Why did Taizu place civilian officials in charge of local administration?

Taizu, the founder of the Song dynasty, transferred the administration of prefectures from military to civil officials primarily to strengthen the control of the central government over local authorities and to counter the military threat to the state's integrity.1

During the preceding period of chaos, military leaders often held significant power, which had proven fatal to the stability of the Tang dynasty. By replacing these unruly military figures with civil officials and centralizing fiscal control—such as requiring taxes to be remitted directly to the national treasury—Taizu sought to prevent the rise of local autonomists and ensure the long-term stability of his regime.1