A brief introduction to the changes in the name of the prime minister’s auxiliary system in ancient China

Origin

The prime minister originated in the Spring and Autumn Period. Guan Zhong was the first outstanding prime minister in Chinese history. During the Warring States Period, the position of prime minister was established in various vassal states.

Qin

During the Qin Dynasty, the official title of the prime minister was Prime Minister. Sometimes there are left and right sides, with the left at the top, called "right prime minister" and "left prime minister".

Han

The Han Dynasty was similar to the Qin Dynasty, except that if it were called the Prime Minister, its status would be higher, and the Yushi Dafu would be his deputy. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, a group of Confucian scholars were appointed as prime ministers to handle daily administrative affairs, and the center of government affairs was transferred to the inner court. The powers of the prime minister were gradually transferred to the heads of the Shangshutai. When the Han Dynasty became emperor, He Wu proposed the establishment of the three-centre system on the grounds that it was difficult for the prime minister to handle numerous political affairs alone. So Emperor Cheng changed the name of the imperial censor to Da Sikong, and made Da Sima, Da Sikong and the prime minister the three Dukes. This was a measure aimed at decentralizing the power of the prime minister. The prime minister and censor were divided into three, and the three princes were actually three prime ministers and assistants. Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty changed the prime minister to Da Situ. At the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Da Situ and Da Sikong were changed to Situ and Sikong, and Da Sima was changed to Taiwei. Among the three princes, Taiwei was the most respected. In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, in order to strengthen the power of the monarch, the power was vested in the monarch, and the ministers of the inner court were assisted, and the three princes were only reserve staff. Later, power was transferred to relatives and eunuchs. San Gonghan became an empty title. The three-metric system was implemented until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, the prime minister was reinstated and Cao Cao served as the prime minister.

Three Kingdoms

The prime ministers during the Three Kingdoms period were different in each country. Wei State was called the Prime Minister State, Shu Han continued to use prime ministers, and Wu State also used prime ministers at first, and later established left and right prime ministers. The authority of the prime minister also differs from country to country. The prime ministers of Wei, Zhong Yao and Hua Xin, were in power and did not have military power. Military power was controlled by the Grand Sima. When Sima Zhao was the prime minister of the country, he was granted the title of Duke of Jin and began to take charge of the military power. In the Shu Han Dynasty, only Zhuge Liang served as prime minister and was in charge of military and political power. The prime minister of Wu State also did not hold military power in the beginning. Lu Xun was in charge of military and political power when he was prime minister.

Jin

The Jin Dynasty began to establish provincial affairs. Shangshu Province and Menxia Province were both established by the Jin Dynasty. It began to implement a multi-phase system. Important affairs were divided into three divisions and eight offices, and three provinces under the door** * It was proposed that the prime ministers were no longer limited to the three ministers, and the governors of the three provinces began to have the status of prime ministers. They were both called the ministers and ministers.

Southern and Northern Dynasties

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the prime minister or prime minister mostly appointed himself as a powerful minister, which became a means of usurping the throne. The system of the Southern and Northern Dynasties was ever-changing. The person whom the emperor discussed political affairs with or entrusted with secrets was the prime minister. His official titles were Zhongshujian, Zhongshuling, Shizhong, Shangshuling, Pushe or general. The person with the most honorable position and the greatest power is responsible for recording affairs.

Sui

The Sui Dynasty established a three-province system. The governors of the three provinces, the Nei Shi Ling of Nei Shi Province, the Nayan of Menxia Province, and the Shangshu Ling of Shangshu Province, were all prime ministers.

Tang

In the Tang Dynasty, the governor of Zhongshu Province was Zhongshu Ling. According to the decree of Shangshu, this official will no longer be appointed in the future, and Shangshu Pushe will be appointed as the chief official and will be appointed as the prime minister. After Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, only those who added "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin" and "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi" to Shang Shu Pu She could be prime ministers. Among the hundreds of officials who participate in government affairs, those with additional titles such as ShenYiZhengAi, ShenZhiZhengAi, TongZhiZhengAi, and TongPingzhangZhengAi are also prime ministers.

Five Dynasties

The prime minister system of the Five Dynasties basically followed that of the Tang Dynasty, but it also had many of its own characteristics.

In the Five Dynasties, the prime ministers were basically the ministers of Zhongshu, ministers under the door, ministers of various ministries, ministers and other officials plus Tongping Zhangshi. The only exceptions are the Later Tang Dynasty and the Later Zhou Dynasty.

The Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang Dynasty issued an edict in September of the fourth year of Changxing's reign (933): "Feng Jing has a great career in the country, so he should move to Gongtai. However, because the word Pingzhang offends his father's name, he does not want to reproach his family. As a taboo, Tong Ping Zhang Shi can be changed to Tong Zhongshu Menxia 2pin". During the Xiande period of the later Zhou Dynasty, Wu Tingzuo, the privy envoy, once added the title of "Second Rank of Tongzhong Shumen".

The names of other prime ministers are still "Tongping Zhangshi".

During the Five Dynasties, centralization of power further increased. While the power of the prime minister was usurped by the emperor, he began to intervene in the affairs of various ministries. The prime minister often makes separate decisions, leads envoys, and is in charge of the work of a certain department. Especially for some important ministries, the prime minister almost always takes charge of the work.

Compared with the Tang Dynasty, a major change in the prime minister system during the Five Dynasties was that the grades of the prime ministers were unified, fixed and improved.

In February of the fifth year of Tianfu (940) in the Later Jin Dynasty, "Pingzhangshi under Zhongshu Menxia was promoted to the second rank of Zheng", and at the same time it was stipulated that "the assistant minister under Zhongshu Menxia should be the third rank of Qingwang". From then on, the rank of the prime minister was raised and fixed to the second rank. Once the ministers of Zhongshu and Menxia were added as prime ministers by Tongping Zhangshi, their official ranks were also upgraded from the third rank to the second rank.

The reform of the prime minister system in the Later Jin Dynasty completely changed the chaotic and unreasonable situation of the prime minister's hierarchy since the Tang Dynasty.

Compared with the prime minister system of the Tang Dynasty, the biggest change is that during the Five Dynasties, the system of chief prime minister appeared in the prime minister system and was inherited. During the reign of Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, "Dulu Ge was the Prime Minister during the period, so he was called the first Xianggong", which is considered to be the beginning of the Five Dynasties Prime Minister System documented in history.

Song, Liao, Jin

In the Song Dynasty, Tongping Zhangshi was the official official name of the prime minister, and Shenzhi Zhengshi was his deputy. From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, the emperor's courtesy towards the prime minister gradually degraded. In the Song Dynasty, Taizu abolished the "sitting and discussing" ceremony, which greatly reduced the status of the prime minister.

Yuanfeng reorganized the system and established two prime ministers. The prime minister was called Shangshu Zuopushe and the minister's minister, and the second prime minister was called Shangshu right pusher and the minister of Zhongshu. The other ministers, ministers of Zhongshu, and ministers left and right were appointed as deputy prime ministers. During the Zhenghe period, Zuopushe was renamed as Dazai and his servant, and Youpushe was renamed as Shaozai and his servant. During the reign of Emperor Jianyan, the official name of the prime minister was changed to Shangshu Youpushe Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and the deputy prime minister was appointed to participate in political affairs. The main roads were changed to left and right prime ministers.

After the founding of the Song Dynasty, Taizu continued to strengthen the imperial power, divide and weaken the power of the prime minister. The prime minister is not a formal official title. It is actually a group in the Sui Dynasty and is the highest leadership besides the emperor. In the early Song Dynasty, the "two offices and three departments system" was implemented, and the powers of the prime minister were divided into three parts. Although the central government established three provinces, the three provinces and six ministers were not allowed to manage the affairs of their own departments without special permission, and became sinecures. The actual power belongs to the "Zhongshu Menxia" organization, also known as Zhengshitang, Dutang, etc., which manages national administrative affairs. Tongping Zhangshi is the chief executive, mostly served by the two provincial ministers of Zhongshu and Menxia, ​​with no fixed number. In addition, administrative power is divided by using the deputy prime minister to participate in political affairs. The Privy Council is the highest military institution in the central government, and its chief is the Privy Councilor. Together with the Political Hall, it is known as the "two offices" in the east and west. The "Three Divisions" (Hubu, Yantie, Duzhi) are in charge of finance and are known as the "Province of Planning". Their chiefs are the "Three Divisions", known as the "Foreign Minister", and their status is slightly lower than that of the "Second Government". The second government and the three departments are independent and not subordinate to each other. They are directly responsible to the emperor and constitute the highest auxiliary government agency.

Yuanfeng, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, reorganized the system and abolished the system of two offices and three divisions. Zuo Pushe and You Pushe were appointed as prime ministers. Zuo Pushe also served as the servant of the family, and You Pushe also served as the minister of Zhongshu and the deputy envoy of the Privy Council. Huang Zhongyong, the Prime Minister of the Northern Song Dynasty and Deputy Privy Envoy.

At the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zuo and Youpu She and Tong Ping Zhangshi became the prime ministers. They no longer served as ministers of the two provinces, and the ministers of the two provinces were changed to participate in political affairs. After Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, the prime minister became the left and right prime ministers, and the deputy prime ministers still participated in political affairs. In addition to Zongzong, Ningzong, and Lizong all once established "Pingzhang Military and State Important Affairs" and "Tongpingzhang Military and State Important Affairs", which were held by veteran or powerful ministers to handle military and state affairs and hold high prime ministerships.

The Liao Dynasty established two official systems in the north and the south

North: The north is divided into two privy councils, the north and the south. The north is in charge of military affairs and the south is in charge of internal affairs.

The North and South Privy Councils respectively have the North and South Prime Minister's Offices and the Prime Minister (this is the first time in Chinese history that "Prime Minister" is used as an official official title).

South side: Most of the officials in the south side imitate the Tang system, and there are also officials from three provinces and six ministries, various stations, courtyards, temples, prisons, guards, etc. Their status is as high as that in the north side, but they have no real power. It is a noble institution used by the country to educate scholars.

In the Jin Dynasty, Shangshu Province was the highest administrative agency in the country, and there were no Zhongshu and Menxia provinces. The prime ministers are Shangshu Ling, Zuo Chengxiang, Pingzhang Zhengshi, and Zuo Chengshi.

Yuan Dynasty

In the Yuan Dynasty, Zhongshu Province was the center of government affairs. The chief official, Zhongshu Ling, was often concurrently led by the crown prince, and the next was the prime minister, and the next one was Pingzhang, and the deputies were left and right. The prime minister and the ministers of political affairs are all prime ministers, and there can be up to ten people at most.

Ming

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, there was also the Zhongshu Province, which controlled the prime minister. In the thirteenth year of Hongwu (1380), Zhongshu Sheng was dismissed, the prime minister was deposed, and the emperor personally decided the state affairs. The prime minister system was abolished. The later emperor was overwhelmed by the complexity of the common government and established a cabinet of bachelors to assist in the administration of documents. The positions in the back cabinet became more and more important, and the bachelor became the de facto prime minister, called the assistant minister, and the one in the first position was the chief assistant.

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty followed the Ming system and established a cabinet of bachelors. During the Yongzheng period, a military aircraft department was set up. The cabinet became an idle minister, and the military aircraft minister became the de facto prime minister. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was customary to call those who were granted great scholarship the title of Prime Minister, but they did not have the official title of Prime Minister.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the New Deal was implemented, imitating the Japanese system and establishing the prime minister as the head of the administrative agency.

Of all the official positions, the prime minister has the most changes. This is because the monarch not only needs the help of the prime minister to handle political affairs, but also worries that the prime minister's power will be too heavy and endanger his own power.