票拟制度始于明代，是明代最为重要的政务文书制度，同时它也是内阁的主要权利之一。所谓“票拟”是指明代内阁对内外臣工的奏章草拟出初步的处理意见，并且把这些处理意见写于“票签”之上，然后提供给皇帝阅览，最终由皇帝决定是否采纳内阁拟定的处理意见的制度。明代阁臣票拟权在一定程度上反映的是皇权，票拟制度在明代政治中占据十分重要的地位，“军国大事，悉由票拟”，从这句话概括了票拟制度的重要性。本文以政治权力结构、政治权力运行以及政治制度本身三个角度来分析票拟制度，继而深入探讨明代票拟制度成为定制的原因，并通过论述票拟制度来展现明代独有的“暗相制”中枢辅政体系。[ “暗相制”辅政体系是王义保在《中国古代专制主义政治学分析》一书中提出的概念。参见王义保：《中国古代专制主义政治学分析》，北京：社会科学出版社 2012年版，第126页。]票拟制度是明太祖朱元璋废除宰相制度后，皇权、相权合二为一出现的权利真空产生的制度，票拟是各方政治势力争夺这种权利真空产生的具体形式，内阁的票拟权其本质只不过是皇权的延伸，其本身也不具有法律制度上的保障。因此票拟制度和内阁制度都不可能逃脱皇权控制的樊笼，更不可能使明朝走向所谓的“虚君共和”的道路。票拟制度是明代发展起来的政治制度，其不仅对明朝的政治有着重要的影响，对明之后的清代也有着深远的影响。
The Piaoni system origins from Ming Dynasty, it is the most significant governmental work system and it is also one of the main power of the Cabinet. “Piaoni” means the preliminary opinion drafted by the Cabinet Minister to the memorial to the throne. The Cabinet opinion was written on a piece of “tag”, then submitted to the Emperor, the Emperor decided whether the Cabinet opinion would be adopted or not. The Cabinet’s power of draft partly reflects the Imperial power. Just because “all the military and governmental affairs must be solved by Piaoni”, that “Piaoni” system occupied so important position in Ming Dynasty. The thesis analyzes Piaoni system based on three angles: authority structure, authority operation and political institutions, then discussed the reason why Piaoni became one system, and presents the unique “Hidden Prime Minister”center assist system. Piaoni system was formed at the time of imperial power and Prime Minister’s power unit as one, after Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang abolishing the post of Prime Minister. Piaoni was the specific representation of tussle among forces during the time of vacuum of power. Piaoni for Cabinet was just the extension of imperial power, so it had no security in the legal system. Therefore, neither Piaoni system nor Cabinet system could escape the control of imperial power, and neither of them could make Ming Dynasty become the so-called “constitutional monarchy”. Piaoni system gave strong influence to political institutions in both Ming and Qing Dynasty.
