Chapter 9 Section 4 The Official System of the Eastern Han Dynasty

The official system of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) inherited the official system of the Western Han Dynasty and developed.From the point of view of the central government, the system of governing the nine ministers by three centimeters still exists, but the most important thing is the change in the organization of the Shangshu, which was called "Government Returning to Taige" at that time.From the perspective of local officials, the most prominent is the change from the county (country) and county levels to the prefecture, county, and county levels. The basic composition of the Central Officials in the Eastern Han Dynasty was still the Sangong and Jiuqing.However, after the new emperor came to the throne, the Taifu or Taiwei recorded the official affairs and took charge of the government affairs.In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a Taifu, called Shanggong, who was above the Sangong and was responsible for tutoring the emperor.Lushang Shushi began in the Western Han Dynasty, "Lu", according to the note in "History of the Later Han Dynasty Hedi Benji": "The leader of the general", that is, the official is the leader of the Shangshu.Since the real power of the government was transferred to Shangshutai at that time, Taifu Lu Shangshu had a high position and heavy responsibilities.However, the position of Taifu is not permanent.

Below the Shanggong is the Sangong.In the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Da Sima, Da Situ, and Da Sikong were the three princes.In the twenty-seventh year of Jianwu (AD 51), Emperor Guangwu changed Da Sima to Taiwei, and Da Situ and Da Sikong removed the word "big".The three princes are arranged in a row, the Taiwei is in front, Situ, who evolved from the prime minister, is behind, and Sikong, who is evolved from the imperial doctor, is behind.Taiwei is in charge of military affairs, and is divided into three ministers: Taichang, Weiwei, and Guangluxun.Situ is in charge of civil affairs, and is divided into three ministers: Tai Pu, Da Honglu, and Tingwei.Sikong is in charge of major water, soil and urban defense construction projects, and is in charge of Zongzheng, Shaofu, and Sinonong.Each of the three lords has its genus, official history, and Zhu Cao's history, history, and genus.For major state-owned affairs, the three publics discuss together.However, the power of the three princes in the Eastern Han Dynasty was far inferior to that in the Western Han Dynasty. This can be seen not only from the above-mentioned positions, but also reflected in the titles.In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, the position of prime minister was filled by liehou.During the time of Emperor Wu, although the commoner could be the prime minister, after being appointed as a prime minister, he must be appointed as a marquis, so the prime minister is also called a prince.In the Eastern Han Dynasty, since the thirteenth year of Jianwu (AD 37), after the death of Da Situ Houba, he was granted the title of Marquis, and none of the three princes were named Marquis.In fact, Sangong has become a high-ranking official with a false name, and it is the inner court who really has the power to make decisions and supervise the execution of officials.It wasn't until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty that Dong Zhuo abolished Emperor Shao, established Emperor Xian, and appointed himself Prime Minister; in the thirteenth year of Jian'an (AD 208), Cao Cao assumed power, dismissed the three princes and replaced him with prime minister, and the power of prime minister suddenly changed, becoming the actual manipulator of the highest power in the dynasty, the emperor is also under its control.

The Jiuqing and Lieqing in the Eastern Han Dynasty did not change much, but the status of the Shangshu organization was strengthened, so there was a saying at that time that "although the Sangong was established, the affairs belonged to the Taige". "Taige" refers to the office in the palace, that is, the inner court.Emperor Guangwu came to the throne and was diligent in political affairs. He did not hand over real power to the three princes, but only assisted in handling political affairs with the ministers who followed him. As a result, the power and responsibility of the ministers increased day by day, and the original affairs officer evolved into a political officer. Very important office and decision-making body.Shangshutai is headed by Shangshu Ling and Shangshu Pushe, assisted by Zuo and Youcheng, and has six Cao Shangshu.There are Sangong Cao, who are in charge of the affairs of the prefectures and counties in the year-end examinations; Li Cao, who are in charge of the selection of officials and ancestral sacrifices; Min Cao, who are in charge of repairing works, salt ponds, gardens, etc.; Ke Cao, who are in charge of guarding the emperor and the affairs of ethnic minorities. ; Two thousand Shi Cao, in charge of resignation affairs; Zhongdu Guan Cao, in charge of water, fire and thieves.Each Cao has six servants and three Lingshi.Shangshu Ling, Shangshu Pushe, and Liucao Shangshu are collectively called eight seats.Although the emperor also chose the Taifu or Taiwei to record the affairs of the ministers, it was tantamount to directly commanding the Shangshutai himself. Therefore, the return of the government to the Taige actually meant that the imperial power was further strengthened.

The further strengthening of imperial power in the Eastern Han Dynasty was also reflected in the changes in the official system of the supervisory system.Sikong's predecessor was the doctor Yushi, and Sikong in the Eastern Han Dynasty no longer had the responsibility of supervision.The person who presided over the inspection was Yushi Zhongcheng, the chief of Yushitai.Yushi Zhongcheng's subordinate officials have two censors and censors, who are in charge of explaining legal provisions;The second part of Shi Yushi After the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the mother and queen came to the court, and the relatives were in power, they often seized military power to strengthen their own status, so the position of general was particularly important.In particular, most of the generals are relatives, often in the capital, and record ministerial affairs, so they naturally become important members of the central government.The title of the general is the same as that of the Western Han Dynasty.The general is above the Sangong, and together with the Taifu and the Sangong, they are called the Five Houses.General Hussars and Generals Chariots are below San Gong.The front, back, left, and right generals are under Shangqing and are not often set up.For the rest of the generals, they will be set up if there is something to do, and they will be ordered because of the thing.Generals have parts.The Beijing Army of the Western Han Dynasty had eight school lieutenants, which were reduced to five school lieutenants at the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty.At that time, people called the five schools five battalions, that is, the five battalions of Tunqi, Yueqi, Infantry, Changshui, and Shesheng.He also set up the Northern Army to supervise the five schools.The Eastern Han Dynasty was different from the Western Han Dynasty. The Northern Army refers to the army led by the Five Schools.The Eastern Han Dynasty did not see the name of the Southern Army.After the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the name of the Northern Army no longer appeared in the literature.At the time of Emperor Ling, there were also eight captains in Xiyuan (Shangjun, Zhongjun, Xiajun, Dianjun, Zhujun, Zuojun, Youjun, Zuojun) under the direct command of the emperor.Cao Cao was a lieutenant of Dianjun.

The Eastern Han Dynasty was divided into three levels: prefectures, prefectures, and counties. The Gyeonggi area is called the Sili Xiaowei Department.Lead Sanfu, Sanhe (Hedong, Hanoi, Henan), and Hongnong seven counties.Sili Xiaowei is in charge of picketing all the officials in the capital and the nearby counties under his jurisdiction. He is equivalent to the governor of the state, and has a higher status and more prominent power than the governor.Sili Xiaowei often impeached officials such as the Sangong, so he was feared by all officials.During the court meeting, Sili Xiaowei, Shang Shuling, and Yushi Zhongcheng all had special seats, which were called "three independent seats" at that time.In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Luoyang was the capital of the country, so the governor of Henan Province was not called the prefect, but Yin.Sanfu is where the emperor's mausoleum is located. It is still called Jingzhaoyin, Zuofengyi, and Youfufeng. Its status is higher than that of ordinary counties, but it is lower than that of the Western Han Dynasty.

In addition to the Department of Li, there are twelve prefectures, and there are governors in each prefecture.In the Western Han Dynasty, the prefecture was a supervisory area, and the governor (once called Zhou Mu in the late Western Han Dynasty) was an inspector sent by the central government. He had no administrative power and had no fixed office and yamen at the beginning.At the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the governor was still called Zhoumu, but the power to handle county affairs was expanded compared with the Western Han Dynasty.In the eighteenth year of Jianwu (42 A.D.), the state animal husbandry was changed back to the governor.After the mid-term, the governor has the system of leading the army.In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the governor not only had a fixed office, but also had a large number of subordinate officials. In fact, he became the local chief executive above the county.At the time of Emperor Ling, the governor was changed to the governor of the state, and a group of important court officials took up the post. A self-respecting separatist force.

There were 105 counties in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and there were 98 counties besides the seven counties of the Sili Department.Among them, there are 71 counties and 27 kingdoms.The county has a prefect.In the sixth year of Jianwu (AD 30), the county captain was abolished and appointed as the prefect, so the prefect was also called the county general.The county setting is the same as that of the Western Han Dynasty.In order to increase tax revenue, the Eastern Han Dynasty set up salt and iron officials in various places.Where there is a lot of salt in the counties and counties, there are salt officials, who are in charge of salt tax; where there is a lot of iron, there are iron officials, who are in charge of drum casting;The prince is crowned king, the county is the country, and there is a Fu and a minister.Xiangru prefect.He has a long history, and his post is like a county magistrate.The Lieutenant is in charge of policing.Lang Zhongling is in charge of doctors, Lang Zhong and other guard officials.The servant is in charge of the chariot and horse.Those who rule books and pay homage are attendants.The county where Liehou eats is the state of Hou, and Xiangru is appointed as the magistrate of the county.

In order to expand the number of marquises in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the titles of county marquis, township marquis, and pavilion marquis were added, and the titles of Shishi county, township, and pavilion were added.In the later period, most of them were empty seals of Wushiyi.For example, Guan Yu was named Han Shouting Hou.Hanshou was the name of the county in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and its government is located in the northeast of Changde, Hunan today.The Marquis of Shouting of the Han Dynasty is also false.After the lieutenant (retired), if he is favored, he can add an official "special entry" or "invite to the court", and participate in the court council in this name.Foreign relatives in the Eastern Han Dynasty were generally special Jinhous, those who did not add special promotions were Chaohous and Shicihous, and those who were relatives and princesses guarding the ancestral graves in Beijing were called Weiwei princes.

① There are different opinions about the name of Liucao.During the two hundred years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Six Caos must have changed, according to the "Book of Jin Zhiguan Zhi".