The fundamental problem in imperial Chinese history was this: when Confucian ideology proved ineffective in guiding and constraining the imperial will, there was little recourse. There were no constitutional or legal limits on the power or conduct of the emperor and no institutions or offices with legitimate authority to check imperial behavior when it veered far from Confucian ideals. As a consequence, rulers could—and at times did—abuse their power or neglect their responsibilities with impunity.
