一些魏晉南北朝史的專家認為，東晉孝武帝振興皇權的努力到桓玄代晉時出現了中斷，因為桓氏的興起代表了門閥政治的回潮，而皇權的振興到劉裕執政後又重新開始。本文的研究顯示，桓玄興起的初期雖然得到很多門閥士族的支持，這些士族人士也確實希望桓氏能夠重建門閥政治的格局，但由於桓玄有不臣之心，又有志做強勢的帝王，所以他執政以後，並沒有力圖恢復東晉初期那種君弱臣強的政治局面，而是採取了限制和打擊士族的政策。因此，桓玄代晉的主流是振興皇權，而不是門閥政治的迴光返照。桓玄代晉體現了孝武帝和劉裕之間皇權振興的連續性，而不是間斷。

Some experts in the history of the Northern and Southern Dynasties argue that the efforts to strengthen imperial power initiated by Emperor Hsiao Wu of Eastern Chin, were discontinued when Huan Hsuan usurped the throne in A.D. 403 only to begin again when Liu Yü came to power. This article demonstrates, however, that, though in his early years Huan Hsuan did rally support from some of the great families who expected him to restore aristocratic rule, Huan’s actions in fact fell short of meeting the expectations of these families. On the contrary, once in power, Huan tried to restrict the interests of the great families as he wanted to be a strong ruler. Therefore, the nature of Huan’s usurpation was not a return to aristocratic rule but rather a continuation of efforts to strengthen imperial power.

桓玄；東晉；士族；門閥政治；皇權

Huan Hsuan; Eastern Chin; great families; aristocratic government; imperial power