就統治策略而言,布衣上書有兩層政治意涵:一是政治向心力, 允許百姓上書,象徵統治者和百姓直接對話,以利塑造君主愛民親民 的形象,讓人民有直接參與政治的管道,彌補行政官僚體系的不足, 達成安撫收編之效,加強民間對朝廷的凝聚力。另外,也可以透過這 道溝通窗口,瞭解民間基層,發揮政治預警的功能,協助地方政務的 推展,破解官官相護的惡習,消弭官僚體系的腐蝕,可謂穩固統治的 「政治安全瓣」。二是政治衝突性,平民和皇帝直接對話,批評時政帶 有抗議精神與顛覆性格,威脅最高統治者的權威性及神秘感,突顯官 民利益的矛盾,刺激人民對朝廷的不滿。然而,布衣上書的價值端視 朝廷的政治走向,可收編利用者採納嘉獎,危及統治權威者嚴懲不貸。 就統治者利益而言,在宋代印刷術日益發達與資訊流通加快之 下,控制言論資訊的來源及流通確有其必要性,布衣上書存有三個侧 面:一是疏導之功,布衣上書固然對統治者存在著風險性,破壞人君 和大臣的威望形象,但若能藉此探知民情,消弭民間批評聲浪於先, 收編或懲處意見領袖於後,可減少統治的不確定因素。二是鎮懾之效, 布衣上書的言論尺度會隨著政治氣氛的不同而變化,其内容也多半會 自我設限,以免觸犯當朝忌諱。倘有布衣不識大體,也可藉此殺雞儆 猴,群臣自然噤若寒蟬,增加朝廷掌控言論的統治效果。三是掌控民情,在沒有代議政治的宋代,布衣上書是人民參與政治的管道之一, 類似今日的行政救濟或請願活動,為民喉舌,多少有「政治潤滑劑」 的效果,促進上下階層交流的可能,使國家廟堂的政策不致偏離民眾 過遠。
This article studies 58 cases of the people who wrote the petition to the emperor in Sung. It attempts to analyze two effects: cohesive force and conflictive factor. The written petition was a bridge between the people and the emperor, and it also functioned as the safety valve of politics. In fact, some people who wrote the petition to the emperor were the altruists, but others were the egotists. However it would criticize the government’s work, and threaten the emperor’s authority. On the other hand, these cases indicate that emperors would keep control over freedom of speech. The government made use of the written petition to lead people, to suppress people, and to supervise people.