In ancient times, civil and military officials would go to the palace every morning to discuss national affairs. But it was too early, and they had to get up at 3 a.m. to get ready, and by 5 a.m. they had to walk to the palace. So, where do these civil and military officials usually live, and where do they go to work after the early dynasty? Let's find out.
1. The distribution of the residences of civil and military officials
As everyone knows, there was an invisible gap between the government and the opposition in ancient times. Although the civil and military officials have a noble status, they are not relatives of the emperor after all, so they naturally cannot live in the Forbidden City with the emperor. However, as the core of the imperial court, they should live nearby so that they can go to the court in time.
Therefore, in the streets and alleys of the capital, there are scattered the residences of these civil and military officials. They either lived in Guanfang in the northwest of the imperial city, or lived in Yamen Lane in the southeast. Some even stayed away from the imperial city and lived in or outside the city. Regardless of whether you are rich or poor, as long as your identity is in accordance with the rules, you can settle down in the capital.
Among them, there are naturally exceptions. That was some of the feudal officials and dignitaries who were allowed to live in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City, just a stone's throw from the Qianqing Palace. Every morning, they only need to crowd out to reach the courtroom, which is really very convenient.
However, the number of these privileged groups is limited. The vast majority of civil and military officials are scattered throughout the capital. Their houses were large or small, depending on their rank. Some of the houses are small and exquisite, while others are extraordinary. But in any case, they are the camping places of the masters in the capital.
For the civil and military officials who were far away from the imperial city, going to the court room every day was a big test. They had to get up and get dressed before dawn, for fear that they would miss the morning by accident. Some people's houses were so far away from the imperial city that they even had to set off at midnight at three watch in order to avoid being punished for being late.
The group walked with lights in hand, hoping to arrive in time before the door opened. Along the way, they occasionally met other officials who were traveling with them, so they walked together to cheer each other on and encourage each other. Sometimes, they would even start discussing the major affairs of the day on the road, so as to answer questions in the courtroom.
Undoubtedly, the hardships along the way were only the first part of a long day for civil and military officials. But because of this, they appreciate the opportunity to live nearby. Once they receive this honor, they will see it as a supreme honor, after all, it means sleeping a little longer and walking a little less.
2. The process of preparing to go to the palace
At the third watch in the early morning, the streets and alleys of the capital are still shrouded in tranquility. However, in the courtyard of the civil and military officials, it was already a lively scene. The servants walked cautiously outside their master's bedroom with lamps in hand, lest they disturb their dreams.
Soon, the silence was shattered by the ringing of a bell. This is a "morning bell" specially designed for civil and military officials, and its sound spreads far away, becoming their call to start a new day. When the bell is heard, some owners quickly get up and start preparing for the day.
First of all, they need a simple freshening up to dispel the night's sleepiness. Some people also burn incense and bathe to wash away the tiredness of their bodies. Next, they need to change their clothes and put on their proper court clothes. Some of the masters were very elaborate in their court attire and needed to be carefully served by their servants.
During this time, the servants were also busy preparing some dry food for their masters. After all, it's a long way to the palace, and it's inevitable that you'll get hungry along the way. Therefore, they will prepare some cooked food, snacks and so on, so that the owners can satisfy their cravings on the way.
When everything is ready, the civil and military officials will pick up the lanterns in their hands and set out on the journey to the palace. Along the way, they have to be extra careful for fear of slipping or tripping if they are not careful. After all, walking on a dark street is dangerous.
What's more, if it's raining or snowing that day, it's even more difficult. The muddy roads are slippery, and the lights are bright and dark from wind and rain, and you can get lost at any moment. In order to avoid this, some owners will even order someone to sprinkle some fine sand on the road to increase the slip resistance of the road surface.
However, no matter what difficulties they encounter, the civil and military officials must grit their teeth and persevere. Because, as soon as they are late, they are punished severely. In some dynasties, late arrivals were denied, and they had to bite the bullet and hope to arrive in time for the door to be opened.
Along the way, there are occasional encounters with other officials who are traveling with you. So, they would greet each other and walk side by side. Sometimes, they would even start a discussion about the day's government in order to answer questions in the courtroom. This kind of scene plays out every morning.
In this way, the civil and military officials trotted all the way and discussed all the way, and finally saw the majestic figure of the palace in the distance. At that moment, all the tiredness seemed to be swept away, and they just wanted to hurry into the court room and start a new day's work.
3. The rules of the early dynasty
In ancient times, there was an invisible gap between the government and the opposition. Although the civil and military officials have a noble status, they cannot exceed the rules. Therefore, the rules of the early dynasty can be described as extremely strict, and the slightest negligence will be severely punished.
First of all, the time of the early dynasty is clearly stipulated. Although the exact time of day may vary from dynasty to dynasty, most of them are concentrated in the time period between 5 and 7 a.m. Once the sun rises, the pilgrimage door is wide open and late officials will not be able to enter.
In some dynasties, the rules were particularly strict, such as during the Zhou Dynasty, civil and military officials had to go to the imperial city every day to greet the emperor and discuss state affairs. In the Han Dynasty, although the frequency was reduced to once every 5 days, there must not be the slightest negligence on the part of the officials on duty.
After entering the courtroom, there are many rules to follow. For example, it is not allowed to go to the toilet in the courtroom, so many officials will choose to come on an empty stomach to avoid embarrassment. Some people will even start discussing the major affairs of the day on the road, so as to answer questions in the courtroom.
If you are late, you will be punished severely. In some dynasties, late arrivals were detained, so the civil and military officials had no choice but to bite the bullet and hope to arrive in time before the door opened.
Even if you arrive on time, you must not show any slackness in the courtroom. They must be dignified and solemn, listen attentively to the emperor's instructions, and answer all kinds of inquiries truthfully. If there is misconduct, they may be reprimanded in public or even dismissed.
Interestingly, different dynasties also had different rules for the earlier dynasties. For example, during the Song Dynasty, the punishment of courtiers was relatively mild, and most of them only had to write a review or think about it behind closed doors at home.
It can be seen that the early dynasty is by no means an easy task. It not only tests the physical strength and perseverance of civil and military officials, but also is an absolute obedience to authority. Only by following these strict rules can they maintain their rightful place between the government and the opposition.
Fourth, the direction of the retreat
After the early dynasty, the day of civil and military officials did not end here. On the contrary, it is just the beginning of a long work schedule. They must immediately go to their respective offices and continue to take care of other affairs.
For some high-ranking ministers, their offices were located in the various yamen of the palace. For example, the household department, the official department, the ritual department, etc., are all located in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City. As a result, these officials are only a few minutes' walk away from where they work.
For other ordinary officials, their offices are scattered throughout the streets of the capital. Some are located in various yamen, while others are in their own homes. Where, though, they have to get there as soon as possible to start the day's work.
Interestingly, in some dynasties, the imperial court would prepare a working meal for civil and military officials, so that they could fill their stomachs before going to work. After all, they've been busy since they woke up early in the morning, and it's inevitable that they'll feel tired and hungry.
After using this simple work meal, the civil and military officials began their own work. Some people need to review and approve official documents, some people need to deal with civil disputes, and some people need to plan some major government activities.
The intensity of the work is absolutely staggering, so much so that many people struggle to catch their breath even in the middle of the day. They can only take advantage of their free time, swallow some snacks or dry food, and continue to work.
Sometimes, before the day's work is over, they need to go to the court room again for some other meeting. For example, in the Ming Dynasty, in addition to the early morning court, there will be two periods in the afternoon: "late court" and "bell queen court".
Civil and military officials must participate in the whole process, otherwise they will be punished. By the time the last meeting was over, it was completely dark. That's when they were able to catch their breath and start packing up for home.
Along the way, the tired figure faded away in the dim light. Some people can't even walk steadily, and can only move forward with the support of their servants. And when they finally arrive home, all they have to do is a dark room and a cold bed.
In this way, the civil and military officials tossed and turned every day and night, almost never stopping. Sometimes, they even continue to work from home to prepare for the next day's trials. This hardship is really unimaginable to ordinary people.