The official system of the Qing Dynasty was divided into "central official posts" and "local official posts", with the "cabinet" as the highest center of power, and the "cabinet" under its jurisdiction of "officials, ceremonies, households, criminals, soldiers, and workers"; the local government was divided into three levels of "provinces, prefectures, and counties", with the governor and inspector as the highest military and political chiefs at the provincial level.
Image of a Qing Dynasty official
Here are a few points to note:
1. Although the "cabinet" during the Qing Dynasty was the nominal highest power center, with the gradual development of the concentration of imperial power, the "cabinet" was basically equivalent to nothingness; "cabinet university scholars" were basically equivalent to virtual officials such as "three dukes" and "three divisions". However, the "six ministries" under the "cabinet" are actually the departments with real power that can directly intervene in government affairs.
2. Although from the perspective of jurisdiction and official rank, the "governor" is higher than the "inspector", but both are directly subordinate to the central government and are directly responsible to the emperor. Therefore, there is no specific subordinate relationship between the two, let alone a superior-subordinate relationship, but can supervise and restrict each other.
According to the Records of the Qing Dynasty, the officials of the "Six Ministries" of the Qing Dynasty were roughly divided into 6 levels. Let's take the "household department" as an example to illustrate:
1. Hubu Shangshu: The highest administrative officer of the Hubu Department, with a rank from Yipin, basically similar to the vice premier who is also the minister of finance today, and the administrative level is slightly lower than that of the zhengguo level;
2. Hubu Shilang: The subordinate official of Hubu Shangshu, that is, the second-in-command of Hubu, is ranked as Zheng Erpin (正二品), which is basically similar to the deputy minister who is also a state councilor today, and the administrative level is vice state level.
3. Hubu Langzhong: There are 14 "divisions" under the Hubu Department that are specifically in charge of the affairs of each province, and the highest chief executive of the "Division" is "Langzhong". Its rank is zhengwu pin, which is basically similar to the director of a certain department of the current ministry, and the administrative level is slightly lower than the level of the main department.
4. Hubu Member Wailang: The subordinate officer in Hubu Lang, that is, the second in command of the "Division", the rank is from wupin, basically similar to the deputy director, and the administrative level is slightly higher than the deputy department level.
5. Head of the Household Department: Divided into the "Hall Chief" directly under the Household Department Yamen and the "Ordinary Chief" subordinate to the "Division", the rank of the six products is basically similar to the director of a department under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance today, but the administrative level is higher than the level of the department.
6. Pen-and-post style: The most basic level of civilian officials in the household department have different grades of seven, eight and nine grades, which are basically similar to the current directors at all levels, but enjoy high-quality treatment.
After understanding the official settings of the Ministries and Commissions of the Qing Dynasty, let's look at the specific level of the "Supervision" of the Qing Dynasty. The Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Zhiguan Zhi, and Foreign Officials contains:
The Governor (正二品) was in charge of governing the army and the people, comprehensively controlling the civil and military forces, inspecting officials, and repairing the feudal territory; the Governor (from Erpin) was in charge of declaring virtue and intention, soothing the People of An, repairing the political punishment, xingge pros and cons, examining the qun officials, and abolishing the governor by edict.
In terms of the specific qualities of the two, "Zheng Erpin" is equivalent to the deputy state level, "governor" is similar to the local bureau secretary who is also a state councilor today; "conger erpin" is equivalent to the main ministerial level, and "inspector" is also similar to the current provincial party secretary.
In the thirty-first year of the Kangxi Dynasty, the imperial court formulated the "Governor-General's Title System", and the "Governor-General" could be added to the "Bingbu Shangshu Title" or the "Right Capital Imperial History Title", which was highly matched to "from Yipin", and the administrative level was upgraded to the Zhengguo level.
In the first year of Yongzheng, the imperial court formulated the "Inspector Plus Rank System", and the "Inspector" could be added to the "Rank of Bingbu Waiter" or "Deputy Imperial Envoy", which was highly qualified to "Zheng Erpin", and the administrative level was upgraded to the deputy state level.
From this point of view, the "Governor-" and "Shangshu" of the Eight Classics of Zheng'er belong to the same level, but the "Shangshu" is after all the deputy prime minister of the Eight Classics of Zheng'er, and the "Governor-General" only enjoys the same level. Therefore, the status of the "Governor" is obviously inferior to that of the "Shangshu".
Then, who is the same "Zheng Erpin" and the vice-level leader who is also a state councilor, "Waiter" and "Inspector", who has a higher status and greater power?
To understand this problem, let's look at a few examples of career promotions of specific people:
1. Yongzheng Dynasty famous courtier - Li Fu
In the TV series "Yongzheng Dynasty", the third son of the emperor, Yin Zhimen, the historical prototype of Li Fu, a famous theorist in the history of the Qing Dynasty, was a model and leader of the readers in the world at that time.
In July of the first year of Yongzheng, Li Fu was appointed as a "soldier's attendant" and reported to the "Inspector directly under the Authority" for the sale of grain; in the second year of Yongzheng, he was promoted to "Inspector of Guangxi".
Li Fu stills
2. Qianlong Dynasty courtiers - Liu Yong
In the forty-second year of Qianlong, Liu Yongshi was appointed as the "Right Attendant of the Household Department" and then the "Right Attendant of the Bureaucracy"; in the forty-fifth year of Qianlong, Liu Yong was promoted to "Inspector of Hunan".
3. Yuan Shikai
In the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu, Yuan Shikai, who was then the "Right Attendant of the Ministry of Works", was promoted to "Inspector of Shandong".
As far as the specific career promotion process of Li Fu, Liu Yong, and Yuan Shikai is concerned, from "waiter" to "inspector" belongs to "promotion". In other words, the status and power of the "inspector" should be higher than that of the "waiter".
Generally speaking, local officials must have the resumes of "envoys" (secretaries of the provincial political and legal committees) and "envoys" (provincial governors) in order to be promoted to "inspectors"; while the central officials are also generally promoted from "right attendants". However, in the "Six Parts", there is also a "Left Shilang" whose status is slightly higher than that of the "Right Shilang", which generally exists as the role of "Alternate Shangshu".
That is to say, although the "Shilang" has a low status and less power than the "Inspector", the "Left Shilang" is generally able to take over the "Shangshu" in order, but he does not look down on the official position of the "Inspector". Therefore, the release of "patrol" is only the next career dream of the "right waiter"!
References: Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Chronicle of Officials, Statutes of the Great Qing Dynasty
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