宋徽宗以靑年之齡入承大統，雖樹「建中靖國」之號，然於熙、豐政事實心嚮往之，故一旦改元「崇寧」,「紹述」之事接踵而至。「紹述」之對象有二：一是熙寧新法，二是元豐新制。爲了繼述元豐制度，大規模之官制改革於焉開展。歷經二十餘載之努力，不僅將已遭變更的元豐制度陸續復原，且將神宗未及更革的制度一一建立，甚而在「紹述」之旗幟下，創立了大量前所未有的制度。這種種改革，將趙宋官制大幅翻新，其於實際政治之影響頗爲深遠。蓋官制改革除予蔡京個人長期壟斷政權之憑藉外，更造成宦官勢張、名器浮濫等現象。是則徽宗朝腐敗政治之形成，官制改革要不失爲一關鍵因素。

In 1100, Huizong succeeded as the 8th Emperor of North Sung Dynasty. As the son of Shenzong, Huizong had a strong motive to complete and restore the Yuan-Fon Institutions, which initiated by his father and changed by some subjects. In order to get more power, Cai King, a ambitious politican, eagerly supported the Emperpor's idea. In 1102, Cai was promoted as prime mini­ster. In the following years, Cai and his followers had introduced a set of institutions which can be classified into four categories: restoration, comple­tion, derivation of the Yuan-Fon Institutions and the innovation. Ironically, most of these institutions are innovation. In fact, the big winner was Cai himself, as the chief designer of institutions, he strengthened his power and monopolized it for a few years. Besides, the eunuchs became more powerful than before. Though some bureaucrats benefited by these reforms, the cost was high. The institution reforms had led to political corruption to some extent.