kimerajamm
Joined: 28 Nov 2010
Posts: 785
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 Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:38 am Post subject: Works and Grand |
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The Imperial Counselor transmitted and received imperial edicts to and from the chancellery and also presented officials' memorials to the throne.[50] During Western Han, the Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk's office was located within the walls of the palace.[51] He had the authority to investigate attendants and eunuchs of the palace and to reject improperly written memorials before submission to the Imperial Counselor.[51] The Masters of Writing under the Minister Steward then processed these memorials before they were sent to the throne.[52] The Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk's proximity to the emperor during Eastern Han allowed him to surpass the authority of his nominal superior, the Excellency of Works, yet his Western-Han-era power to inspect local provincial authorities was removed.[53] The Minister Steward—who was supervised by the Imperial Counselor (and later Excellency of Works)—became the Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk's new superior by early Eastern Han.[54] The Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk also managed the Imperial Library in both Western and Eastern Han, this duty being transferred to a subordinate of the Minister of Ceremonies in 159 CE.[55]
[edit] Grand Commandant
Further information: History of the Han Dynasty
The Grand Commandant (also known as the Commander-in-Chief) was the head commander of the military in Western Han, yet his office was irregularly filled (from 205–202 BCE, from 196–195 BCE, from 189–177 BCE, from 154–150 BCE, and in 140 BCE).[56] After 119 BCE, the generals Huo Qubing (d. 117 BCE) and Wei Qing (d. 106 BCE) simultaneously held the title until their deaths, but when the post was revived in 87 BCE it became politicized when conferred as a regent's title for Huo Guang (d. 68 BCE).[57] The regent was thus considered one of the Three Excellencies, although he was not technically part of the cabinet.[57]
A Han painted pottery mounted cavalryman in armor and uniform
The Grand Commandant's office witnessed significant changes during the Eastern Han. Wang Mang separated the regent's role from the Grand Commandant's post during the Xin Dynasty (9–23 CE), since he did not want an active regent for his regime.[58] This was retained by Eastern Han, while the third Grand Commandant of Eastern Han appointed in 51 CE transformed his ministry into a primarily civilian one.[58] Although the Eastern-Han Grand Commandant shared the same salary-rank as the other two Excellencies who were nominally considered his equals, he was nonetheless given de facto privilege as the most senior civil official.[59] However, his censorial jurisdiction now overlapped with the other two Excellencies (i.e. he was able to investigate the same officials in central and local government), who shared an advisory role to the emperor (policy suggestions could be submitted independently or jointly by all three cabinet members).[60] His various bureaus handled appointment, promotion, and demotion of officials, population registers and agriculture, the upkeep of transportation facilities, post offices, and couriers, civil law cases, granary storage, and military affairs.[61] He was also given formal powers to supervise three of the Nine Ministers: the Minister of Ceremonies, Minister of the Household, and Minister of the Guards.[62]
[edit] Excellency over the Masses
The Excellency over the Masses (also known as the Minister over the Masses) shared the same censorial and advisory roles as the other two Excellencies, the Excellency of Works and Grand Commandant.[63] Like his previous counterpart, the Chancellor, he must have been responsible for drawing up the annual budget, although contemporary sources fail to mention this point.[63] Aside from the court conference, the Great Conference of leading officials across the empire was conducted by his ministry.[63] The Chancellor's bureaus were also retained by the Excellency over the Masses, and were nearly identical to that of the new Eastern-Han Grand Commandant's bureaus.[63] He was given formal powers to supervise three of the Nine Ministers: the Minister Coachman, Minister of Justice, and Minister Heraldbusiness cards online
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