Three Departments and Six Ministries

Long ago, leaders in China had many helpers.

These helpers ran the land. They were split into three main groups. One group wrote new rules. One group checked the rules. One group carried out the rules.

There were also six smaller groups. They did many jobs. One group looked after people. One group helped with war. One group worked on roads.

This helped the land run well. It is neat how they worked together.

Long ago, leaders in China used a special system to rule.

This system had Three Departments and Six Ministries. It lasted from the Sui dynasty to the Yuan dynasty. It was also used in places like Korea and Vietnam.

The Three Departments were the top groups. The Central Secretariat wrote new rules. The Chancellery checked the rules and gave advice. The Department of State Affairs carried out the rules.

This department was very large and gave jobs to many people.

Under the Department of State Affairs were the Six Ministries. Each one had a Minister to lead it. The Ministry of Personnel looked after government workers. The Ministry of Revenue collected taxes. The Ministry of Rites handled ceremonies and foreign relations. The Ministry of War managed the military. The Ministry of Justice dealt with laws. The Ministry of Works built roads and canals.

Later, the Ming dynasty changed things. They put the Six Ministries under the control of the emperor.

The Three Departments and Six Ministries was a major way to run a government. It was used in imperial China from the Sui dynasty until the Yuan dynasty. Other places used it too, like Korea and Vietnam. This system helped leaders manage huge lands and many people. It organized how laws were made and how they were used.

The system worked through three main groups called the Three Departments. First, the Central Secretariat drafted new policies and imperial decrees. Next, the Chancellery reviewed these policies and gave advice to the emperor. Finally, the Department of State Affairs carried out the rules. This department was the main executive body. It was very large and gave jobs to many officials.

This way of ruling grew over a very long time. Before this, the Qin and Han dynasties used a different system. The Department of State Affairs started as a small office in the Qin dynasty. During the Han dynasty, Emperor Wu used it to help communicate. Later, the Chancellery was started during the Jin dynasty. It often became the most powerful office in the central government.

Under the Department of State Affairs, there were the Six Ministries. Each ministry had a Minister and two Vice-Ministers. The Ministry of Personnel managed government workers and their rewards. The Ministry of Revenue collected taxes and census data. The Ministry of Rites handled ceremonies and foreign relations. The Ministry of War looked after the military and its equipment. The Ministry of Justice dealt with laws and punishments. Lastly, the Ministry of Works managed building projects like roads and canals.

Many different groups worked alongside these main parts. There were Nine Courts that handled things like imperial sacrifices and the treasury. There were also Three or Five Directorates. These handled important tasks like waterways, palace buildings, and astronomy. The system changed as dynasties rose and fell. The Ming dynasty eventually put the Six Ministries under the emperor's direct control. This shows how much the way of ruling can change over history.

The Three Departments and Six Ministries was the primary administrative structure of imperial China. It served as the central framework for governing from the Sui dynasty (581–618) to the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). This organized system was not limited to China alone. It was also utilized by the Balhae kingdom, the Goryeo kingdom in Korea, and various states in Manchuria and Vietnam. By dividing government duties into specific branches, the system allowed rulers to manage vast territories and complex populations.

The system functioned through a sequence of policy creation, review, and execution. The Three Departments were the top-level administrative structures. First, the Central Secretariat was responsible for drafting imperial decrees and new policies. Next, the Chancellery acted as a reviewing body. It reviewed these policies and provided advice to the emperor. Finally, the Department of State Affairs was responsible for implementing the policies. In some periods, like the late Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty, the Secretariat and Chancellery were loosely joined into a single unit called the Secretariat-Chancellery.

The Department of State Affairs served as the primary executive institution. It held authority over the Six Ministries, the Nine Courts, and the Three Directorates. This department was a massive employer within the imperial government. It was originally based on the Six Chief Stewards of the Qin dynasty. These stewards managed specific needs like wardrobe, food, and writing. During the Han dynasty, the position of the chief steward for writing, known as the shangshu, grew in importance. Emperor Guangwu of Han eventually created the Department of State Affairs with the shangshu as its head.

Under the Department of State Affairs, the Six Ministries acted as direct administrative organs. Each ministry was led by a Minister, or shangshu, and two Vice-Ministers. These ministries were further divided into four bureaus, known as si si. Each bureau was managed by a director and a vice director. The Six Ministries were the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Revenue. These agencies handled the essential daily tasks of the empire.

Each ministry had a very specific and vital role. The Ministry of Personnel managed official appointments, promotions, and rewards. The Ministry of Revenue handled taxes, state revenues, and census data. The Ministry of Rites oversaw state ceremonies, foreign relations, and the imperial examinations. The Ministry of War managed military officers, weapons, and the courier system. The Ministry of Justice dealt with judicial and penal processes. Finally, the Ministry of Works managed construction projects, such as roads and canals, and the manufacturing of government equipment.

Beyond the ministries, the government included the Nine Courts and several Directorates. The Nine Courts handled specialized tasks like imperial sacrifices, the imperial treasury, and the imperial clan. The Directorates, which numbered three or five depending on the era, managed technical services. These included the Directorate of Waterways, the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories, and the Directorate for Palace Buildings. Later dynasties added more specialized groups, such as the Directorate of Education and the Directorate of Astronomy. These groups ensured that even technical aspects of the empire were properly managed.

The history of this system is a story of shifting power between different offices. Before this system, the Qin and Han dynasties used the Three Lords and Nine Ministers structure. During the Jin dynasty, the Chancellery emerged and often became the most powerful office in the government. In the Tang dynasty, the post of Director in the Department of State Affairs was often left vacant. Sometimes, the position was held by the heir apparent. By the Yuan dynasty, authority over the Six Ministries moved to the Central Secretariat.

Eventually, the structure underwent significant changes during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Ming dynasty abolished the Three Departments entirely. However, they kept the Six Ministries and placed them under the direct control of the emperor. The Qing dynasty later added new ministries, which made the traditional term "Six Ministries" obsolete. This administrative evolution shows how imperial governments adapted to maintain control over time. The system's ability to organize complex tasks allowed it to persist across many centuries and different cultures.