分振糶，臨安府撥樁積之米。三十一年正月，雪寒，民多艱食。詔臨安府並屬縣以常平米減時價之半，振糶十日；臨安府城內外貧乏之家，人給錢二百、米一斗及柴炭錢，並於內藏給之；〈（凡遇寒、遇暑、遇雨、遇火、遇赦及祈禱、即位、生辰、上尊號、生皇太子、晏駕、大祥之類，臨安之民暨三衙諸軍時有振恤，及放商稅、公私房賃。）〉輔郡之民，令諸州以常平錢依臨安府振之。

In the twenty-eighth year, summer wind and flood damaged Zhejiang fields. By law relief applied at seven-tenths crop loss; now five-tenths also qualified. In the twenty-ninth year, local chiefs allocated two-tenths of Ever-Normal and charity grain for relief sale. In the thirty-first year, first month, snow and cold left the people hungry. Lin'an sold Ever-Normal grain at half price for ten days; poor households in Lin'an received two hundred cash, one dou rice, and fuel from the inner treasury; (On cold, heat, rain, fire, amnesties, prayers, enthronements, birthdays, and mourning, Lin'an people and armies received relief and tax and rent remissions.) Auxiliary prefectures followed Lin'an's Ever-Normal relief.

孝宗隆興二年秋，霖雨害稼，出內帑銀四十萬兩，變糴以濟民。乾道六年夏，振浙西被水貧民。七年八月，湖南、江西旱，立賞格以勸積粟之家。〈（無官人：一千五百石補進義校尉，願補不理選艱將仕郎者聽；二千石補進武校尉，進士與免文解一次，四千石補承信郎，進士與補上州文學；五千石補承節郎，進士補迪功郎。文臣：一千石減二年磨勘，選人轉一官；二千石減三年磨勘，選人循一資，各與占射差遣一次；三千石轉一官，選人循兩資，各與占射差遣一次。武臣：一千石減二年磨勘，選人轉一資；二千石減三年磨勘，選人循一資，各與占射差遣一次；三千石轉一官，選人循兩資，各與占射差遣一次。五千石以上，文武臣並取旨優與推恩。）〉九月，臣僚言：“諸路旱傷，請以檢放展閣責之運司，糶給借貸責之常平，覺察妄濫責之提刑，體量措置責之安撫。 ”上諭宰執曰：“轉運司止今檢放，恐他日振濟不肯任責。 ”虞允文奏曰：“轉運司主一路財賦，謂之省計。凡州郡有餘、不足，通融相補，正其責也。 ”淳熙八年，詔：“去歲江、浙、湖北、淮西旱傷處已行振糴，其鰥寡孤獨貧不自存、無錢收糴者，濟以義米。 ”寧宗慶元元年，以兩浙轉運副使沈詵言米價翔踴，凡商販之家盡令出糶，而告藏之令設矣。嘉定十六年，詔於楚州所儲米撥二萬石濟山東、西。

Longxing second year autumn rain ruined crops; forty myriad taels bought grain for relief. Qiandao sixth year summer relieved Zhe West flood victims. Seventh year of Qiandao, eighth month, Hunan and Jiangxi drought—rewards encouraged grain hoarders to sell. (Men without office: 1,500 shi earned Advance Righteousness Corps commander; 2,000 shi earned Advance Martial Corps commander; 4,000 shi Trustworthy Gentleman; 5,000 shi Trustworthy Officer. Civil officials: 1,000 shi reduced merit review two years; 2,000 shi three years; 3,000 shi one rank and two grades with dispatch; similar rewards for selection candidates. Martial officials: parallel rewards at 1,000–3,000 shi; two thousand shi: three-year merit reduction and one grade with dispatch; three thousand shi: one rank and two grades with dispatch. Five thousand shi and above: special grace by imperial order.) Officials proposed dividing drought duties among transport, Ever-Normal, judicial, and pacification commissioners. The emperor feared transport commissioners would inspect but refuse relief responsibility. Yu Yunwen said transport commissioners managed circuit finances called provincial accounts. Balancing surplus and deficit across prefectures was their duty. Chunxi eighth year: drought districts sold relief grain; the destitute without money received charity rice. Qingyuan first year, because prices soared, merchants were ordered to sell out and hoarding was reported. Jiading sixteenth year allocated twenty thousand shi from Chu Prefecture to Shandong.

淳熙八年，浙東提舉朱熹言：“乾道四年民艱食，熹請於府，得常平米六百石振貸，夏受粟於倉，冬則加息計米以償。自後隨年斂散，歉，蠲其息之半；大饑，即盡蠲之。凡十有四年，得息米造倉三間，及以元數六百石還府。見儲米三千一百石，以為社倉，不復收息，每石隻收耗米三升。以故一鄉四五十里間，雖遇凶年，人不闕食。請以是行於倉司。 ”時陸九淵在敕令局，見之歎曰：“社倉幾年矣，有司不復舉行，所以遠方無知者。 ”遂編入《振恤》” 〈（凡借貸者，十家為甲，甲推其人為之首；五十家則擇一通曉者為社首。每年正月，告示社首，下都結甲。其有逃軍及無行之人，與有稅錢衣食不闕者，並不得入甲。其應入甲者，又問其願與不願。願者，開具一家大小口若干，大口一石，小口減半，五歲以下不預請。甲首加請一倍。社首審訂虛實，取人人手書持赴本倉，再審無弊，然後排定。甲首附都簿載某人借若干石，依正簿分兩時給：初當下田時，次當耘耨時。秋成還穀不過八月三十日足，濕惡不實者罰。）〉嘉定末，真德秀帥長沙行之，凶年饑歲，人多賴之。然事久而弊，或移用而無可給，或拘催無異正賦，良法美意，胥此焉失。

Chunxi eighth year, Zhu Xi said: in Qiandao fourth year he lent six hundred shi Ever-Normal grain—summer issue, winter repay with interest. Thereafter yearly cycle; lean years halved interest; great famine remitted all interest. In fourteen years interest built three granaries and returned six hundred shi to the prefecture. Three thousand one hundred shi remained as a community granary charging only three sheng loss per shi. Within forty or fifty li, even bad years brought no hunger. He asked to spread this through granary offices. Lu Jiuyuan in the Statutes Bureau sighed that community granaries were known but not implemented afar. Closing quotation mark It was compiled into the Relief section. (Borrowers formed groups of ten households with elected heads; fifty households chose a literate community head. Each first month the community head organized groups. Deserters, vagabonds, and the well-off could not join. Eligible households were asked whether they wished to join. Willing households listed mouths: adults one shi, children half; under five excluded. Group heads received double. Community heads verified lists at the granary. Grain was issued at planting and hoeing. Repayment was due by the eighth month thirtieth; bad grain was penalized.) At Jiading's end, Zhen Dexiu implemented this in Changsha; many relied on it in famine. Over time funds were diverted or collected like regular tax—the good law was lost.

寶慶三年，監察御史汪剛中言：“豐穰之地，穀賤傷農；凶歉之地，濟糴無策。惟以其所有餘濟其所不足，則饑者不至於貴糴，而農民亦可以得利。乞申嚴遏糴之禁，凡兩浙、江東西、湖南北州縣有米處，並聽販鬻流通；違，許被害者越訴，官按劾，吏決配，庶幾令出惟行，不致文具。 ”從之。端平元年六月，臣僚奏：“建陽、邵武群盜嘯聚，變起於上戶閉糴。若專倚兵威以圖殄滅，固無不可；然振救之政一切不講，餞饉所迫，恐人懷等死之心。附之者日眾。欲望朝廷厲兵選士，湯定已竊發之寇；發粟振饑，懷來未從賊者之心，庶人知避害，賊勢自孤，可一舉而滅矣。此成周荒政散利除盜之說也。 ”八月，以河南州軍新復，令江、淮製置大使司科降米麥一百萬石振濟。淳熙十一年，福建諸郡旱，錫米二十五萬石振糴，一萬石振貧乏細民。

Baoqing third year, Wang Gangzhong said fertile districts' cheap grain harmed farmers; famine districts lacked relief policy. Surplus regions should supply deficient ones so the hungry need not buy dear grain and farmers profit. Hoarding was to be banned; rice districts in the southeast were to trade freely; violators faced impeachment and clerks exile so orders would be enforced. Closing quotation mark Approved. Duanping first year, officials said Jianyang and Shaowu banditry arose from hoarding by wealthy households. Military force alone could suppress them; but without relief, hunger would drive people to despair. Followers grew daily. The court should use troops against active bandits and release grain to win those not yet rebelled—isolating the bandits for one stroke extermination. This was the Zhou policy of dispersing profit to remove bandits. Closing quotation mark Eighth month: one million shi of rice and wheat were allocated for newly recovered Henan. Chunxi eleventh year: Fujian drought received 250,000 shi for relief sale and 10,000 for the poor.

景定元年，臨安府平糴倉舊貯米數十萬石，糶補循環，其後用而不補，所存無幾。有旨令臨安府收糴米四十萬石，用平糴倉錢三百四萬七千八百五十九貫，封樁庫十七界會子一千九十五萬二千一百餘貫，共湊十七界一千四百萬貫，充糴本錢。二年，以都城全仰浙西米斛，誘人入京販糶，賞格比乾道七年加優。

Jingding first year: Lin'an fair-sale granary had once held hundreds of thousands of shi but was depleted without replenishment. Lin'an was ordered to buy 400,000 shi using fair-sale and sealed-reserve funds totaling 14 million strings in notes. Second year: the capital relied on Zhe West rice; merchants were induced to sell in the capital with rewards surpassing Qiandao seventh year.

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