As the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty fully absorbed the lessons of previous dynasties and can be described as the epitome of the feudal system. The mature, perfect and systematic "nine products and eighteen levels" official system is one of the most representative systems. The grades of the Qing Dynasty are similar to today's administrative levels, from "ZhengYipin" to "From Jiupin", corresponding to the current "Zhengguo level" to "deputy stock level".
However, in the interpretation of many film and television works, or in the records of literature and classics, we can often hear the words of "imperial court officials" or "feudal officials".
So, what level of official can be called a "member of the imperial court" or a "feudal official"?
According to the "Qing Barnyard Banknotes and Knight ranks", in the imperial court, "more than four pins, more than three pins of martial arts" can be called "imperial court officials"; at the local level, according to the inspectors, envoys, especially inspectors, governors and other officials can be called "feudal officials".
According to the records of the "Draft History of the Qing Dynasty and the Chronicle of Officials", during the Qing Dynasty, "according to the inspection envoy" was the zheng sanpin, the "cloth envoy" was the conger erpin, and the "overseer" was a prominent official position that ranked high in the first and second pins. That is to say, not only above the imperial court, but even in the local official system, more than four pins are also an important watershed for dividing the ranks of officials.
In other words, for Qing officials, the rise from "four pins" to "three pins" is definitely a crucial gap; naturally, it is also the most difficult obstacle to overcome!
Significant changes in administrative levels
According to the records of the "Qing History Draft and Records of Officials", the most representative "Congsipin" official position during the Qing Dynasty was "prefect", and the administrative level was the level of the main office, which was basically similar to the current secretary of the prefectural-level municipal party committee; the representative official position of the "Zhengsipin" was "Daoist", and the administrative level was slightly higher than that of the main office, which was basically similar to the current secretary of the prefectural party committee.
The representative official position of "Congsan Sanpin" is "salt transport envoy", who is in charge of salt affairs in a province, and the administrative level is slightly lower than that of the deputy minister; the representative official position of "Zheng Sanpin" is "according to the inspection envoy", who is in charge of the criminal name of a province, which is equivalent to the current secretary of the political and legal committee, and the administrative level is the deputy ministerial level.
That is to say, the promotion from "four products" to "three products" not only represents the department-level officials entering the ranks of the ministerial level, but also represents the official entry of municipal leaders into the ranks of provincial leaders. That is to say, the local officials we mentioned above have officially entered the scope of "feudal officials".
The immediate change of the position of chief and deputy
In the "central official positions" of the Qing Dynasty, the difference between "three products" and "four products" is more obvious.
Among the central official positions, the Bachelor of Attendants and The Bachelor of Attendants of the Hanlin Academy and the Bachelor of Cabinet Attendants are the most representative "from the four products" official positions. "Bachelor of Attendants" can be understood as a senior secretary or senior staff officer. The representative official positions of the "Zhengsipin" are more unified, and the "second in command" of the central institutions directly under the central government, such as Dali Temple, Zhan Shifu, Taichang Temple, Taibu Temple, and Hongxu Temple, are almost all "Zhengsipin" official positions.
If the "Bachelor of Attendants" wants to enter the cabinet and become a "Cabinet Bachelor" from the Second Pin, he must enter the central administrative organs such as the "Six Ministries" or the "Three Pins" official position for a period of time. The "number one" of the above-mentioned central administrative organs is almost all "three products" official positions.
That is to say, for the "central official position", the promotion from "four pins" to "three pins" represents a key change from "second in command" to "first in command"; it is also the only way for secretaries and staff officers to enter the power center of the imperial court.
There has been a marked increase in the number of benefits
In addition to the obvious differences in administrative ranks and the positions of chief and deputy officials, the differences in treatment between the "three products" and "four products" officials of the Qing Dynasty were the main reason why this gap was most difficult to cross.
1. Different promotion channels
According to the official regulations of the Qing Dynasty, the appointment and dismissal of officials above the "four pins" of the Qing Dynasty was not in the official department, but was listed by the official department, and the emperor hand-picked or directly granted by the emperor. That is to say, if the "four pins" officials of the Qing Dynasty want to rise, they must have the emperor rather than the officials nodding their approval, and the degree of difficulty can be imagined.
Under normal circumstances, even if Qing Officials were "adjusted every three years", they basically reached the age of retirement when they were successfully promoted to "Four Pins". In this case, it is all the more necessary for the emperor's special favor to be able to give a key promotion. Almost all of The Three Favorite Ministers of Yongzheng, Ertai, Tian Wenjing, and Li Wei, successfully became a feudal official under this special circumstance.
That is to say, as long as it is favored by the emperor and successfully promoted to the "three products", it is equivalent to ushering in a wider career promotion space, and it is impossible to serve as a feudal official or even to be in the palace and enter the military aircraft.
2. The treatment of family members is different
According to the Qing Dynasty's "sealing system", "it is from the three pins, grandmothers, mothers, wives, each given to the lady; from the four pins, the mother, the wife, each given to the Gongren". That is to say, the family titles of "three pin" officials can be extended to the "grandmother" generation; while the "four pin" officials can only be extended to the "mother" generation; the treatment of the seals is obviously different.
3. Different retirement benefits
According to the requirements of the Qing Dynasty's "Zhishi System", only officials with "three products" and above have "original Zhishi" or even "plus title Zhishi" and enjoy the retirement salary treatment of "full and half". Officials below the "three pins", except for the emperor's special will, can generally only retire "without merit and without money".
4. The treatment of posthumous treatment is different
After the death of a Qing Dynasty courtier who wanted to receive the title of "Wen", he must be from the "Hanlin" origin, and only officials above the "Erpin" level could request the posthumous title from the emperor. However, if the "Three Pins" officials have no gross negligence during their lifetime, they will generally be rewarded with a "title" after death, that is, they will be forcibly promoted to the qualification of being able to give them posthumous titles. However, the "four products" officials do not have this special qualification, and even if they are given "additional titles", I am afraid that they will not be able to meet the hard and fast regulations of the "two products".
5. The difference in shading treatment
The so-called "shade" means that "because of the merits of the previous generation, the next generation is given the treatment of enrolling as an official." The "three pins" officials of the Qing Dynasty, according to the custom of "one person in the shade, entrusted with the use of the seven pins", were directly a treatment at the level of the department. Although the officials below the "three products" also have the term "shade", the level of treatment is far behind.
From this point of view, the promotion of Qing officials from "three pins" to "four pins" is not only a key leap in the administrative level; the decisive promotion of "second in command" to "first in command"; but also has a number of special treatment that can only be enjoyed by "imperial court officials" and feudal officials. Such as the sealing of the wife, such as retirement treatment, such as posthumous posthumous posthumous pursuit, which were the most important places for ancient courtiers.
Therefore, the promotion of "three products" to "four products" is the most difficult and most eager for Qing officials to cross a chasm!
References: "Qing History Manuscripts, Chronicles of Officials", "Miscellaneous Records of Xiaoting", "Qing Barnyard Banknotes", "Rules and Regulations of the Qing Dynasty"