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卷六十八 志第四十四 輿服四

Volume 68 Treatises 44: Carriages and Clothing 4

Chapter 68 of 明史 · History of Ming
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Chapter 68
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1
Imperial seals; the empress's investiture register and seal; registers and seals for imperial consorts from Imperial Noble Consort downward; the crown prince's register and seal; the crown princess's register and seal; registers and seals for princes of the blood from full prince downward; iron tallies; official seals; tally plaques and tallies; regulations for palaces; regulations for commoners' houses and utensils
2
In early Ming there were seventeen imperial seals. The principal ones were titled "Seal Received from Heaven by the Emperor," "Seal of the Emperor," "Traveling Seal of the Emperor," "Trust Seal of the Emperor," "Seal of the Son of Heaven," "Traveling Seal of the Son of Heaven," "Trust Seal of the Son of Heaven," "Seal for Proclamations and Edicts," "Seal for Commands," "Seal of Broad Fortune," "Seal of the Emperor Honoring Kin," "Seal of the Emperor Cherishing Kin," and "Seal of Revering Heaven and Diligently Serving the People." There were also the "Seal Before the Throne" and the "Seal for Memorials and Classics and Histories." It also included the "Seal of Imperial Writings." Cinnabar tallies were dispatched to verify credentials throughout the realm. In Hongwu 1 (1368), as the court prepared to cast imperial seals, a foreign merchant who had come by sea presented a piece of fine jade, saying, "This stone came from Khotan and has been handed down in my family; it is fit to become the emperor's imperial seal." The emperor ordered it fashioned into a seal, but which of the seventeen seals was made from this jade is not recorded. The Chengzu Emperor also had cast the "Seal of the Emperor Cherishing Kin," the "Seal Received from Heaven by the Emperor," the "Seal for Proclamations," and the "Seal for Commands."
3
西 !
In Hongzhi 13 (1500), a Hu County commoner named Mao Zhixue found a jade seal on the bank of the Ni River inscribed, "Having received the mandate from Heaven, long life and eternal prosperity." The stone was white with a faint bluish tint, and the knob was carved as a hornless dragon. The Shaanxi grand coordinator Xiong Chong believed the Qin imperial seal had reappeared and dispatched envoys to present it to the throne. Minister of Rites Fu Han said, "Since the time of the Qin seal, historical records have fully documented how each dynasty gained or lost it and how authenticity was judged. The seal now presented does not match the fish-and-bird seal script reproduced in works such as the Record of Retiring to the Fields, and its hornless-dragon knob does not accord with historical accounts of a patterned disk with five dragons, a hornless dragon missing one horn, and Wei-era inscriptions carved at the side. The Qin seal has been lost for ages; what is now presented, like the seals obtained in Song and Yuan times, is probably a later imitation carved in the manner of the Qin seal. In my humble view, seals exist to authenticate documents and prevent forgery, not to be treasured as curios. Ever since Qin Shihuang took Lantian jade for his seal and later dynasties passed it down, men have schemed and fought over it, believing possession of the stone alone conferred the mandate—forgetting that the mandate rests on virtue, not on a seal. When they could not obtain the genuine seal, they forged one to deceive the world; when they did obtain one, ruler and ministers rejoiced and paraded it before the realm. All of this has been a laughingstock across the ages. Our August Founder fashioned seals for his own dynasty, each inscription bearing its own meaning and applied as occasion required—truly sufficient as the token of a dynasty's mandate and as a model for ten thousand generations. Why should we rely on this seal!" The emperor accepted his advice and declined to use the seal.
4
In Jiajing 18 (1539), seven new seals were cast: the "Seal of the Great Ming Son of Heaven Who Receives the Mandate from Heaven and Carries Its Fortune," the "Seal of the Great Ming Receiving the Mandate," the "Seal for Touring the Realm," the "Seal of Handing Down Instruction," the "Seal of Mandating Virtue," the "Seal for Punishing Crime and Pacifying the People," and the "Seal for Correcting the Myriad People." Together with the early Ming seals, there were twenty-four imperial seals in all, entrusted to the officials of the Imperial Seals Office.
5
輿
For the empress's investiture register, two gold leaves were used, measuring by the Zhou foot one foot two inches long, five inches wide, and two and a half fen thick. The text was divided into lines according to character count and engraved in regular script. Holes at top and bottom were joined with red cord so the leaves opened and closed like a book case, resting on a red brocade mat. The register case was wooden, ornamented with coiled dragons in full gold powder and lined with red pongee silk; inside, a small gold-brocaded red gauze wrapper held the register, and outside, a gold-brocaded red gauze double wrapper bound it, wound about with small cords of five colors. The seal was of gold with a tortoise knob, inscribed in seal script "Seal of the Empress," and by the Zhou foot measured five inches nine fen square and one inch seven fen thick. The seal tray was of gold, sized to receive the seal. There were two sets of seal caskets, one for the seal and one for the seal tray. Each set had three layers: the outer casket was wooden, ornamented with coiled dragons in full gold powder and lined with red pongee silk; the middle casket was of gold-inlaid coiled dragons; the inner small casket matched the outer in ornament; inside stood a seal pedestal with coiled dragons carved at the four corners and finished in full gold. A brocade mat lay on the stand; the seal was wrapped in a small gold-brocaded red gauze double wrapper, and each casket was covered outside with a large gold-brocaded red gauze double wrapper. On the day of investiture, register and seal were placed together on a red-lacquered carrying table with a red gauze valance at the top, borne on a carrying bed.
6
From Imperial Noble Consort downward, investiture included a register but no seal, only an official stamp. A consort's register used two gilt-silver leaves of the same dimensions as the empress's register. The register case was ornamented with coiled phoenixes in full gold powder. The stamp was of gold with a tortoise knob, the same size as a prince's seal, inscribed "Stamp of the Imperial Consort." The casket was ornamented with coiled phoenixes. In Xuande 1 (1426), finding Imperial Consort Sun possessed both grace and virtue, the emperor specially petitioned the empress dowager to have a gold seal cast and bestowed on her; before long she bore the imperial heir. Thereafter the bestowal of a seal upon an imperial consort became established precedent. In Jiajing 10 (1531), when the nine secondary consort ranks were established, silver registers were used, one-fifth smaller than the imperial consort's and ornamented with gold.
7
For the crown prince's register and seal, two gold leaves formed the register; its form and the ornament of case and casket matched the empress's register. The seal was of gold with a tortoise knob, inscribed in seal script "Seal of the Crown Prince." Its form and the ornament of tray and casket matched the empress's seal.
8
For the crown princess's register and seal, the register was of gold in two leaves weighing one hundred taels; each leaf measured one foot two inches high and five inches wide. The register rested on brocade, was bound with red silk cord, padded with a brocade mat, and wrapped in a gold-brocaded red gauze wrapper. Its case was ornamented with cloud-and-phoenix designs in full gold powder; inside were floral silver hinges and gold-wire-inlaid iron locks; outside, a gold-brocaded red gauze wrapper covered it. The specifications of its gold seal are not recorded in detail. In Hongwu 28 (1395) the regulations were revised so that only a gold register was conferred and no seal was used.
9
For princes of the blood, the register followed the crown prince's form. The seal was of gold with a tortoise knob, five inches two fen square and one inch five fen thick by the Zhou foot, inscribed "Seal of the Prince of [name]." The tray and casket matched those of the crown prince's seal. The seal case, however, was carved with coiled hornless dragons.
10
For a prince's consort, the gold register was one inch shorter than the crown princess's register; all other specifications were the same, and the text followed that used for a prince. The specifications of her gold stamp are not recorded in detail. In Hongwu 28 (1395) the regulations were revised so that only a gold register was conferred.
11
For an imperial princess, two silver register leaves were used, the characters engraved and gilt, resting on a red brocade mat. The register case was ornamented with coiled hornless dragons in full gold powder. Her stamp followed Song practice: of gold with a tortoise knob, inscribed "Stamp of the Princess of [state name]." It measured five inches two fen square and one inch five fen thick. The stamp tray was of gold, sized to receive the stamp. The outer stamp casket was wooden, ornamented with coiled phoenixes in full gold powder; the middle casket was of gold-inlaid coiled phoenixes; the inner small casket matched the outer in ornament.
12
For the heir apparent of a prince of the blood, on succession only a gold register was conferred while the gold seal was transmitted for continued use.
13
The heir apparent's consort likewise received a gold register. In Hongwu 23 (1390) a stamp for the heir apparent's consort was cast to the same specifications as a prince's consort's: a gold stamp with tortoise knob, inscribed in seal script "Stamp of the Consort of the Heir Apparent of [name]."
14
Commandery princes received gilt-silver registers and gilt-silver stamps; the register text followed that used for an heir apparent. Their consorts received only gilt-silver registers.
15
使 祿
Iron tallies for meritorious officials: In Hongwu 2 (1369), as the Taizu Emperor prepared to enfeoff his meritorious followers, iron tallies were proposed, but no fixed regulations yet existed. It was reported that a Taizhou commoner named Qian Yunyi possessed in his family an iron tally the Tang had bestowed on King Qian Liu of Wuyue; envoys were dispatched to fetch it, and the court adapted its form with modifications. The tally was shaped like a roof tile and divided into seven grades. For dukes there were two grades: one was one foot high and one foot six inches five fen wide; one nine inches five fen high and one foot six inches wide. For marquises there were three grades: one nine inches high and one foot five inches five fen wide; one eight inches five fen high and one foot five inches wide; one eight inches high and one foot four inches five fen wide. For earls there were two grades: one seven inches five fen high and one foot three inches five fen wide; one six inches five fen high and one foot two inches five fen wide. The outer face recorded their careers and the details of favors granted, commemorating their merit; the inner face inscribed the number of pardons and stipend reductions allowed, to guard against future faults. The characters were inlaid with gold. Ninety-seven pairs were made in all, each divided into left and right halves: the left was bestowed on the meritorious official, the right stored in the inner palace; when needed the halves were joined to verify authenticity. In the third year (1370) a great enfeoffment of meritorious officials was carried out—six dukes and twenty-eight marquises—and iron tallies were bestowed on all. The dukes were Li Shanchang, Xu Da, Li Wenzhong, Feng Sheng, Deng Yu, and Chang Mao. The marquises were Tang He, Tang Shengzong, Lu Zhongheng, Zhou Dexing, Hua Yunlong, Gu Shi, Geng Bingwen, Chen De, Guo Zixing, Wang Zhi, Zheng Yuchun, Fei Ju, Wu Liang, Wu Zhen, Zhao Yong, Liao Yongzhong, Yu Tongyuan, Hua Gao, Yang Jing, Kang Duo, Zhu Liangzu, Fu Youde, Hu Mei, Han Zheng, Huang Bin, Cao Liangchen, Mei Sizu, and Lu Ju. In the twenty-fifth year (1392) the iron tally was redesigned and granted to Duke Fu Youde, Marquises Wang Bi, Geng Bingwen, and Guo Ying, and posthumously to the former dukes Xu Da and Li Wenzhong and Marquises Wu Jie and Mu Ying—eight households in all. Early in the Yongle reign, meritorious officials of the Pacification of Difficulties also received iron tallies.
16
祿 西 西
Official seals for the hundred offices: Early in Hongwu, the Seal-Casting Bureau cast seals for all offices inside and outside the capital. Rank 1a officials received a silver seal of three tiers, three inches four fen square and one inch thick. The Six Ministries, the Censorate, and all regional command commissions in the provinces were rank 2a, with silver seals of two tiers, three inches two fen square and eight fen thick. All other rank 2a and 2b officials received silver seals of two tiers, three inches one fen square and seven fen thick. Only the Duke of Yansheng, though holding rank 2a, received a silver seal of three tiers—granted in Jingtai 3 (1452). The Shuntian and Yingtian prefectures were both rank 3a, with silver seals two inches nine fen square and six fen five li thick. All other rank 3a and 3b officials received bronze seals two inches seven fen square and six fen thick. Only the Court of the Imperial Stud, the Court of Imperial Entertainments, and the provincial salt transport commissions, all rank 3b, received bronze seals one fen smaller in width and five li thinner. Rank 4a and 4b officials all received bronze seals two inches five fen square and five fen thick. Rank 5a and 5b officials all received bronze seals two inches four fen square and four fen five li thick. Only rank 5b officials in provincial prefectures received bronze seals one fen smaller in width and five li thinner. Rank 6a and 6b officials all received bronze seals two inches two fen square and three fen five li thick. Rank 7a and 7b officials received bronze seals two inches one fen square and three fen thick. Rank 8a and 8b officials all received bronze seals two inches square and two fen five li thick. Rank 9a and 9b officials all received bronze seals one inch nine fen square and two fen two li thick. Officials outside the regular ranks received bronze strip seals one inch three fen wide, two inches five fen long, and two fen one li thick. All of the above had straight knobs and nine-fold seal script. Initially miscellaneous offices also used square seals; strip seals were adopted only in Hongwu 13 (1380). Among all official seals, only the Hall of Literary Profundity received a silver seal with a straight knob, one inch seven fen square and six fen thick, in jade-brush seal script—a mark of special esteem. Military officials entrusted with weighty commissions—the Pacify-the-West, Pacify-the-North, and Pacify-the-Barbarians generals—received silver seals with tiger knobs, three inches three fen square and nine fen thick, in willow-leaf seal script. During Hongwu, senior nobles once wore generals' seals; later dukes, marquises, earls, and regional commanders served as supreme commanders, styled "generals bearing the seal." When campaigns arose, the supreme commander wore the seal on departure; on return he presented it at court. Beyond this, only the grain-transport supreme commander's seal matched that of a general. Regional garrison supreme commanders and deputy commanders bearing seals began only in Hongxi 1 (1425). Civil officials sometimes bore generals' seals: Wang Ji, as Minister of War campaigning against the Miao of Hunan and Guizhou, bore the Pacify-the-Barbarians general's seal; Wang Yue, as Left Censor-in-Chief defending Datong, bore the Pacify-the-West general's seal. Other civil and military grandees holding weighty imperial commissions were sometimes given bronze pass seals with straight knobs, one inch nine fen five li wide, two inches nine fen long, three fen thick, and nine-fold seal script—even a chief minister on frontier duty received the same as a ministry bureau. Only in the Zhengde reign, when Zhang Yong campaigned against the Prince of Anhua, was a gold pass seal granted; in Jiajing, when Gu Dingchen held the capital during the emperor's absence, an ivory-carved pass seal was granted—both were special bestowals. Initially the Taizu Emperor valued the censorate, dividing it into thirteen circuits including Henan; each circuit cast two seals inscribed "Correct Faults and Rectify Errors"—the resident censor held one, the other was stored in the inner palace; when business arose it was issued, and on reporting back it was returned. In Hongwu 23 (1390), Censor-in-Chief Yuan Tai reported that the seal scripts of the various circuits were too similar. The court then ordered them recast as "Censor of [circuit name]"; those on commission read "Touring Censor of [place]," bronze seals with straight knobs and perforations, one inch five fen square, three fen thick, in eight-fold seal script. When the Chengzu Emperor first visited Beijing, one official might hold two or three seals; Xia Yuanji even concurrently held the seals of all nine chief ministers, and all bureaus took decisions in the morning chambers—the burden of office was heavy indeed.
17
In early Ming, Koryo received a gold seal with tortoise knob, three inches square, inscribed "Seal of the King of Koryo"; Annam received a gilt-silver seal with camel knob, three inches square, inscribed "Seal of the King of Annam." Champa received a gilt-silver seal with camel knob, three inches square, inscribed "Seal of the King of Champa." Tibet received a gold seal with camel knob, five inches square, inscribed "Seal of the King of Bailan."
18
調 調 西 西
Tally plaques: Whenever a prince of the blood was summoned, an official was dispatched bearing a gold tally. When princes departed for their fiefs and garrison commanders, grand coordinators, and other officials requested tally verification, all proceeded through the Ministry of War and were issued by the Imperial Seals Office. Regulations fixed in Hongwu 26 (1393): for official missions involving weighty military affairs or imperial commission with relay service, once the Ministry of War issued the travel warrant, the envoy obtained tally verification at the inner palace, received relay service and departed, and returned the tally when the mission ended. Regulations fixed in Jiajing 37 (1558): garrison officials at Nanjing and Fengyang, all regional supreme commanders and grand coordinators, and garrison commanders holding independent jurisdictions all received tally verification for memorializing. Officials supervising firearms, rectifying military preparedness, and garrison commanders of a single city or fort were not permitted to obtain tally verification. In form, the upper part depicted boat or horse service: horse relays used the horse character size, boat relays the water character size, paired-horse relays the da character size, single-horse relays the tong character size, and station-boat relays the xin character size. In Hongwu 4 (1371), imperial gold tally plaques were first instituted. All military documents, apart from the chiefs of the Regional Military Commission and the Secretariat, could not be memorialized without authorization. When an edict ordered troop movements, the Secretariat and Regional Military Commission jointly reported back; only then did each produce its stored gold tally and request use of the imperial seal. Army dispatch tally plaques were also made of iron, five inches long and half that wide; the upper part bore two flying dragons, the lower two qilin; the head had a round perforation threaded with red silk cord. Officials were once dispatched bearing gold tallies and credential plaques to the Western Regions to trade tea for horses. There were forty-one such plaques: upper numbers were stored in the inner palace, lower numbers issued to the various tribes; the seal script read "Imperial Edict of the Emperor," at left "Due for Dispatch," at right "He Who Does Not Believe—Beheaded." In the twenty-second year (1389) Western Regions gold tallies and credential plaques were issued again. Thereafter when tribal officials came in submission to the frontier, they all brought the originally issued plaques and tallies. In Yongle 2 (1404) credential plaques and red plaques with gold characters were made and granted to the various tribes of Yunnan. Whenever the dynasty changed its reign title, credential plaques and gold tallies issued to foreign states were recast with the new reign title and granted anew. These were the tally credentials extended to the four peripheries.
19
The gold tally plaques worn suspended by military officials were those made in Hongwu 4. They were two inches wide and one foot long; the upper part bore twin dragons, the lower two crouching tigers; head and tail had round perforations threaded with red silk cord. Commanders wore gold plaques with paired cloud-dragons and paired tiger tallies. Battalion commanders wore gilt-silver plaques with a single cloud-dragon and single tiger tally. Company commanders wore plain-cloud silver plaque tallies. The Taizu Emperor personally composed the inscription: "Heaven protects the people; I lead and comfort them. Majesty extends over Huaxia, truly relying on tiger-like warriors. I bestow on you this gold tally, to be transmitted forever to your descendants." When the Son of Heaven sacrificed at suburban altars and ancestral temples, inspected schools, or plowed the sacred field, meritorious guards in attendance, nobles, imperial sons-in-law, regional commanders on daily duty, the Embroidered-Uniform Guard on duty, regional commanders leading night patrols of the inner imperial city, and the Brocade-Clad Guard and other guards rotating court patrol officers—all received gold plaques with dragon, tiger, qilin, lion, or cloud designs according to rank.
20
宿 西 西 西 西西 使 祿 使 退
The gold-character silver plaques for escorting the imperial carriage were made in Hongwu 6 (1373). They were soon changed to guard gold plaques of copper gilded with gold, one foot high and three inches wide, divided into five character sizes. The ren character size bore a solitary dragon amid cloud flowers; dukes, marquises, earls, and regional commanders wore it. The yi character size bore a crouching tiger amid cloud flowers; commanders wore it. The li character size bore a xiezhi beast amid cloud flowers; battalion commanders and guard commissioners wore it. The zhi character size bore a lion amid cloud flowers; company commanders and company commissioners wore it. The xin character size bore coiled cloud flowers; generals wore it. Below the plaque were cast the two seal characters "Guard." On the reverse were cast twenty-four characters: "All guard officers and soldiers who suspend this plaque." The head of the plaque had a perforation threaded with blue silk. Guard commissioners and generals on direct imperial escort duty wore them; when off duty they returned them. Night-patrol officers obtained authority staffs from the Imperial Seals Office; commanders and battalion commanders at the Forbidden City's gates each took charge of shen character size plaques—Meridian Gate numbers one through four, the Chang'an gates and East Flowery Gate five through eight, West Flowery Gate nine through twelve, North Mystical Gate thirteen through sixteen. The Five-City Cavalry Command also received daily authority staffs; the east, south, west, north, and central districts each took charge of wood, metal, fire, water, and earth character sizes. The five capital-garrison guards, city-patrol officers, and guard officers of the Brocade-Clad Guard and other guards all received bronze tallies. Capital-garrison commanders who received cheng character and east-west-north character size plaques all had the left half in raised characters, matched on the left. The Brocade-Clad Guard and commanders and battalion commanders at the Upright Gate, Gate of Receiving Heaven, and the east, west, north, and Peace gates who received cheng character and east-west-north character sizes all had the right half in intaglio, matched on the right. Patrol was permitted only when the bronze tally character sizes matched. When palace eunuchs and inner attendants went out, gate officers had to compare bronze tallies before allowing passage. Guard soldiers and encircling archers at the imperial city's nine gates each received yong character size bronze plaques. Embroidered-Uniform Guard corporals on duty and clerks and kitchen servants of the Court of Imperial Entertainments all wore paired-fish bronze plaques during great sacrifices. In Yongle 6 (1408), when the emperor visited Beijing, all escorting officials wore ivory plaques; the five offices, Six Ministries, Censorate, Court of Judicial Review, and Embroidered-Uniform Guard each cast seals, the Office of Transmission and Court of State Ceremonial each cast pass seals—called the traveling-capital guard-gate seals and pass seals. Later they were ordered stored by the inner palace's Seal and Ribbon Directorate. On the southern tour of Jiajing 18 (1539), the Ministry of Rites issued them to the imperial entourage. All accompanying-sacrifice officials, service officials, and ritual attendants at suburban altar sacrifices received ivory plaques on entering the altar precinct—beginning in Hongwu 8 (1375). Accompanying-sacrifice officials received round floral plaques. Service officials received long floral plaques. Ritual attendants received long plain plaques. They were also called sacrifice plaques. Whenever the imperial carriage went to the mausoleums, all officials in the entourage received small ivory plaques from the Imperial Seals Office. In Jiajing 9 (1530), when the empress performed the personal silkworm-raising rite, civil officials of rank 4a and above, military officials' wives of rank 3a and above, and envoys all received ivory plaques from the Imperial Seals Office—round cloud-flower plaques and long bird-shaped plaques among them. All civil and military officials attending court audience and Embroidered-Uniform Guard officers on imperial escort duty also received ivory plaques to guard against imposture—beginning in Hongwu 11 (1378). They were made of ivory, with the bearer's office inscribed upon them. Without wearing one, gatekeepers turned the bearer away; private lending was prosecuted according to law. Ivory plaque character sizes: dukes, marquises, and earls used the merit character; imperial sons-in-law the kin character; civil officials the civil character; military officials the military character; music-bureau officials the music character; inner-palace officials the office character. In Zhengde 16 (1521), Xing Huan of the Ministry of Rites Section said, "Ivory plaques may be worn only by officials in regular court attendance. Recently powerful traitors have encroached on authority; those promoted by transmitted edict have promptly worn ivory plaques. A clearing audit is needed to restore weight to titles and insignia." The court then ordered that civil officials not attending court audience must not be given ivory plaques indiscriminately; military officials who entered the imperial presence to attend, wore swords, or carried the golden censer were to receive them. In Jiajing 28 (1549), inner-palace service craftsmen and military officials all wore court-audience ivory plaques; an imperial order once stripped them, but they were soon issued again. Supervising Secretary Chen Bangxiu spoke on the matter; the Ministry of Rites reported back: "The Collected Statutes record that civil and military officials entering and leaving the forbidden gates wear ivory plaques, with distinctions for ritual attendance, service, and court audience. Those on ritual or service duty received them when the term arrived and returned them when due. Only court-audience ivory plaques might be worn morning and evening; they were not merely passes for control, but also marked distinctions of rank and dignity. Those with empty titles drawing stipends, and those on service or ritual duty, should not all receive them indiscriminately. Yet for entering and leaving the forbidden inner gates, if all plaques were stripped away entirely, how could misconduct be detected? The Imperial Seals Office stores several hundred old plaques bearing the "Enter Inner Palace" character size; please issue these. As for guard-unit military officials, apart from seal-holders, registrars, and attendants on guard duty, all not belonging to court audience or service should have them entirely stripped. Those who bought office with grain, obtained plaques by fraud, and dismissed or idle officials who had not returned old plaques—all were to be arrested and questioned." The memorial was approved.
21
使 使 使 使
In the fifteenth year of Hongwu, credentials of office were instituted: a yellow triple-eaved precious canopy two feet long, kept in a yellow gauze bag. A vermilion-lacquered stand was also made to hold the staff. When an envoy received his commission, he carried the staff on his journey; when he returned, he bore it back to report on his mission. In the twenty-third year, an edict ordered the regulations for credentials of office to be examined and fixed; the Ministry of Rites reported: "In the reign of Emperor Guangwu of Han, bamboo was used for the staff, with a handle eight feet long and three tiers of tufts. But Huang Gongshao's annotation in the Collected Rhymes states that Han staffs had handles three feet long, with three tiers of tufts made from yak tail." The edict adopted the three-foot standard.
22
殿殿殿殿 殿殿 殿 殿西西 退 殿 西 殿 西殿 殿殿殿殿殿 殿 殿 西 西 殿殿西 殿殿殿殿 殿 殿 殿 西 西西 西 西 西西 西 殿殿殿 殿 殿 西 殿 西殿 殿殿西西 殿 西西西西西 殿西 殿 殿殿 殿殿殿西 西殿 西殿殿西
Regulations for palace buildings: In the first year of Wu, a new inner palace was constructed. The main hall was called the Hall of Complying with Heaven; behind it stood the Hall of the Imperial Canopy, and behind that the Hall of Cultivating the Person—all flanked by covered corridors. Before the Hall of Complying with Heaven stood the Gate of Complying with Heaven; to the left of the hall was the Literary Tower, to the right the Martial Tower. Behind the Hall of Cultivating the Person lay the residential palaces: in front, the Palace of Celestial Purity; behind, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility; the six palaces were arrayed in sequence. Outside the palace buildings, the Imperial City enclosed them. The city gates were: to the south, the Meridian Gate; to the east, the East Flowery Gate; to the west, the West Flowery Gate; to the north, the North Mystical Gate. At the time someone proposed that ornamental stone from Ruizhou could pave the palace ground. The Founder said: "I promote plain thrift and still fear growing accustomed to luxury—are you leading me toward extravagance?" The speaker withdrew in shame. In the eighth year of Hongwu, the great inner-palace buildings were rebuilt; they were completed in the tenth year. The gate-tower was called the Meridian Gate, flanked by two watch-towers. Three gates stood at the center; to the east and west were the Left and Right Side Gates. Within the Meridian Gate was the Gate of Complying with Heaven; within that gate stood the Hall of Complying with Heaven, where the emperor had held court to receive congratulations. To the left and right of the gate were the East and West Corner Gates; to the left and right of the hall were gates—the left called Inner Left, the right Inner Right; between the two side galleries, on the left the Literary Tower and on the right the Martial Tower. Behind the Hall of Complying with Heaven was the Hall of the Imperial Canopy; behind that, the Hall of Cultivating the Person; behind the hall stood the main gate of the Palace of Celestial Purity. Between the two side galleries outside the Gate of Complying with Heaven were gates: on the left, the Left Following Gate; on the right, the Right Following Gate. Outside the Left Following Gate was a hall called Literary Splendor, where the heir apparent conducted affairs. Outside the Right Following Gate was a hall called Martial Excellence, where the emperor resided when observing fasts. The system followed the old pattern, but the scale grew even more imposing. In the twenty-fifth year the Golden Water Bridge of the great inner palace was rebuilt, and the Gate of the Origin and Gate of Receiving Heaven towers were each built with five bays, along with the eastern and western Chang'an gates. In the fifteenth year of Yongle, a western palace was built in Beijing. At the center stood the Hall of Complying with Heaven, flanked by left and right halls; to the south was the Gate of Complying with Heaven, with the East and West Corner Gates to left and right. South of that was the Meridian Gate, and farther south the Gate of Receiving Heaven. North of the hall were a rear hall, cool hall, warm hall, and palaces including Benevolent Longevity, Auspicious Fortune, Benevolence and Harmony, Myriad Springtimes, Eternal Longevity, and Eternal Spring—altogether more than 1,630 bay-rooms. In the eighteenth year, Beijing was built; the regulations for palace buildings and gate-towers all followed Nanjing, but surpassed it in magnificence. The central court was called the Hall of Complying with Heaven, comprising altogether 8,350 bay-rooms. To the left of the hall was the Inner Left Gate; to the right, the Inner Right Gate. East of the red steps was the Literary Tower; west, the Martial Tower; south, the Gate of Complying with Heaven—where the emperor held regular court. To the left, the East Corner Gate; to the right, the West Corner Gate; the east gallery, the Left Following Gate; the west gallery, the Right Following Gate; due south, the Meridian Gate. Three gates stood at the center, flanked by two watch-towers; each tower had a gate pavilion—the left called the Left Side Gate, the right the Right Side Gate. Slightly south of the Meridian Gate on the left were the Gate Left of the Tower and the Spirit Kitchen Gate; within lay the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Slightly south on the right were the Gate Right of the Tower and the Spirit Altar Left Gate; within lay the Imperial Altars of Soil and Grain. Farther south stood the Gate of the Origin; to the east, the Temple Street Gate—the right gate of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. To the west, the Altar Street Gate—the southern left gate of the Imperial Altars of Soil and Grain. Still farther south stood the Gate of Receiving Heaven; then bending east, the Chang'an Left Gate; bending west, the Chang'an Right Gate. To the rear on the east, the East Peace Gate; to the rear on the west, the West Peace Gate; to the rear on the north, the North Peace Gate. Due south stood the Great Ming Gate; at the center ran the imperial roadway; the east and west long corridors each extended a thousand paces. Behind the Hall of Complying with Heaven was the Hall of the Imperial Canopy, and behind that the Hall of Cultivating the Person. To the left of the Hall of Cultivating the Person was the Rear Left Gate; to the right, the Rear Right Gate. Due north stood the Gate of Celestial Purity; within was the Palace of Celestial Purity—the principal sleeping quarters. Behind it stood the Hall of Union of Heaven and Earth. Farther behind was the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, where the empress resided. To the east, the Palace of Benevolent Longevity; to the west, the Palace of Pure Tranquility—for lodging the empress dowager. East of the Left Following Gate was the Literary Splendor Hall. West of the Right Following Gate was the Martial Excellence Hall. Southeast of the Literary Splendor Hall was the East Flowery Gate; southwest of the Martial Excellence Hall was the West Flowery Gate. Behind the Palace of Earthly Tranquility was the Gate of Earthly Tranquility; behind the gate stood the North Mystical Gate. The other palaces were too numerous in name to list in full—what people call "a thousand gates and ten thousand doors." Outside the inner-palace city wall but within the Imperial City there were twelve gates in all: the East Upper Gate, East Upper North Gate, East Upper South Gate, East Central Gate, West Upper Gate, West Upper North Gate, West Upper South Gate, West Central Gate, North Upper Gate, North Upper East Gate, North Upper West Gate, and North Central Gate. Again at the southeast of the Imperial City a palace for the imperial great-grandson was built, and southeast outside the East Peace Gate the Ten Princes Street was laid out. The Xuande Emperor valued literary refinement, building the Broad Cold and Clear Summer halls and the eastern and western Jade Isles; wherever he traveled for pleasure, he placed classics and records. In the sixth year of Zhengtong, the three main halls were rebuilt. During the Jiajing reign, on land behind the Palace of Pure Tranquility the Ciji Palace was built, and on the former site of the Palace of Benevolent Longevity the Cining Palace was built. In the thirty-sixth year, fire destroyed the three halls and their gate-towers; the emperor held that because the hall was named Complying with Heaven, it was unsuitable as an inscribed plaque title and ordered the Ministry of Rites to deliberate. Ministry officials met and reported: "When our imperial ancestor first founded the realm, naming it Complying with Heaven proclaimed reverence. Once so named, the August Heaven above watches and presides; when the emperor sits there to hold court, it seems not altogether fitting. Now at the beginning of restoration, the names should be changed anew to answer Heaven's favor." The following year the Gate of Complying with Heaven was rebuilt and renamed the Great Audience Gate. In the forty-first year the Hall of Complying with Heaven was renamed Supreme Ultimate; the Hall of the Imperial Canopy, Central Ultimate; the Hall of Cultivating the Person, Establishing Ultimate; the Literary Tower, Literary Brilliance Pavilion; the Martial Tower, Martial Accomplishment Pavilion; the Left Following Gate, Gathering Ultimate; the Right Following Gate, Returning Ultimate; the Great Audience Gate, Supreme Ultimate; the East Corner Gate, Extending Governance; and the West Corner Gate, Proclaiming Order. The small pavilion to the right of the Palace of Celestial Purity was also renamed Path of the Heart; the gate to its left, Benevolence Expansive; to the right, Righteousness Level. At the beginning of the Shizong reign, spare land in the Western Park was reclaimed as fields; a hall called No Idleness was built, a pavilion called Odes of Bin, and pavilions called Inspecting the Plough and Inspecting the Harvest; each year at ploughing and harvest the emperor would personally go to observe. In the thirteenth year, the pavilions and terraces east of the river in the Western Park were completed; the emperor personally fixed their names: the Swans Lodge; to the north, the Flying Mist Pavilion; before the Welcoming Green Hall, the Floating Fragrance Pavilion; before the Precious Moon Pavilion, the Autumn Radiance Pavilion; before the Zhaohua Hall, the Clear Abyss Pavilion; behind it, the Yutai Terrace Slope; before the Rippling Waters Pavilion, the Water and Clouds Veranda; outside the Western Park gate, the Left Overlooking-the-Sea and Right Overlooking-the-Sea pavilions; at the north sluice, the Jade-Emerging Pavilion; east of the river, the Gathering Scenery Pavilion; Lüliang Hong's pavilion was renamed Lüliang; before it, the Mooring Gold Pavilion; and before the Emerald Jade Lodge, the Gathering Excellence Pavilion.
23
殿殿 殿 殿 殿殿 西 使 殿 殿殿殿 殿殿 殿 西殿
Regulations for princely residences were fixed in the fourth year of Hongwu: the city wall was twenty-nine feet high, the main hall platform six feet nine inches high; the main gate, front and rear halls, and four gate-towers were decorated in green with gold points, and corridor rooms in blue-black. The four main gates of the city were finished in cinnabar lacquer with gold-coated bronze nails. Palace halls had bracket sets and clustered ridge-ends; the center was painted with coiled dragons ornamented in gold, and the border with the eight auspicious emblems. The front and rear hall seats used red lacquer with gold coiled dragons; curtains used red brocade with gold coiled dragons. The wall behind the seat was painted with coiled dragons and colored clouds—later changed to dragons. Altars to the mountains and rivers, soil and grain, and the ancestral temple were established within the princely city. In the seventh year the halls where princes resided were fixed: the front hall called Receiving the Mandate; the center, the Round Hall; the rear, Preserving the Heart; the four city gates were: to the south, Correct Ritual; to the north, Broad Wisdom; to the east, Embodying Humanity; to the west, Following Righteousness. The Founder said: "Let the various princes see the names and reflect on their meanings, to serve as a protective screen for the imperial house. In the ninth year, princely palace buildings, side galleries, and gate-towers were all roofed with blue glazed tiles. He also ordered officials of the Secretariat: only princely palaces might use vermilion red and great green; other residences were limited to cinnabar and jade-green. In the twelfth year, all princely residences were completed. The layout was: at the center, the Hall of Receiving the Mandate of eleven bays; behind it, the Round Hall; next, the Hall of Preserving the Heart—each of nine bays. The two side halls flanking the Hall of Receiving the Mandate were the left and right halls; from the Preserving the Heart and Receiving the Mandate halls, galleries ran all around to the Gate of Receiving the Mandate—138 bay-rooms in all. Behind the halls were front, central, and rear palaces of three sections, each nine bays. Side chambers flanking the palace gates and similar rooms totaled ninety-nine bays. Outside the princely city, encircling walls, the west gate, halls, storehouses, and the like lay between—altogether more than eight hundred palace chambers and rooms. In the eighth year of Hongzhi the regulations for princely residences were revised again, with considerable additions and reductions.
24
Regulations for commandery-prince residences were fixed in the fourth year of Tianshun. Gate-towers, halls, side chambers, kitchens, granaries, and the like amounted to only several dozen rooms.
25
Princess residences: In the fifth year of Hongwu, the Ministry of Rites reported: "Under the Tang and Song, princesses were treated as Grade 1 Positive, and their residences followed Grade 1 Positive regulations. It is now proposed for princess residences: the reception hall shall have nine bays and eleven bracket tiers, with a patterned-animal ridge; beams, pillars, bracket arms, and eaves shall be painted in colors, but without gold. The main gate shall have five bays and seven tiers. The great gate shall be finished in green oil with bronze rings. Stone foundations and wall bricks shall be carved with delicate openwork patterns." The proposal was adopted.
26
滿 歿
Dwellings of officials and commoners: At the beginning of the Ming, it was forbidden to carve on houses images of ancient emperors and empresses, sages and worthies, or of the sun, moon, dragon, phoenix, suanni, qilin, rhinoceros, and elephant. Officials who had completed their term and retired were subject to the same regulations as those still in office. If their father or grandfather had held office and died, descendants were permitted to reside in the father's or grandfather's dwelling. Regulations fixed in the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu: when officials built houses, they might not use hip-and-gable roofs with corner turns, double eaves, double bracket sets, or painted well-canopies—only upper-story buildings with double eaves were not forbidden. Dukes and marquises: the front hall had seven bays with two wings and nine bracket tiers. The central hall had seven bays and nine bracket tiers. The rear hall had seven bays and seven bracket tiers. The gate had three bays and five bracket tiers, finished in gold lacquer with beast-face tin rings. The family temple had three bays and five bracket tiers. The roof used black-board tiles, the ridge bore patterned tile beasts, and the beams, pillars, bracket arms, and eaves were painted in colors. Doors, windows, and frame pillars were ornamented with gold lacquer. Corridors, side halls, kitchens, storehouses, and dependent buildings might not exceed five bays or seven bracket tiers. Rank 1a and 1b officials: reception hall of five bays and nine bracket tiers, ridge with tile beasts, beams, pillars, bracket arms, and eaves painted in green-blue. The gate had three bays and five bracket tiers, a green oil finish, and beast-face tin rings. Rank 3a through 5b officials: reception hall of five bays and seven bracket tiers, ridge with tile beasts, beams, pillars, and eaves painted in green-blue. The gate had three bays and three bracket tiers, a black oil finish, and tin rings. Rank 6a through 9b officials: reception hall of three bays and seven bracket tiers, with beams and pillars ornamented in ochre yellow. The gate had one bay and three bracket tiers, a black door, and iron rings. In the houses of ranked officials, doors, windows, and lattices might not use cinnabar lacquer. Behind the dwellings of meritorious officials, ten zhang of open ground was reserved, with five zhang on each side. It was forbidden to displace military households for residence, and still more forbidden to seize extra land around the dwelling to build pavilions, open ponds, and create scenic retreats. In the thirty-fifth year, prohibitions were restated: rank 1a and 3a reception halls were limited to seven bays each, and rank 6a through 9b reception-hall beams and pillars might use only powder-blue ornament.
27
Commoners' cottages: regulations fixed in Hongwu 26 limited them to no more than three bays and five bracket tiers, and forbade bracket arms and colored ornament. In the thirty-fifth year prohibitions were enforced again: the nine-five bay pattern was forbidden; though a household might build a dozen or twenty structures according to its means, none might exceed three bays. In Zhengtong 12 (1447) a slight relaxation was ordered: commoners' houses with many bracket tiers but few bays were not subject to the prohibition.
28
Prohibitions on utensils: fixed in Hongwu 26—dukes, marquises, and rank 1a and 1b officials used gold for wine ewers and cups, silver for other vessels. Rank 3a through 5b officials used silver ewers and gold cups; rank 6a through 9b used silver ewers and cups; all other vessels were porcelain or lacquer. Wooden utensils might not use cinnabar red, applied gold, traced gold, or carved dragon-and-phoenix designs. Commoners used tin ewers and silver cups; other vessels were porcelain or lacquer. For all officials, bed surfaces, screens, and lattice panels might use varicolored lacquer ornament, but carving dragon designs and applying gold on cinnabar lacquer were forbidden. Military officers and soldiers lacquered bows and arrows in black; bow cases and quivers might not use cinnabar lacquer or traced-gold ornament. In Jianwen 4 (1402) officials and commoners were admonished: usurpation of gold wine vessels was forbidden, and chairs, tables, and wooden utensils likewise might not use cinnabar red or gold ornament. Fixed in Zhengde 16 (1521): rank 1a and 1b officials might not use jade utensils and were permitted only gold. Merchants and artisans might not use silver utensils. All other regulations were the same as for commoners.
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