It is said that during the Qin Dynasty, the country was divided into twelve provinces, each with a censor who received an annual salary of 600 stones of grain. Historical records show that during the Qin Dynasty, there were censors responsible for supervising the various counties. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, this position was abolished, and officials appointed by the Chancellor were responsible for overseeing the provinces without established titles. It was only in the early reign of Emperor Wu of Han that thirteen censors were formally established, each receiving an annual salary of 600 stones of grain. Later, Emperor Cheng of Han changed the title of censor to "shepherd" and increased the annual salary to 2,000 stones of grain. In the 18th year of the Jianwu period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the title of censor was restored, with twelve censors each overseeing a province, except for one province under the jurisdiction of the Colonel of the Registrar. These censors were required to inspect their jurisdictions every August, check the prisoners in the prisons, and assess the performance of the counties. Initially, the censors had to report to the capital every year, but later this was changed to sending a subordinate official instead. Each censor had historians and assistants to assist them. According to historical records, the staffing structure of censors was similar to that of the Colonel of the Registrar, except that they did not have a director of the imperial archives, and the assistant to the censor was renamed the assistant to the magistrate. Yuzhou governed six counties, Jizhou governed nine, Yanzhou governed eight, Xuzhou governed five, Qingzhou governed six, Jingzhou governed seven, Yangzhou governed six, Yizhou governed twelve, Liangzhou governed twelve, Bingzhou governed nine, Youzhou governed eleven, Jiaozhou governed seven, totaling ninety-eight counties. Among them, twenty-seven were kingdoms managed by kings, while the remaining seventy-one were managed by prefects, and a few vassal states were managed by commandants. These vassal states were established by separating counties that were distant from the main administrative centers, and they were smaller in scale and named after the original counties. Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu once consolidated and abolished over four hundred counties in one go, but they were gradually reinstated later.
Let's first talk about ancient administrative management. The highest official in the prefecture was the governor, equivalent to the current mayor, with a salary of 2,000 shi. Below him was a deputy governor, equivalent to a deputy mayor. Each county had a governor, also with a salary of 2,000 shi and a deputy. If the county was on the border, the deputy was referred to as a chief historian, responsible for military affairs. The prime minister, or chancellor, of the kingdom had a similar structure. Each vassal state had a commander, with a salary similar to 2,000 shi, and also a deputy. The books say that the main responsibilities of county and state officials included managing the populace, recommending talent, commending those who had rendered meritorious service, adjudicating cases, and dealing with treacherous individuals. In the spring, they would visit various counties in their jurisdiction to encourage the locals to farm and grow mulberry trees, as well as help the poor. In autumn and winter, they would send reliable officials to handle prisoner cases, make legal judgments, and evaluate the performance of officials at all levels. At the end of the year, they had to report their work to superiors, recommending candidates who are filial and incorrupt, with one recommended for every two hundred thousand people. The commander was responsible for the military, guarding against thieves, and during the reign of Emperor Jing, their title was changed to commander. Emperor Wu also established three commanders of the capital regions, responsible for supervising the entry and exit of passes. Border prefectures also had agricultural commanders responsible for agricultural production, as well as vassal state commanders responsible for managing the tribes that had submitted.
During the sixth year of the Jianwu period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the position of Commandant in each commandery was abolished, which helped eliminate many unnecessary complications. The Commandant of the Passes was also abolished, with only the Commandants and their deputies in border commanderies retained, managing some counties with responsibilities similar to those of commanderies. During the reign of Emperor An, the Qiang people committed offenses, requiring enhanced defense in the Sanfu region, so the positions of Right Fufeng Commandant and Jizhao Huya Commandant were created. Each of these officials had various clerks and record keepers. Historical records indicate that the establishment of these offices was similar to that of the central government, without distinguishing between Eastern and Western offices. There were officials responsible for assessing the achievements of their peers, as well as clerks assisting the officials in their duties. Each commandery had five Supervisors of Departments and a Clerk, with a gatekeeper responsible for guarding the main entrance. There were record keepers responsible for documenting official documents and reminding of deadlines, but no position of an official in charge of issuing orders. Each bureau and government office had assistants responsible for handling documents.
Next, let's talk about the officials at lower levels. In each county, town, or district, a large area had a County Magistrate with a salary of one thousand shi, a medium area had a County Head with four hundred shi, and a small area had a County Head with three hundred shi. The salary of a Chancellor in a marquisate was similar. Historical records indicate that these officials were tasked with managing the populace, recognizing good deeds, preventing wrongdoing, punishing crimes, adjudicating cases, suppressing bandits, caring for the people's livelihoods, and attending to the needs of the people. In autumn and winter, they were expected to evaluate their performance and report their findings to their superiors.
In ancient times, the local officials in charge of the non-Han territories under the jurisdiction of the county were called "Dao," and the officials in charge of the places for the princesses' baths were called "Yi." For counties with a population of more than ten thousand households, a county magistrate was appointed, while for counties with less than ten thousand households, a county chief was appointed. Officials of marquis rank were called "Xiang." These were all systems of the Qin Dynasty. Each county had a Cheng in charge of handling documents, managing warehouses, and prisons; and one or two Wei in charge of capturing thieves. In case of a theft, if the criminal's identity was unknown, the Wei had to investigate the clues, investigate the case, and identify a breakthrough. There were various officials in the county, including a group of five officials known as Ting Yuan in charge of supervising five townships, seasonal officials for advising farmers in spring and summer, and officials responsible for planning systems in autumn and winter.
In the townships, there were Youzhi, Sanlao, and Youjiao. Youzhi was appointed by the county, with a salary of one hundred shi, responsible for managing the people in a township. If the township was small, a Steward was appointed by the county to manage the township affairs. They were responsible for understanding the villagers' moral conduct, organizing the order of corvée labor, understanding the wealth and poverty of the villagers, determining the amount of taxes, and fairly assessing their status. Sanlao was responsible for educating the people, and those who were filial, virtuous, helpful, or exemplary scholars were honored with a monument at their door to encourage good deeds. Youjiao was responsible for patrolling and preventing acts of robbery. There were also township assistants to assist the township head in collecting taxes from the residents.
In the pavilions, there were pavilion heads tasked with preventing theft. The pavilion heads were in charge of capturing thieves and following the orders of the Wei. In the neighborhoods, there were neighborhood leaders, and the residents practiced a system of mutual supervision, reporting good and bad deeds to the authorities. The neighborhood leaders were responsible for managing one hundred households in a neighborhood. A squad leader was appointed for every ten households, and a group leader for every five households to supervise and inspect each other. The residents' good and bad deeds had to be reported to the inspector.
There are border guards stationed in the border areas. The book explains that they are tasked with defending against invasions by the Qiang and Xiongnu tribes. If there are salt, iron, labor, and water officials in the commandery, then officials such as ling, zhang, and cheng may be appointed as needed based on the actual situation. Their ranks are the same as the officials in the counties and prefectures, without a military structure, and their salaries are the same as those of ordinary officials. The book explains that in counties where salt production is higher, salt officials are appointed to collect salt taxes; in areas with more iron production, iron officials are appointed to be responsible for smelting and casting; in areas with developed handicraft industries, labor officials are appointed to collect taxes on the handicraft industry; and in areas with developed water conservancy and abundant fishery resources, water officials are appointed to manage water conservancy and collect fishery taxes. The appointment of these officials is arranged in rotation by the commanderies and counties. The appointment of these officials is determined according to the actual situation and may not necessarily align with the organizational structure in the counties.
There is also one Xiongnu colonel, equivalent to the rank of 2,000 dan. The book explains that this official is responsible for protecting the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu. There are also two assistants, and the number can be adjusted as necessary; other officials can also be modified according to the situation. The appointment of the Qiang colonel and Wuhuan colonel follows the same pattern.
In short, the Qiang colonel oversees the Wuhuan people, and the rank is equivalent to that of a 2,000 dan official. The book explains that this official is mainly responsible for managing the Wuhuan people.
Similarly, the Qiang colonel who oversees the Western Qiang people also holds the same rank as a 2,000 dan official. The book explains that this official is mainly responsible for managing the Western Qiang people.
When the emperor's son is granted the title of prince, the commanderies under his authority are designated as his kingdom, and each kingdom must have a grand tutor and a prime minister, both of whom hold a rank of 2,000 dan. The book explains that the grand tutor guides the prince toward virtuous conduct, serving a role akin to that of a teacher, but without a monarch-subject dynamic; the prime minister's position is equivalent to that of a governor, and the chief historian of the kingdom holds a rank equivalent to that of a county magistrate.
During the early days of the Han Dynasty, it adopted the system of enfeoffing kings to various vassal states, with some of these kingdoms having vast territories extending even up to a thousand miles away. The officials in these kingdoms held titles such as Grand Tutor, Chancellor, and Grand Historian, with a rank of two thousand shi, following a similar system to that of the imperial court. The state was only responsible for appointing Chancellors, while officials below the rank of Grand Historian were appointed by the vassal kings themselves. During the reign of Emperor Jing, the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu rebelled due to their large territories, nearly causing the downfall of the Han Dynasty. After the rebellion was quelled, Emperor Jing learned from this lesson and decreed that vassal kings could no longer directly manage the common people, instead appointing Intendants of Internal Affairs to oversee them. The title of Chancellor was changed to "Prime Minister," and other official positions like Grand Historian, Minister of Justice, Minister of Personnel, and Scholars were abolished. During the reign of Emperor Wu, the names of Han Intendant, Commandant, and Prefect were changed, but the system of the kingdoms remained the same, with the appointment and dismissal of officials decided by the imperial court, and vassal kings were not allowed to appoint officials themselves. By the time of Emperor Cheng, the system of Intendants of Internal Affairs managing the common people was abolished, replaced by Chancellors overseeing them, and the title of Grand Tutor was shortened to "Tutor." In ancient times, there was a Commandant, a position equivalent to a Prefect of a county, primarily responsible for capturing thieves, with a rank equivalent to a two thousand shi official. There was also a Commandant, who had a subordinate servant under him, both holding a rank of one thousand shi. The Commandant was in charge of managing the royal household officials and attendants, overseeing palace security, and held a position similar to that of a Chief Coachman. Officials of the Ministry of Finance also held a similar rank, with the subordinate servant mainly responsible for managing vehicles and drivers, similar to a Chief Coachman. Previously, Chief Coachmen were also two thousand shi officials, but during the reign of Emperor Wu, their title was changed to simply "Coachman," and their rank was lowered. Officials in charge of document administration held a rank of six hundred shi, a title derived from the Records of the Grand Historian. The title of Grandee also held a rank of six hundred shi, with an unspecified number of officials mainly responsible for transmitting royal orders, presenting tributes to the capital, or serving as envoys to other countries, previously requiring a symbol of authority but later dispensed with.
The Yezhe official is a position that pays 400 shi, mainly responsible for managing the hats in the imperial palace. There were originally sixteen people, but this number was later reduced. Officials such as the Master of Rites, Chief of Guards, Chief Physician, Chief of the Eternal Alley, and Chief of Ancestral Sacrifices each manage their own responsibilities, all with a salary of 400 shi. The Langzhong is an official with a salary of 200 shi, and the number of officials in this role varies. The titles Wei Gong and Song Gong were bestowed by the Han Dynasty upon the descendants of the Zhou and Yin Dynasties, ranking above the Three Dukes.
For marquises, their territory is known as their marquisate. This title has its origins in the Qin Dynasty and consists of twenty ranks. The highest rank is Che Hou, awarded to those who have rendered meritorious service, with a golden seal and purple sash. Those with great achievements are granted counties, while those with lesser achievements are granted townships, allowing them to oversee the people and officials within their territories. Later, to avoid using the name of Emperor Wu, they were renamed marquises. In the second year of Emperor Wu's Yuanshuo reign, it was stipulated that princes could divide their land among their sons, and the state would grant them land, leading to the creation of many more marquises. Previous marquises in Chang'an maintained a rank above the Three Dukes. Later, only those granted the title of Tejin held a status higher than that of Military Cavalry Generals; those who received the title of Chaohou ranked above the Five Commanders; those who were awarded the title of Shiji Hou ranked above the Grand Masters. Other marquises, along with the descendants of princesses who tend to their ancestors' tombs in the capital, ranked below the Professors and Court Gentlemen.
Those princes who were granted land were required to accept thatch for their land and sacrifices, and then establish the state altars and soil, as part of the ceremonial rites. Those holding the titles of Lietu, Tejin, and Chaohou were obligated to present jade bi as tribute during the first month of the year.
Each country has a chancellor, whose official rank is the same as a county magistrate in the country. The "Commentary" notes: the chancellor is mainly responsible for governing the people, with a status similar to that of a county magistrate. They are not imperial subjects, but only pay taxes to their lords, with the tax amount determined by the number of households. In the households of the lords, a household steward and a junior son are appointed. The "Commentary" notes: they are mainly responsible for serving the lords and managing household affairs. In the past, there were also couriers, stablemasters, and gatekeepers in the lords' mansions, totaling five official positions. Since the restoration, only lords with a land grant of over a thousand households have a household steward and a junior son appointed; those with less than a thousand households do not have a household steward, and couriers, stablemasters, and gatekeepers have all been abolished.
The Marquis Within the Passes holds one of the nineteen ranks established during the Qin Dynasty, known as the Marquis Within the Passes, without a fief and residing in their respective counties, with the amount of taxes and rents based on the number of households.
The kings of the four non-Han tribes, as well as the vassal kings, allied lords, village lords, and chiefs of villages who have submitted, all have chancellors, with a status similar to that of a prefect or county magistrate.
The salary structure for officials is as follows: the Grand General and the three high officials receive three hundred and fifty hu of salary per month; officials of the rank of Two Thousand Stones receive one hundred and eighty hu monthly; officials of the rank of Two Thousand Stones receive one hundred and twenty hu monthly; officials ranked below Two Thousand Stones receive one hundred hu monthly; officials of the rank of One Thousand Stones receive eighty hu monthly; officials of the rank of Six Hundred Stones receive seventy hu monthly; officials ranked below Six Hundred Stones receive fifty hu monthly; officials of the rank of Four Hundred Stones receive forty-five hu monthly; officials ranked below Four Hundred Stones receive forty hu monthly; officials of the rank of Three Hundred Stones receive forty hu monthly; officials ranked below Three Hundred Stones receive thirty-seven hu monthly; officials of the rank of Two Hundred Stones receive thirty hu monthly; officials ranked below Two Hundred Stones receive twenty-seven hu monthly; officials of the rank of One Hundred Stones receive sixteen hu monthly; officials compensated in bushels receive eleven hu monthly; aide historians receive eight hu monthly. All these salaries are half in money and half in grain.
It is said: The emperor's way is deep and unspoken; high-ranking generals nurture their character. By having a few lead the many, success is achieved through teamwork and division of labor. Without officials or oversight, arrogance and extravagance will not arise. Implementing this master-disciple system is crucial for maintaining the people's peace and the nation’s stability.
