What were Tang fiefs of maintenance, and why did they give nobles little political power?

During the reign of Emperor Taizong, the Tang dynasty debated whether to adopt a feudal system that would delegate authority to hereditary territorial rulers. Ultimately, Taizong rejected this approach in favor of a centralized government managed through a unified bureaucracy of prefectures and counties.1

While the Tang dynasty maintained a nobility, it implemented "fiefs of maintenance" to prevent the decentralization of power. These fiefs were strictly defined as lands where the revenues were earmarked for the use of the noble, but they granted the holder no territorial authority or administrative jurisdiction over the people living there.1

By separating the receipt of land revenue from the exercise of political and military control, Taizong ensured that the nobility remained dependent on the central state rather than on independent regional power bases. This structure supported the emperor's goal of maintaining a centralized, efficient administration and prevented the aristocracy from establishing the autonomous jurisdictions that had characterized earlier historical periods.1