Volume 74 Treatises 50: Official Posts 3

太常寺附提督四夷館光祿寺太僕寺鴻臚寺尚寶司六科中書舍人行人司欽天監太醫院上林苑監五城兵馬司順天府附宛平大興二縣武學僧道錄司教坊司宦官女官

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices, with appended sections on the Supervisor of the Four Barbarian Translation Offices, the Court of Imperial Entertainments, the Court of the Imperial Stud, the Court of State Ceremonial, the Imperial Seals Office, the Six Offices of Scrutiny, Palace Secretariat Drafters, the Reception Office, the Directorate of Astronomy, the Imperial Medical Institute, the Directorate of the Imperial Parks, the Five-City Military Patrol Office, Shuntian Prefecture (with Wanping and Daxing counties), the Military Academy, the Office for Recording Buddhist and Taoist Affairs, the Office of the Imperial Music Bureau, eunuchs, and palace women.

太常寺。卿一人，正三品少卿二人，正四品寺丞二人。正六品其屬，典簿廳，典簿二人，正七品博士二人，協律郎二人，正八品，嘉靖中增至五人。贊禮郎九人，正九品，嘉靖中增至三十三人，後革二人。司樂二十人。從九品，嘉靖中增至三十九人，後革五人。天壇、地壇、朝日壇、夕月壇、先農壇、帝王廟、祈穀殿、長陵、獻陵、景陵、裕陵、茂陵、泰陵、顯陵、康陵、永陵、昭陵各祠祭署，俱奉祀一人，從七品祀丞二人。從八品犧牲所，吏目一人。從九品

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices. One Director at rank 3a; two Vice Directors at rank 4a; and two Assistant Directors. Subordinates at rank 6a included a Registry with two Registrars at rank 7a, two Doctors at rank 7a, and two Masters of Harmonics at rank 8b; under the Jiajing emperor the latter post was raised to five. Nine Masters of Ceremonial at rank 9a; under Jiajing the number rose to thirty-three, then two posts were abolished. Twenty Directors of Music. At rank 9b; under Jiajing the corps grew to thirty-nine, then five posts were cut. Sacrificial offices at the Altars of Heaven and Earth, the Rising Sun and Setting Moon altars, the Altar of the First Farmer, the Temple of Former Emperors, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and the Chang, Xian, Jing, Yu, Mao, Tai, Xian, Kang, Yong, and Zhao mausoleums each had one Sacrificial Officer at rank 7b and two Assistant Sacrificial Officers at rank 8b. The Office of Sacrificial Victims had one Clerk at rank 8b. at rank 9b.

太常，掌祭祀禮樂之事，總其官屬，籍其政令，以聽於禮部。凡天神、地祇、人鬼，歲祭有常。先冬十二月朔，奏進明年祭日，天子禦奉天殿受之，乃頒於諸司。天子親祭，則贊相禮儀。大臣攝事，亦如之。凡國有冊立、冊封、冠婚、營繕、徵討、大喪諸典禮，歲時旱澇大災變，則請告宗廟社稷。薦新則移光祿寺供其品物。祭祀先期請省牲，進祝版、銅人，上殿奏請齋戒，親署御名。省牲偕光祿卿。惟大祀車駕親省，大臣日一省之。凡祭，滌器、爨埋、香燭、玉帛，整拂神幄，必恭潔。掌燎、看燎、讀祝、奏禮、對引、司香、進俎、舉麾、陳設、收支、導引、設位、典儀、通贊、奉帛、執爵、司樽、司罍洗，卿貳屬各領其事，罔有不共。凡玉四等：曰蒼璧，以祀天曰黃琮，以祀地曰赤璋、白琥，以朝日、夕月曰兩圭有邸。以祭太社、太稷帛五等：曰郊祀制帛，祀天地曰奉先制帛，薦祖考曰禮神制帛，祭社稷、羣神、帝王、先師曰展親制帛，祭享親王曰報功制帛，祭享功臣。牲四等：曰犢，曰牛，曰太牢，曰少牢。色尚騂或黝。大祀入滌三月，中祀一月，小祀一旬。樂四等：曰九奏，用祀天地曰八奏，神祇、太歲，曰七奏，大明、太社、太稷、帝王曰六奏。夜明、帝社、帝稷、宗廟、先師。舞二：曰文舞，曰武舞。樂器不徙。陵園之祭無樂。歲終合祭五禮之神，則少卿攝事。

The court oversaw state sacrifices and ritual music, directed its staff, registered its regulations, and took direction from the Ministry of Rites. Sacrifices to heavenly, earthly, and human spirits followed a fixed annual calendar. On the first day of the twelfth month the court submitted the next year's sacrificial calendar; the emperor received it in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and had it promulgated to all departments. When the emperor sacrificed in person, its officers guided the ceremonial proceedings. The same applied when a senior minister stood in for the emperor. Investitures, enfeoffments, capping and weddings, construction projects, military campaigns, state mourning, and severe seasonal droughts, floods, or other disasters all required notification at the ancestral temple and the altars of soil and grain. Seasonal offerings of new harvest were arranged through the Court of Imperial Entertainments for the requisite provisions. Before each sacrifice it arranged inspection of the victims, submitted prayer boards and bronze ritual figures, memorialized in hall on the emperor's fast, and secured his personal signature on the documents. Victim inspection was carried out together with the Director of Imperial Entertainments. For major sacrifices the emperor went in person to inspect the victims; otherwise a senior minister inspected them once a day. Every sacrifice required cleansing vessels, preparing cooked and buried offerings, incense and candles, and jade and silk, with the spirit curtains arranged scrupulously in reverent cleanliness. Posts from flame-tending and prayer-reading through incense, meat trays, banners, offerings, processions, acclamation, silk and goblets, wine vessels, and washing were each assigned to the Director, Vice Directors, or their staff, and all took part without exception. There were four grades of jade: the green disc for Heaven, the yellow cube for Earth, red tablet and white tiger-piece for the sun and moon altars, and paired scepters with pedestals for the Grand Altars of Soil and Grain. Silk came in five grades: suburban-sacrifice silk for Heaven and Earth; ancestral silk for forebears; spirit-worship silk for the altars of soil and grain, collective spirits, former emperors, and the Sage; kinship silk for imperial princes; and merit silk for meritorious ministers. Sacrificial victims came in four grades: calf, ox, the grand victim set, and the lesser victim set. Preferred colors were reddish-brown or dark. Major sacrifices required three months of victim purification, medium sacrifices one month, and minor sacrifices ten days. Music had four grades: nine movements for Heaven and Earth; eight for spirits and the Year Star; seven for the Bright Luminary, the Grand Altars of Soil and Grain, and former emperors; six for the Night Brightener, the Imperial Altars of Soil and Grain, the ancestral temple, and the Sage. There were two dances: the civil dance and the martial dance. Musical instruments were not relocated. Mausoleum sacrifices were performed without music. At year's end, for the collective sacrifice to the spirits of the five rites, a Vice Director stood in for the Director.

初，吳元年置太常司，設卿，正三品少卿，正四品丞，正五品典簿、協律郎、博士，正七品贊禮郎。從八品洪武初，置各祠祭署，設署令、署丞。十三年，更定協律郎等官品秩。協律郎正八品，贊禮郎正九品，司樂從九品。三十四年改各署令為奉祀，署丞為祀丞。二十年改司為寺，官制仍舊。二十五年已定司丞正六品。建文中，增設贊禮郎二人，太祝一人，以及各祠祭署俱有更革。天壇祠祭署為南郊祠祭署，泗州祠祭署為泗濱祠祭署，宿州祠祭署為新豐祠祭署，孝陵置鐘山祠祭署，各司圃所增神樂觀知觀一人。成祖初，惟易天壇為天地壇，餘悉復洪武間制。建文時，南郊祠祭署為郊壇祠祭署，已又改為天地壇祠祭署。洪熙元年置犧牲所，吏目典掌文移。先是，洪武三年置神牲所，設廩牲令、大使、副使等官。四年革。世宗釐祀典，分天地壇為天壇、地壇，山川壇、耤田祠祭署為神祇壇，大祀殿為祈穀殿，增置朝日、夕月二壇，各設祠祭署。又增設協律郎、贊禮郎、司樂等員。隆慶三年，革協律郎等官四十八員，萬曆六年復設，如嘉靖間制。萬曆四年，改神祇壇為先農壇。

In the first year of the Wu era the bureau was established with a Director at rank 3a, Vice Director at 4a, Assistant Director at 5a, and Registrars, Masters of Harmonics, Doctors, and Masters of Ceremonial at rank 7a. at rank 8b. Early in Hongwu various sacrificial offices were set up, each with a director and deputy. In year 13 the ranks of the Masters of Harmonics and related posts were fixed anew. The Master of Harmonics was rank 8b, the Master of Ceremonial rank 9a, and the Director of Music rank 9b. In year 34 office directors were retitled Sacrificial Officers and their deputies Assistant Sacrificial Officers. In year 20 the bureau became a court, but the establishment of posts was unchanged. By year 25 the Assistant Director's rank of 6a was already established. Under Jianwen two Masters of Ceremonial and one Grand Sacrificer were added, and every sacrificial office was reorganized. The Heaven Altar office was renamed for the southern suburb; Sizhou's office became Sibin; Suzhou's became Xinfeng; a Zhongshan office was set up for the Xiaoling mausoleum; and each imperial park added a superintendent for the Divine Music Observatory. Early in Yongle only the Heaven Altar was merged into a Heaven-and-Earth altar; all else reverted to Hongwu practice. Under Jianwen the southern-suburb office had briefly become the suburban-altar office, then the heaven-and-earth altar office. Hongxi year 1 saw the Office of Sacrificial Victims established, with a clerk handling its paperwork. Earlier, in Hongwu year 3, a Divine Victims Office had been set up with a granary director, chief envoy, and vice envoy. It was abolished in year 4. Shizong reformed the ritual code: the combined heaven-and-earth altar was split; the mountains-and-rivers and plough-field offices became the Spirits altar; the Grand Sacrifice Hall became the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests; and new Rising Sun and Setting Moon altars each received a sacrificial office. He also increased the numbers of Masters of Harmonics, Masters of Ceremonial, Directors of Music, and related posts. Longqing year 3 cut forty-eight such posts; Wanli year 6 restored them to the Jiajing establishment. Wanli year 4 renamed the Spirits altar the Altar of the First Farmer.

提督四夷館。少卿一人，正四品掌譯書之事。自永樂五年，外國朝貢，特設蒙古、女直、西番、西天、回回、百夷、高昌、緬甸八館，置譯字生、通事，通事初隸通政使司通譯語言文字。正德中，增設八百館。八百國蘭者哥進貢萬曆中，又增設暹羅館。初設四夷館隸翰林院，選國子監生習譯。宣德元年，兼選官民子弟，委官教肄，學士稽考程課。弘治七年，始增設太常寺卿、少卿各一員為提督，遂改隸太常。嘉靖中，裁卿，止少卿一人。按太常寺卿在南京者，多由科目。北寺自永樂間用樂舞生，累資升至寺卿，甚或加禮部侍郎、尚書掌寺，後多沿襲。至隆慶初，乃重推科甲出身者補任。譯字生，明初甚重。與考者，與鄉、會試額科甲一體出身。後止為雜流。其在館者，升轉皆在鴻臚寺。

The Supervisor of the Four Barbarian Translation Offices. One Vice Director at rank 4a oversaw translation work. From Yongle year 5, as tribute missions multiplied, eight translation bureaus were set up—for Mongol, Jurchen, Tibetan, Indian, Muslim, Bai, Gaochang, and Burmese—staffed with translation students and interpreters; interpreters initially reported to the Office of Transmission for spoken and written translation. Under Zhengde a Lanna bureau was added. When Lan Na Ko of the Lanna states sent tribute, and under Wanli a Siamese bureau was added as well. At first the translation offices came under the Hanlin Academy, which selected Imperial Academy students for language training. Xuande year 1 broadened recruitment to officials' and commoners' sons, with assigned instructors and Hanlin academicians grading their progress. Hongzhi year 7 added a supervising Director and Vice Director from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and transferred the bureaus to its jurisdiction. Under Jiajing the supervising directorship was abolished, leaving a single Vice Director. As a rule, Nanjing directors of the court were mostly examination graduates. At the northern capital, since Yongle, music-and-dance students had risen by seniority to director, some even concurrently serving as vice minister or minister of rites—a pattern that long persisted. Not until early Longqing were examination graduates again strongly favored for these posts. Translation students were highly prized in early Ming. Those who sat the exams shared provincial and metropolitan quotas and received jinshi standing on the same terms. Later they were relegated to the miscellaneous service track only. Staff in the bureaus were promoted and transferred entirely within the Court of State Ceremonial.

光祿寺。卿一人，從三品少卿二人，正五品寺丞二人，從六品其屬，典簿廳，典簿二人，從七品錄事一人，從八品大官、珍羞、良醞、掌醢四署，各署正一人，從六品署丞四人，從七品監事四人，從八品司牲司，大使一人，從九品副使一人，後革司牧局，大使一人，從九品，嘉靖七年革。銀庫，大使一人。

The Court of Imperial Entertainments. One Director at rank 3b, two Vice Directors at 5a, and two Assistant Directors at 6b. Subordinates included a registry (two registrars at 7b), one recorder at 8b, and four offices—Grand Cuisine, Delicacies, Fine Brew, and Condiments—each with a director at 6b, four deputies at 7b, and four supervisors at 8b; an Office of Victims with chief and vice envoys at 9b (the Herds Office, also rank 9b, was abolished in Jiajing year 7). The Silver Treasury had one chief envoy.

卿，掌祭享、宴勞、酒醴、膳羞之事，率少卿、寺丞官屬，辨其名數，會其出入，量其豐約，以聽於禮部。凡祭祀，同太常省牲；天子親祭，進飲福受胙；薦新，循月令獻其品物；喪葬供奠饌。所用牲、果、菜物，取之上林苑；不給，市諸民，視時估十加一，其市直季支天財庫。四方貢獻果鮮廚料，省納惟謹。器皿移工部及募工兼作之，歲省其成敗。凡筵宴酒食及外使、降人，俱差其等而供給焉。傳奉宣索，籍記而覆奏之。監以科道官一員，察其出入，糾禁其奸弊。歲四月至九月，凡御用物及祭祀之品皆用冰。大官，供祭品宮膳、節令筵席、蕃使宴犒之事。珍羞，供宮膳餚核之事。良醞，供酒醴之事。掌醢，供餳、油、醯、醬、梅、鹽之事。司牲養牲，視其肥瘠而蠲滌之。司牧亦如之。

The Director oversaw sacrificial provisions, reward banquets, wine, and food, directing his vice directors and staff to track items, receipts, and disbursements, gauge supply, and report to the Ministry of Rites. For sacrifices it joined the Court of Imperial Sacrifices in inspecting victims; when the emperor sacrificed in person, presented the blessing cup and received the sacrificial meat; for seasonal new offerings, supplied items according to the monthly calendar; and for funerals supplied offerings and feast foods. Victims, fruit, and vegetables came from the Imperial Parks; shortfalls were bought from the market at ten percent above the going rate, paid quarterly from the Heavenly Treasury. Tribute fruit, fresh produce, and kitchen stores from all regions were received and stored with scrupulous care. Vessels were ordered through the Ministry of Works and hired labor, with annual review of what was finished. Banquets, foreign envoys, and surrendered persons all received provisions graded to their rank. Imperial requisitions were logged and reported back to court. A censorial official monitored receipts and disbursements and checked abuses. From the fourth through the ninth month, imperial and sacrificial provisions were kept on ice. Grand Cuisine supplied sacrificial offerings, palace meals, seasonal banquets, and envoy feasts. Delicacies supplied palace dishes and delicacies. Fine Brew supplied wine and spirits. Condiments supplied malt sugar, oil, vinegar, sauces, preserved plums, and salt. The Office of Victims raised sacrificial animals, judging their condition and purifying them. The Herds Office did the same.

初，吳元年置宣徽院，設院使，正三品同知，正四品院判，正五品典簿。正七品以尚食、尚醴二局隸之。局設大使，從六品，副使，從七品洪武元年改為光祿寺，設光祿卿，正四品少卿，正五品寺丞，正六品主簿。正八品所屬尚食等局，又移太常司供需庫隸之。局庫官品仍舊。二年，設直長四人，遇百官賜食御前者，則令供事。四年，置法酒庫。設內酒坊大使，從八品，副使，從九品。八年，改寺為司，升卿秩，卿從三品，少卿從四品。以寺丞為司丞，從六品主簿為典簿，從七品增設錄事。從八品又置所屬大官、珍羞、良醞、掌醢四署，每署令一人，從六品丞一人，從七品監事一人。從八品孳牧所，大使一人，從九品副使一人。未入流十年，定光祿司散官品秩。時所用光祿司官，或內官，或流官，或庖人，出身不同，同授散官。至是定，內官除授者，照內官散官給授。流官除授者，照文官散官給授。庖人除授者，卿從三品，授尚膳大夫；少卿正五品，授奉膳大夫；司丞從六品，授司膳郎；客署丞從七品，授掌膳郎；監事從八品，授執膳郎。尋罷各局庫，置司牲司，又改孳牧所為司牧司。後為司牧局。三十年，復改為光祿寺，官制仍舊。少卿已定正五品。建文中，升少卿、寺丞品秩。少卿升四品，寺丞升五品。增設司圃所，改司牲司為孳牲所。升其品級成祖復舊制。正統六年，裁四署冗員。先是，光祿卿奈享以供應事繁，奏增各署官，至是復奏裁之。裁署正四人，署丞五人，監事七人。嘉靖七年，革司牧局。萬曆二年，添設銀庫大使一人。

In Wu 1 the Court of Palace Provisions was set up with a commissioner at rank 3a, vice commissioner at 4a, assistant commissioner at 5a, and registrar at 5a. at rank 7a. The Offices of Imperial Food and Imperial Wine were placed under it. Each bureau had a chief envoy at rank 6b and vice envoy at 7b. Hongwu year 1 renamed it the Court of Imperial Entertainments with a director at 4a, vice director at 5a, assistant director at 6a, and chief clerk at 6a. at rank 8b. Subordinate bureaus such as Imperial Food came under it, and the supply depot of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was transferred as well. Bureau and depot ranks were unchanged. Year 2 added four duty chiefs to serve whenever officials were granted food in the emperor's presence. Year 4 established the Statutory Wine Depot. An Inner Brewery was set up with a chief envoy at rank 8b and vice envoy at 9b. Year 8 renamed the court a bureau and raised ranks: the director to 3b and the vice director to 4b. Assistant directors became bureau assistants at 6b, chief clerks became registrars at 7b, and recorders were added at 8b. at rank 8b. Four subordinate offices were added—Grand Cuisine, Delicacies, Fine Brew, and Condiments—each with a director at 6b, deputy at 7b, and supervisor at 8b. at rank 8b. A Breeding Herds Office with one chief envoy and one vice envoy at 9b. Year 10 fixed the honorary ranks for Bureau of Imperial Entertainments officials outside the regular hierarchy. At the time the bureau drew on inner-court staff, regular officials, and cooks; despite their different backgrounds, all received the same honorary ranks. The rule was now fixed: appointees from the inner court received honorary ranks on the inner-court scale. Appointees from the regular civil service received honorary ranks on the civil-official scale. Cooks appointed as director at rank 3b received the title Grand Master of Imperial Provisions; vice director at rank 5a received Grand Master of Court Provisions; bureau assistant at rank 6b received Gentleman of Provisions; guest office assistant at rank 7b received Gentleman in Charge of Provisions; and supervisor at rank 8b received Gentleman Attending Provisions. Soon every bureau and depot was abolished, a Bureau of Victims was set up, and the Breeding Herds Office became the Bureau of Herds. It was later renamed the Herds Bureau. Year 30 restored the name Court of Imperial Entertainments and the former official structure. The vice director's rank had already been fixed at 5a. Under Jianwen the ranks of vice director and assistant director were raised. The vice director rose to rank 4 and the assistant director to rank 5. A Garden Produce Office was added and the Bureau of Victims became the Breeding Victims Office. Their ranks were raised; the Yongle Emperor then restored the former system. Zhengtong year 6 cut redundant staff in the four subordinate offices. Earlier, Director Nai Xiang had found provisioning work overwhelming and memorialized to add staff in each office; he now memorialized to cut them back. Four office directors, five assistant directors, and seven supervisors were abolished. Jiajing year 7 abolished the Herds Bureau. Wanli year 2 added one chief envoy for the Silver Depot.

太僕寺。卿一人，從三品少卿二人，正四品，正德十一年增設一人。寺丞四人。正六品其屬，主簿廳，主簿一人。從七品常盈庫，大使一人。所轄，各牧監，監正一人，正九品監副一人，從九品錄事一人。後監正、監副、錄事俱革。各羣，羣長一人。後革

The Court of the Imperial Stud. One director at rank 3b; two vice directors at rank 4a; Zhengde year 11 added a third vice director. Four assistant directors. Subordinates at rank 6a included a Registry with one chief clerk. The Full Stores Depot at rank 7b had one chief envoy. Each pasture under its jurisdiction had one supervisor-in-chief at rank 9a, one deputy supervisor at 9b, and one recorder at 9b. Later the supervisor-in-chief, deputy supervisor, and recorder were all abolished. Each herd had one herd chief. These posts were later abolished.

卿，掌牧馬之政令，以聽於兵部。少卿一人佐寺事，一人督營馬，一人督畿馬。寺丞分理京衛、畿內及山東、河南六郡孳牧、寄牧馬匹。濟南、兗州、東昌、開封、彰德、衛輝。凡軍民孳牧，視其丁產，授之種馬。牡十之二，牝十之八，為一羣。南方以四牝一牡為羣。歲徵其駒，曰備用馬，齊其力以給將士。將士足，則寄牧於畿內府州縣，肥瘠登耗，籍其毛齒而時閱之。三歲偕御史一人印烙，選其健良而汰其羸劣。其草場已墾成田者，歲斂其租金，災祲則出之以佐市馬。其賠償折納，則徵馬金輸兵部。主簿典勾省文移。大使典貯庫馬金。

The director oversaw horse-rearing policy and reported to the Ministry of War. One vice director assisted in court business, one supervised camp horses, and one supervised horses in the capital region. Assistant directors divided responsibility for breeding and entrusted horses in the capital guards, the capital region, and the six prefectures of Shandong and Henan. namely Jinan, Yanzhou, Dongchang, Kaifeng, Zhangde, and Weihui. For all military and civilian breeding, breeding stock was allotted according to household labor and means. A herd consisted of two stallions and eight mares in every ten head. In the south a herd was four mares to one stallion. Each year foals were levied as reserve horses, graded for strength, and issued to officers and soldiers. When troops had sufficient mounts, horses were entrusted to prefectures and counties in the capital region; condition and numbers were registered by coat and teeth and inspected regularly. At age three, together with a censor, horses were branded; the strong and sound were kept and the weak culled. Where pasture had been converted to farmland, rent was collected yearly; in years of disaster those funds helped purchase horses on the market. When compensation was commuted to cash payment, horse silver was levied and remitted to the Ministry of War. The chief clerk managed document review and filing. The chief envoy managed the depot's horse-silver reserves.

初，洪武四年置羣牧監於答答失裏營所，隨水草利便立官署，專司牧養。六年，更置羣牧監於滁州，旋改為太僕寺，秩從三品，設卿、少卿、寺丞，又設首領官知事、主簿各一人。七年，增設牧監、羣官二十七處，隸太僕寺。尋定羣牧監品秩。令，正五品，丞，正六品，鎮撫，從六品，羣頭十人、吏目一人，省注。十年，增置滁陽等各牧監及所屬各羣。改牧監令、丞為監正、監副。監正，從八品，監副，正九品，禦良，從九品。後又定監正為正九品。二十二年，定滁陽等十二牧監，每監設監正一人，監副二人，錄事一人。來安等一百二十七羣，每羣設羣長一人。初設羣副二人，至是革。二十三年，增置江東、當塗二牧監及所屬各羣。又罷烏衣等五十四羣，改置永安等七羣，定為牧監十四，滁陽、大興、香泉、儀真、定遠、天長、長淮、江都、句容、溧陽、江東、溧水、當塗、舒城。羣九十有七。大勝關、柏子、騮興、保寧、草堂五羣，隸滁陽監。永安、如皋、沿海、保全、朝陽、永昌、安定七羣，隸大興監。大錢、銅城、永豐、龍勝、龍山、永寧、新安、慶安、襄安九羣，隸香泉監。華陽、壽寧、廣陵、善應四羣，隸儀真監。龍江、龍安、萬勝、龍泉四羣，隸定遠監。天長、懷德、招信、得勝、武安五羣，隸天長監。長安、白石、荊山、南山、團山、草平六羣，隸長淮監。萬甯、廣生、萬驥、順德、大興、驥寧、崇德七羣，隸江都監。句容、易風、仍信、福胙、通德、承佩、上容、政仁、練塘、壽安十羣，隸句容監。舉福、從山、明義、永定、福賢、崇來、永城、永泰、奉安九羣，隸溧陽監。開寧、泉水、惟政、清化、神泉、新亭、長泰、光澤八羣，隸江東監。儀鳳、仙壇、立信、歸政、豐慶、安興、遊山、永寧八羣，隸溧水監。石城、永保、化洽、姑熟、繁昌、多福、丹陽、德政八羣，隸當塗監。棗林、海亭、伏龍、龍河、會龍、九龍、萬龍七羣，隸舒城監。二十八年，悉罷羣牧監，以其馬隸有司牧養。三十年，置行太僕寺於北平，秩如太僕寺。建文中，升寺丞品秩，舊六品，升五品。又改其首領官職名，增設錄事，及典廄、典牧二署，壚肅騻等十八羣，滁陽等八牧監，龍山等九十二羣。成祖復舊制。永樂元年，改北平行太僕寺為北京行太僕寺。十八年定都北京，遂以行太僕寺為太僕寺。洪熙元年，復稱北京行太僕寺。正統六年，定為太僕寺。其舊在滁州者，改為南京太僕寺。寺丞，初置四人。正統中，又增八人，共十二人，以一人領京衛，一人領順德、廣平二府，一人領開封、衛輝、彰德三府，九人分領順天、保定、真定、河間、永平、大名、濟南、兗州、東昌九府孳牧、寄牧各馬匹。弘治六年革四人。正德九年復增一人，專領寄牧之事。嘉靖八年又革三人，共六人分領，三年更代，而以寄牧者令府州縣兼理。隆慶三年又革三人，止設三人，以一人提督庫藏兼協理京邊，二人分理東西二路各馬政。

In Hongwu year 4 a herd pasture supervisor was first established at the Dadashili garrison, with offices placed wherever grass and water were favorable to manage horse rearing. Year 6 moved it to Chuzhou and soon renamed it the Court of the Imperial Stud at rank 3b, with director, vice director, and assistant director, plus one recorder and one chief clerk. Year 7 added twenty-seven pasture supervisors and herd offices under the court. Ranks for herd pasture supervisors were soon fixed. Director at 5a, deputy at 6a, pacification commissioner at 6b, ten herd heads and one clerk—the record abbreviates the rest. Year 10 added pasture supervisors such as Chuyang and their subordinate herds. Pasture directors and deputies were renamed supervisor-in-chief and deputy supervisor. Supervisor-in-chief at rank 8b, deputy supervisor at 9a, imperial groom at 9b. The supervisor-in-chief was later fixed at rank 9a. Year 22 fixed twelve pasture supervisors including Chuyang; each had one supervisor-in-chief, two deputy supervisors, and one recorder. One hundred twenty-seven herds including Lai'an each had one herd chief. Two deputy herd chiefs had initially been appointed; they were now abolished. Year 23 added the Jiangdong and Dangtu pasture supervisors and their subordinate herds. Fifty-four herds including Wuyi were abolished and seven including Yong'an were established; fourteen pasture supervisors were fixed at Chuyang, Daxing, Xiangquan, Yizhen, Dingyuan, Tianchang, Changhuai, Jiangdu, Jurong, Liyang, Jiangdong, Lishui, Dangtu, and Shucheng. There were ninety-seven herds in all. Dashengguan, Baizi, Liuxing, Baoning, and Caotang herds under Chuyang Pasture. Yong'an, Rugao, Yanhai, Baoquan, Chaoyang, Yongchang, and Anding herds under Daxing Pasture. Daqian, Tongcheng, Yongfeng, Longsheng, Longshan, Yongning, Xin'an, Qing'an, and Xiang'an herds under Xiangquan Pasture. Huayang, Shouning, Guangling, and Shanying herds under Yizhen Pasture. Longjiang, Long'an, Wansheng, and Longquan herds under Dingyuan Pasture. Tianchang, Huaide, Zhaoxin, Desheng, and Wu'an herds under Tianchang Pasture. Chang'an, Baishi, Jingshan, Nanshan, Tuanshan, and Caoping herds under Changhuai Pasture. Wanning, Guangsheng, Wanji, Shunde, Daxing, Jining, and Chongde herds under Jiangdu Pasture. Jurong, Yifeng, Rengxin, Fuzuo, Tongde, Chengpei, Shangrong, Zhengren, Liantang, and Shou'an herds under Jurong Pasture. Jufu, Congshan, Mingyi, Yongding, Fuxian, Chonglai, Yongcheng, Yongtai, and Feng'an herds under Liyang Pasture. Kaining, Quanshui, Weizheng, Qinghua, Shenquan, Xinting, Changtai, and Guangze herds under Jiangdong Pasture. Yifeng, Xiantan, Lixin, Guizheng, Fengqing, Anxing, Youshan, and Yongning herds under Lishui Pasture. Shicheng, Yongbao, Huaqia, Gushu, Fanchang, Duofu, Danyang, and Dezheng herds under Dangtu Pasture. Zaolin, Haiting, Fulong, Longhe, Huilong, Jiulong, and Wanlong herds under Shucheng Pasture. Year 28 abolished all herd pasture supervisors and placed their horses under local officials for rearing. Year 30 established an itinerant Court of the Imperial Stud at Beiping with rank equal to the main court. Under Jianwen the assistant director's rank was raised from the former 6 to 5. Chief officer titles were changed, recorders were added, and the Stable Management and Herd Management offices were set up, with eighteen herds including Lu, Su, and Juan, eight pasture supervisors including Chuyang, and ninety-two herds including Longshan. The Yongle Emperor restored the former system. Yongle year 1 renamed the Beiping itinerant court the Beijing itinerant Court of the Imperial Stud. When the capital was fixed at Beijing in year 18, the itinerant court became the Court of the Imperial Stud. Hongxi year 1 restored the name Beijing itinerant Court of the Imperial Stud. Zhengtong year 6 fixed it as the Court of the Imperial Stud. The former court at Chuzhou became the Nanjing Court of the Imperial Stud. Assistant directors: four were initially appointed. During Zhengtong eight more were added for twelve in all: one oversaw the capital guards, one Shunde and Guangping, one Kaifeng, Weihui, and Zhangde, and nine divided Shuntian, Baoding, Zhending, Hejian, Yongping, Daming, Jinan, Yanzhou, and Dongchang for breeding and entrusted horses. Hongzhi year 6 cut four posts. Zhengde year 9 added one post devoted exclusively to entrusted rearing. Jiajing year 8 cut three more, leaving six on three-year rotation; entrusted rearing was assigned to prefectures and counties to manage jointly. Longqing year 3 cut three more, leaving only three: one supervised the depot and coordinated capital-frontier affairs, and two divided horse administration on the eastern and western routes.

鴻臚寺。卿一人，正四品左、右少卿各一人，從五品左、右寺丞各一人。從六品其屬，主簿廳，主簿一人。從八品司儀、司賓二署，各署丞一人，正九品鳴贊四人，從九品，後增設五人。序班五十人。從九品。嘉靖三十六年革八人。萬曆十一年復設六人。

The Court of State Ceremonial. One director at rank 4a; left and right vice directors at rank 5b; left and right assistant directors at rank 6b. Subordinates at rank 6b included a Registry with one chief clerk. At rank 8b, the Ceremonies and Guests offices each had one assistant director at 9a; four masters of announcement at 9b were later increased by five. Fifty ushers. at rank 9b. Jiajing year 36 cut eight posts. Wanli year 11 restored six posts.

鴻臚，掌朝會、賓客、吉凶儀禮之事。凡國家大典禮、郊廟、祭祀、朝會、宴饗、經筵、冊封、進曆、進春、傳制、奏捷，各供其事。外吏朝覲，諸蕃入貢，與夫百官使臣之復命、謝恩，若見若辭者，並鴻臚引奏。歲正旦、上元、重午、重九、長至賜假、賜宴，四月賜字扇、壽縷，十一月賜戴暖耳，陪祀畢，頒胙賜，皆贊百官行禮。司儀，典陳設、引奏，外吏來朝，必先演儀於寺。司賓，典外國朝貢之使，辨其等而教其拜跪儀節。鳴贊，典贊儀禮。凡內贊、通贊、對贊、接贊、傳贊鹹職之。序班，典侍班、齊班、糾儀及傳贊。

The court oversaw court assemblies, foreign guests, and ritual for auspicious and inauspicious occasions. For great state ceremonials, suburban and temple rites, sacrifices, court assemblies, banquets, imperial lectures, investitures, calendar and spring offerings, promulgation of edicts, and victory reports, it supplied the appropriate service for each. For audiences by outside officials, tribute missions, and ministers' and envoys' reports of mission, thanksgiving audiences, presentations, and farewells, the court led presentation and memorialized to the throne. On New Year's Day, the Lantern Festival, Double Fifth, Double Ninth, and the winter solstice it arranged leave and banquets; in the fourth month inscribed fans and longevity threads; in the eleventh month ear-warmers; after collateral sacrifices it distributed sacrificial portions—all occasions on which it directed officials in ritual. The Master of Ceremonies managed arrangements and presenting memorials; outside officials rehearsed ritual at the court before audience. The Master of Guests managed foreign tribute envoys, distinguished their ranks, and instructed them in bowing and kneeling etiquette. The Master of Announcement directed ritual announcements. It handled all duties of inner, general, paired, receiving, and relayed announcement. Ushers managed attendance formation, lining up ranks, correcting ceremonial order, and relayed announcements.

初，吳元年置侍儀司，秩從五品。洪武四年定侍儀使，從七品引進使，正八品奉班都知，正九品通贊、通事舍人，從九品俱為七品以下官。九年，改為殿庭儀禮司，設使一人，正七品副三人，正八品丞奉一人，從八品鳴贊二人，正九品序班十六人，從九品九關通事使一人，正八品副六人。從八品十三年，改使為司正，分左、右司副各一人，增序班至四十四人，革承奉，增設司儀四人。二十二年，增設左、右司丞四人。正九品三十年，始改為鴻臚寺，升秩正四品，設官六十二員。卿以下員數、品級如前所列。又設外夷通事隸焉。建文中，升少卿以下品秩。少卿升正五品，寺丞升正六品。又改其首領官職名，與鳴贊、序班皆升品級。罷司儀、司賓二署，而以行人隸鴻臚寺。成祖初，悉復舊制。

Originally, in Wu 1 the Court Attendance Office was established at rank 5b. Hongwu year 4 fixed the Court Attendance Commissioner at rank 7b, the Presenting Commissioner at 8a, the Attendance Director at 9a, and Masters of Announcement and Secretariat Interpreters at 9b—all posts below rank 7. Year 9 renamed it the Hall Ceremonial Office: one director (7a), three vice directors (8a), one attendant (8b), two masters of announcement (9a), sixteen ushers (9b), one Nine-Pass Interpreter Commissioner (9b), and six vice commissioners (8a). At rank 8b; year 13 renamed the director Supervisor, appointed one left and one right vice supervisor, raised ushers to forty-four, abolished attendants, and added four masters of ceremonies. Year 22 added four left and right assistant supervisors. At rank 9a; year 30 renamed it the Court of State Ceremonial, raised its rank to 4a, and established sixty-two posts. Posts and ranks from the director down matched the listing above. Foreign interpreters were also placed under it. During Jianwen, ranks from the vice director down were raised. Vice directors rose to rank 5a and assistant directors to 6a. Chief officers' titles were changed, and masters of announcement and ushers all received higher ranks. The Ceremonies and Guests offices were abolished and receptionists placed under the court. At the start of Yongle, the former system was fully restored.

尚寶司。卿一人，正五品少卿一人，從五品司丞三人。正六品。吳元年但設一人，後增二人。掌寶璽、符牌、印章，而辨其所用。

The Imperial Seals Office. One director at rank 5a; one vice director at rank 5b; three assistant directors at rank 6a. Wu year 1 appointed only one; two were added later. It managed imperial seals, tally plaques, and official seals and determined their proper use.

寶二十有四。舊寶十有七，嘉靖十八年增制者七。曰：「皇帝奉天之寶」，為唐、宋傳璽，祀天地用之。若詔與赦，則用「皇帝之寶。」；冊封、賜勞，則用「皇帝行寶。」；詔親王、大臣及調兵，則用「皇帝信寶。」；上尊號，則用「皇帝尊親之寶。」；諭親王，則用「皇帝親親之寶」。其「天子之寶」，以祀山川、鬼神；「天子行寶」，以封外國及賜勞；「天子信寶」，以招外服及徵發。詔用「制誥之寶。」；敕用「敕命之寶。」；獎勵臣工，用「廣運之寶。」；敕諭朝覲官，用「敬天勤民之寶」。若「御前之寶」，「表章經史之寶」，「欽文之寶」，則圖書文史等用之。世宗增制，為「奉天承運大明天子寶」，為「大明受命之寶」，為「巡狩天下之寶」，為「垂訓之寶」，為「命德之寶」，為「討罪安民之寶」，為「敕正萬民之寶。」。太子之寶一，曰：「皇太子之寶」。凡寶之用，必奏請而待發。每大朝會，本司官二員，以寶導駕，俟升座，各置寶於案，立待殿中。禮畢，捧寶分行，至中極殿，置案而出。駕出幸，則奉以從焉。歲終，移欽天監，擇日和香物入水，洗寶於皇極門。籍奏一歲用寶之數。凡請寶、用寶、捧寶、隨寶、洗寶、繳寶，皆與內官尚寶監俱。

There were twenty-four imperial seals. Seventeen were legacy seals; seven were added in Jiajing year 18. One, "Seal Received from Heaven by the Emperor," was a Tang and Song heirloom used for sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. Edicts and amnesties used the "Imperial Seal" investiture and rewards for service used the "Imperial Traveling Seal" edicts to princes and ministers and orders to mobilize troops used the "Imperial Trust Seal" bestowing honorific titles used the "Imperial Seal Honoring the Parent" Instructions to princes used the "Imperial Seal of Kinship." The "Heaven's Son Seal" served sacrifices to mountains, rivers, and spirits; the "Heaven's Son Traveling Seal" for investitures abroad and service rewards; the "Heaven's Son Trust Seal" for summoning border domains and mobilizing forces. Edicts used the "Seal of Proclamations and Decrees" Imperial commands used the "Seal of Commands" Rewards to officials used the "Seal of Broad Influence" Instructions to officials attending court used the "Seal of Revering Heaven and Diligently Serving the People." The "Seal Before the Throne," "Seal for Petitions on the Classics and Histories," and "Seal of Imperial Documents" served books, writings, and historical matters. The Jiajing Emperor added seven: "Great Ming Heaven's Son Seal, Mandate Received," "Great Ming Seal of Received Mandate," "Seal for Imperial Tours," "Seal of Lasting Instruction," "Seal of Mandated Virtue," "Seal for Punishing Crime and Settling the People," and "Seal for Correcting All the People." The crown prince had one seal, the "Seal of the Crown Prince." Use of any seal required memorial submission and awaiting issuance. At each great court assembly, two officers of the office guided the procession with the seals; after the emperor ascended the throne, each placed a seal on its stand and waited in the hall. When the rite ended, they carried the seals separately to the Hall of Central Supremacy, set them on stands, and withdrew. When the emperor traveled, they accompanied him bearing the seals. At year's end they coordinated with the Directorate of Astronomy, chose an auspicious day, and with incense and offerings washed the seals at the Gate of Imperial Ultimate. They recorded and memorialized how many times each seal had been used that year. Requesting, using, bearing, accompanying, washing, and returning seals were all handled jointly with the inner-court Imperial Seals Directorate.

凡金牌之號五，以給勳戚侍衛之扈從及班直者、巡朝者、夜宿衛者：曰仁，其形龍，公、侯、伯、駙馬都尉佩之；曰義，其形虎，勳衛指揮佩之；曰禮，其形麟，千戶佩之；曰智，其形獅，百戶佩之；曰信，其形祥雲，將軍佩之。半字銅符之號四，以給巡城寺衛官：曰承，曰東，曰西，曰北。巡者左半，守者右半，合契而點察焉。權杖之號六：曰申，以給金吾諸衛之警夜者；曰木，曰金，曰土，曰火，曰水，以給五城之警夜者。銅牌之號一，以稽守卒，曰勇。牙牌之號五，以察朝參：公、侯、伯曰勳，駙馬都尉曰親，文官曰文，武官曰武，教坊司曰樂。嘉靖中，總編曰官字某號，朝參佩以出入，不則門者止之。私相借者，論如律。有故，納之內府。祭牌之號三：陪，祀官曰陪，供事官曰供，執事人曰執。雙魚銅牌之號二：曰嚴，以肅直衛錦衣校尉之止直者；曰善，以飾光祿胥役之供事者。符驗之號五：曰馬，曰水，曰達，曰通，曰信。符驗之制，上織船馬之狀，起馬用「馬。」字，雙馬用「達。」字，單馬用「通。」字。起船者用「水。」字，並船用「信。」字。親王之籓及文武出鎮撫、行人通使命者，則給之。御史出巡察則給印，事竣，鹹驗而納之。稽出入之令，而辨其數，其職至邇，其事至重也。

Five gold tally types served meritorious kin bodyguards on escort, standing duty, palace patrol, and night guard: Ren (Benevolence), dragon-shaped, for dukes, marquises, earls, and imperial sons-in-law; Yi (Righteousness), tiger-shaped, for meritorious guard commanders; Li (Propriety), unicorn-shaped, for chiliarchs; Zhi (Wisdom), lion-shaped, for centurions; Xin (Trust), auspicious-cloud-shaped, for generals. Four half-character bronze tallies identified city-patrol guard officers: Cheng, East, West, and North. Patrollers held the left half and guards the right; matching the halves verified attendance. Six staff-tally types included Shen for night-watch officers of the Golden Guard and other guards; Mu, Jin, Tu, Huo, and Shui for night-watch officers of the Five Cities. One bronze plaque type, Yong (Valor), checked garrison soldiers. Five ivory plaque types verified court attendance: Xun (Merit) for dukes, marquises, and earls; Qin (Kin) for imperial sons-in-law; Wen (Civil) for civil officials; Wu (Military) for military officials; and Yue (Music) for the Music Office. During Jiajing they were inscribed "Official Type, Serial No. __"; court attendance required wearing them to pass—otherwise gatekeepers barred entry. Private lending was punished under statute. When no longer needed, they were returned to the inner palace. Three sacrificial plaque types: Pei for collateral sacrificers, Gong for supply officers, and Zhi for attendants. Two double-fish bronze plaque types: Yan enforced off-duty discipline among Brocade Guard squad sergeants; Shan regulated attendants among the Court of Imperial Entertainments laborers. Five travel-credential types: Ma, Shui, Da, Tong, and Xin. Credentials bore woven depictions of boats and horses; single-horse relay used "Ma" ; double-horse relay used "Da" ; ordinary single-horse relay used "Tong" . Boat relay used "Shui" ; combined boat relay used "Xin" . They were issued to fief princes, civil and military pacification commissioners, and receptionists on diplomatic missions. Censors on inspection tours received seals; when missions ended, all were verified and returned. It verified entry and exit orders and tracked their numbers—a duty of utmost immediacy and gravity.

吏、戶、禮、兵、刑、工六科。各都給事中一人，正七品左、右給事中各一人。從七品給事中，吏科四人，戶科八人，禮科六人，兵科十人，刑科八人，工科四人。並從七品，後增、減員數不常。萬曆九年裁兵科五人，戶、刑二科各四人，禮科二人。十一年復設戶、兵、刑三科各二人，禮科一人。六科，掌侍從、規諫、補闕、拾遺、稽察六部百司之事。凡制敕宣行，大事覆奏，小事署而頒之；有失，封還執奏。凡內外所上章疏下，分類抄出，參署付部，駁正其違誤。吏科，凡吏部引選，則掌科即都給事中，以掌本科印，故名，六科同。同至御前請旨。外官領文憑，皆先赴科畫字。內外官考察自陳後，則與各科具奏。拾遺糾其不職者。戶科，監光祿寺歲入金穀，甲字等十庫錢鈔雜物，與各科兼蒞之，皆三月而代。內外有陳乞田土、隱佔侵奪者，糾之。禮科，監訂禮部儀制，凡大臣曾經糾劾削奪、有玷士論者紀錄之，以核贈諡之典。兵科，凡武臣貼黃誥敕，本科一人監視。其引選畫憑之制，如吏科。刑科，每歲二月下旬，上前一年南北罪囚之數，歲終類上一歲蔽獄之數，閱十日一上實在罪囚之數，皆憑法司移報而奏禦焉。工科，閱試軍器局，同御史巡視節慎庫，與各科稽查寶源局。而主德闕違，朝政失得，百官賢佞，各科或單疏專達，或公疏連署奏聞。雖分隸六科，其事屬重大者，各科皆得通奏。但事屬某科，則列其科為首。凡日朝，六科輪一人立殿左右，珥筆記旨。凡題奏，日附科籍，五日一送內閣，備編纂。其諸司奉旨處分事目，五日一註銷，核稽緩。內官傳旨必覆奏，復得旨而後行。鄉試充考試官，會試充同考官，殿試充受卷官。冊封宗室、諸蕃或告諭外國，充正、副使。朝參門籍，六科流掌之。登聞鼓樓，日一人，皆錦衣衛官監蒞。洪武元年，以監察御史一人監登聞鼓，後令六科與錦衣衛輪直。受牒，則具題本封上。遇決囚，有投牒訟冤者，則判停刑請旨。凡大事廷議，大臣廷推，大獄廷鞫，六掌科皆預焉。

The Six Offices of Scrutiny: Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works. Each had one supervising secretary at rank 7a and one left and one right associate supervising secretary at rank 7b; personnel four, revenue eight, rites six, war ten, justice eight, and works four secretaries. All at rank 7b; later staffing changes were frequent. Wanli year 9 cut five war posts, four each from revenue and justice, and two from rites. Year 11 restored two each to revenue, war, and justice and one to rites. The Six Offices handled attendance, remonstrance, filling omissions, recovering oversights, and scrutiny of the Six Ministries and all offices. When edicts and commands were promulgated, major matters required re-memorialization; minor ones were signed and issued; Errors were sealed and returned for re-memorialization. Incoming memorials from within and without were copied by category, countersigned, forwarded to ministries, and corrected for errors. In the Personnel Office, when the Ministry of Personnel presented candidates, the supervising secretary—the office head, so named for holding the seal—did likewise in all six offices; together they went before the throne to request the imperial decision. Outside officials receiving appointment credentials first had to obtain the office's countersignature. After provincial and capital officials filed self-reports in the performance review, each office jointly memorialized with the others. Remonstrance recoverers impeached officials who had failed in their duties. The Revenue Office supervised the Court of Imperial Entertainments' annual revenue in gold and grain and the ten vaults—including the Jia vault—for cash notes and miscellaneous goods, sharing duty with the other offices on three-month rotations. It impeached petitions for land grants and cases of concealed occupation or unlawful seizure, whether in the capital or the provinces. The Rites Office supervised revision of the Ministry of Rites' ritual code and recorded grand ministers who had been impeached, stripped of honors, or discredited in scholarly opinion, for use in verifying posthumous honors and titles. In the War Office, one secretary supervised the attached yellow briefs and patent letters issued to military officers. Its procedures for candidate referral, selection, and credential countersigning followed those of the Personnel Office. The Justice Office each year in late second month reported the previous year's prisoner totals for north and south; at year's end it summarized closed cases for the year; every ten days it reported current prisoner counts—all based on transfer reports from the judicial offices and memorialized to the throne. The Works Office inspected the Armory Bureau, joined censors in inspecting the Treasury of Careful Stewardship, and with the other offices scrutinized the Bureau of Precious Sources. On deficiencies in imperial virtue, errors in court governance, and the worthiness or sycophancy of officials, each office could submit an individual memorial directly or a collective memorial with joint signatures. Although each office had its specialty, any office could memorialize on matters of major importance. When a matter fell under a particular office's jurisdiction, that office was named first on the memorial. At daily court audiences, the Six Offices rotated one secretary to stand beside the throne with a pen behind the ear, recording the imperial will. Memorials and reports were logged daily in the office register and sent to the Grand Secretariat every five days for compilation. Items ordered by imperial decree were checked off every five days to verify whether execution had been delayed. Orders transmitted by inner-court eunuchs had to be re-memorialized; execution proceeded only after the order was confirmed a second time. They served as examination officers in provincial exams, associate examiners in metropolitan exams, and scroll receivers in palace exams. They served as chief and deputy envoys for investitures of imperial clansmen, tributary domains, and missions proclaiming imperial instructions to foreign states. The Six Offices took turns maintaining the court attendance gate register. At the Drum Tower for Reaching the Emperor's Hearing, one secretary served each day under supervision by Brocade Guard officers. In Hongwu 1 one investigating censor supervised the reaching-hearing drum; later the Six Offices and the Brocade Guard took turns on duty. When a petition was received, they prepared a topic memorial and forwarded it sealed to the throne. During executions, if someone submitted a petition alleging injustice, they halted the execution pending imperial order. All six supervising secretaries participated in court deliberations on major affairs, court recommendations of grand ministers, and court interrogations in major cases.

明初，統設給事中，正五品，後數更其秩。與起居注同。洪武六年，設給事中十二人，秩正七品，始分為六科，每科二人，鑄給事中印一，推年長者一人掌之。九年，定給事中十人。十年，隸承敕監。十二年，改隸通政司。十三年，置諫院，左、右司諫各一人，正七品左、右正言各二人。從七品十五年，又置諫議大夫。以兵部尚書唐鐸為之。尋皆罷。二十二年，改給事中為源士，增至八十一人。初，魏敏、卓敬等凡八十一人為給事中。上以其適符古元士之數，改為元士。至是，又以六科為事之本源，改為源士。未幾，復為給事中。二十四年，更定科員，每科都給事中一人，正八品。左、右給事中二人，從八品。給事中共四十人，正九品。各科分設員數，如前所列。建文中，改都給事中，正七品，給事中，從七品，不置左、右給事中。增設拾遺、補闕。成祖初，革拾遺、補闕，仍置左、右給事中，亦從七品。尋改六科，置於午門外直房蒞事。六科衙門舊在磚門內尚寶司西。永樂中災，移午門外東西，每夜一科直宿。宣德八年，增戶科給事中，專理黃冊。

Early in the dynasty supervising secretaries were established uniformly at rank 5a; their ranks were revised several times thereafter. Their rank changes matched those of the Diarists. In Hongwu year 6 twelve supervising secretaries at rank 7a were appointed and first divided into six offices of two each; one office seal was cast and held by the senior member. In year 9 the number of supervising secretaries was fixed at ten. In year 10 they were placed under the Imperial Decree Reception Directorate. In year 12 they were transferred to the Office of Transmission. In year 13 the Remonstrance Bureau was established with one Left and one Right Remonstrance Director at rank 7a and two Left and two Right Chief Censors at rank 7b. In year 15 Remonstrance Grand Masters were also appointed. Minister of War Tang Duo was appointed to the post. Soon all these posts were abolished. In year 22 supervising secretaries were retitled Source Scholars and increased to eighty-one posts. Initially eighty-one men, including Wei Min and Zhuo Jing, served as supervising secretaries. Because their number matched the ancient quota of foundational scholars, the emperor retitled them Foundational Scholars. They were then retitled Source Scholars because the Six Offices were regarded as the root source of government business. Before long the title was restored to supervising secretaries. In year 24 office staffing was revised: each office received one supervising secretary at rank 8a. Two left and right associate supervising secretaries at rank 8b. Forty secretaries in all at rank 9a. Each office's allotted posts were as listed above. During the Jianwen reign supervising secretaries were raised to rank 7a and secretaries to rank 7b, and left and right associate supervising secretaries were abolished. Posts of remonstrance recoverer and gap-filler were added. At the start of the Yongle reign remonstrance recoverers and gap-fillers were abolished and left and right associate supervising secretaries restored, also at rank 7b. Soon the Six Offices were reorganized and assigned duty rooms outside the Meridian Gate. The Six Offices had formerly been quartered inside Brick Gate, west of the Imperial Seals Directorate. After a fire in the Yongle reign they moved to quarters east and west of the Meridian Gate, with one office on night duty each night. In Xuande year 8 an additional revenue secretary was appointed to manage yellow registers exclusively.

中書科。中書舍人二十人，從七品直文華殿東房中書舍人，直武英殿西房中書舍人，內閣誥敕房中書舍人，制敕房中書舍人。並從七品，無定員。

The Secretarial Drafters Bureau. Twenty secretariat drafters at rank 7b; drafters assigned to the east chambers of the Hall of Literary Glory; drafters assigned to the west chambers of the Hall of Military Eminence; drafters in the Grand Secretariat Commission Drafting Office; and drafters in the Decree Drafting Office. All at rank 7b, with no fixed quota.

中書科舍人掌書寫誥敕、制詔、銀冊、鐵券等事。凡草請諸翰林，寶請諸內府，左券及勘籍，歸諸古今通集庫。誥敕，公侯伯及一品至五品誥命、六品至九品敕命。勘合籍，初用二十八宿，後用《急就章》為號。誥敕之號，曰仁、義、禮、智，公、侯、伯、蕃王、一品、二品用之；曰十二支，曰文、行、忠、信，文官三品以下用之；曰千字文，武官、續誥用之。皆以千號為滿，滿則復始。王府及駙馬都尉不編號，土官以文武類編。凡大朝會，則侍班。東宮令節朝賀，則導駕侍班於文華殿。冊封宗室，則充副使。其鄉試、會試、殿試，間有差遣，充授並如科員。大祀南郊，則隨駕而供事。員無正貳，印用年深者掌之。文華殿舍人，職掌奉旨書寫書籍。武英殿舍人，職掌奉旨篆寫冊寶、圖書、冊頁。內閣誥敕房舍人，掌書辦文官誥敕，番譯敕書，並外國文書、揭帖，兵部紀功、勘合底簿。制敕房舍人，掌書辦制敕、詔書、誥命、冊表、寶文、玉牒、講章、碑額、題奏、揭帖一應機密文書，各王府敕符底簿。

Bureau drafters handled the writing of patent letters, decrees and proclamations, silver registers, iron certificates, and related documents. Drafts came from the Hanlin Academy, seals from the inner palace, and left tally halves and verification registers were kept in the Treasury of Ancient and Modern Comprehensive Collections. Patent letters went to dukes, marquises, and earls and to civil appointees from rank 1a through 5a; command letters to appointees from rank 6a through 9b. Tally verification registers initially used the twenty-eight lunar mansions for numbering; later the Rapid Composition Primer was used instead. Patent serials named Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, and Wisdom were used for dukes, marquises, earls, tributary kings, and ranks 1a and 2a; the twelve earthly branches; and Culture, Conduct, Loyalty, and Trust—for civil officials below rank 3a; the Thousand-Character Classic—for military officers and supplemental patents. Each series ran to one thousand numbers and then started over. Princely establishments and imperial sons-in-law received no serial numbers; native officials were numbered separately by civil and military type. At great court assemblies they stood attendance in the imperial procession. On the crown prince's festive court audiences they guided the procession and stood attendance in the Hall of Literary Glory. For investitures of imperial clansmen they served as deputy envoys. They were occasionally assigned to provincial, metropolitan, and palace examinations in the same capacities as the Six Offices' secretaries. At the great suburban sacrifice they accompanied the imperial procession and performed attendant duties. There were no fixed chief and deputy ranks; the seal was held by the longest-serving drafter. Drafters in the Hall of Literary Glory wrote books on imperial order. Drafters in the Hall of Military Eminence wrote seal registers, books, and album leaves in seal script on imperial order. Grand Secretariat commission drafters handled civil patent letters, translated patent letters, foreign documents and briefing notes, and the War Ministry's merit records and tally ledgers. Decree drafters handled decrees, imperial proclamations, patent letters, investiture memorials, seal texts, jade genealogies, lecture chapters, stele inscriptions, memorial headings, briefing notes, and other confidential documents, as well as command-tally ledgers for each princely establishment.

洪武七年，初設直省舍人十人，秩從八品，隸中書省。九年，為中書舍人，改正七品，尋又改從七品。十年，與給事中皆隸承敕監。建文中，革中書舍人，改為侍書，升正七品，入文翰館，隸翰林院。成祖復舊制。尋設中書科署於午門外，定設中書舍人二十人。其恩廕帶俸者，不在額內。宣德間，內閣置誥敕、制敕兩房，皆設中書舍人。嘉靖二十年，選各部主事，大理寺評事，帶原銜直誥敕、制敕兩房。四十四年，兩房員缺，令吏部考選舉人為中書舍人。隆慶元年，令兩房辦事官不得升列九卿。按洪武間，置承敕監、洪武九年置，設令一人，正六品，丞二人，從六品。尋改令正七品，丞正八品。十年改令、丞為承敕郎，設二人，從七品。給事中、中書舍人鹹隸焉。後罷。司文監、洪武九年置，設令一人，正六品，丞二人，從六品。尋改令正七品，丞正八品。十年罷。考功監，洪武八年置，設令、丞。九年定設令一人，正六品，丞二人，從六品。尋改令正七品，丞正八品。十八年罷。參掌給授誥敕之事。永樂初，命內閣學士典機務，詔冊、制誥皆屬之。而謄副、繕正皆中書舍人入辦，事竣輒出。宣德初，始選能書者處於閣之西小房，謂之西制敕房。而諸學士掌誥敕者居閣東，具稿付中書繕進，謂之東誥敕房。此係辦事。若知制誥銜，惟大學士與諸學士可帶。正統後，學士不能視誥敕，內閣悉委於中書、序班、譯字等官，於是內閣又有東誥敕房。因劉鉉不與輔臣會食始。嘉靖末，復以翰林史官掌外製，而武官誥敕仍自其屬為之。若詔赦、敕革之類，必由閣臣，翰林諸臣不得預。其直文華、武英兩殿供御筆劄者，初為內官職，繼以中書分直，後亦專舉能書者。大約舍人有兩途，由進士部選者，得遷科道部屬，其直兩殿、兩房舍人，不必由部選，自甲科、監生、生儒、布衣能書者，俱可為之。不由科甲者，初授序班，及試中書舍人，不得遷科道部屬，後雖加銜九列，仍帶銜辦事。楷書出身者，或加太常卿銜，沈度、沈粲、潘辰等有加至翰林學士、禮部尚書者。洪武初，又有承天門待詔一人，閣門使四人，觀察使十人，後俱革。

In Hongwu year 7 ten provincial secretarial drafters were first established at rank 8b under the Secretariat. In year 9 they were retitled secretariat drafters and raised to rank 7a, then soon reduced to rank 7b. In year 10 both drafters and supervising secretaries were placed under the Imperial Decree Reception Directorate. During the Jianwen reign secretariat drafters were abolished, retitled attendant scribes, promoted to rank 7a, placed in the Literary Drafting Hall, and subordinated to the Hanlin Academy. The Yongle Emperor restored the former system. Soon the Secretarial Drafters Bureau was established outside the Meridian Gate with a fixed staff of twenty drafters. Hereditary grace appointees drawing salary were outside the fixed quota. In the Xuande reign the Grand Secretariat established commission drafting and decree drafting offices, each staffed with secretariat drafters. In Jiajing year 20 section directors from the ministries and reviewing secretaries from the Court of Judicial Review were selected to serve in the commission and decree drafting offices while retaining their original ranks. In year 44, when both offices had vacancies, the Ministry of Personnel was ordered to appoint presented scholars as secretariat drafters. In Longqing 1 it was decreed that processing officers in the two offices could not be promoted to the Nine Ministers. During Hongwu the Imperial Decree Reception Directorate was established in year 9 with one director at rank 6a and two vice directors at rank 6b. Soon the director was reduced to rank 7a and the vice directors to rank 8a. In year 10 the director and vice directors were retitled imperial decree reception officers; two posts were established at rank 7b. Supervising secretaries and secretariat drafters were all placed under it. It was later abolished. The Documentary Directorate, established in Hongwu year 9, had one director at rank 6a and two vice directors at rank 6b. Soon the director was reduced to rank 7a and the vice directors to rank 8a. It was abolished in year 10. The Merit Evaluation Directorate, established in Hongwu year 8, had a director and vice directors. In year 9 it was fixed at one director at rank 6a and two vice directors at rank 6b. Soon the director was reduced to rank 7a and the vice directors to rank 8a. It was abolished in year 18. It jointly managed the issuance of patent letters. Early in the Yongle reign Grand Secretariat academicians were charged with managing state affairs; proclamations, investiture documents, and patent letters all fell under their authority. Fair copies and transcription, however, were handled by secretariat drafters who entered to process documents and withdrew when the work was done. Early in the Xuande reign skilled calligraphers were first selected for a small room west of the pavilion, called the West Decree Drafting Office. Academicians in charge of patent letters remained in the east pavilion, prepared drafts, and handed them to the secretariat for transcription and submission—the East Commission Drafting Office. This concerned administrative duty. Only grand secretaries and academicians could hold the title Associate in Decree Drafting. After the Zhengtong reign academicians no longer oversaw patent letters; the Grand Secretariat delegated the work entirely to secretariat drafters, marshals, and transliteration officers, and the East Commission Drafting Office was reestablished within the Grand Secretariat. The change began when Liu Xuan stopped dining with the chief ministers. Late in the Jiajing reign Hanlin historiographers again managed external drafts, while military patent letters continued to be handled by their subordinates. Proclamations of amnesty, decree revisions, and similar documents had to pass through cabinet ministers; Hanlin officials were excluded. Drafters assigned to the Halls of Literary Glory and Military Eminence to supply imperial brush notes were at first inner eunuch posts, then secretariat drafters on rotation, and later specially selected skilled calligraphers. Drafters generally followed two paths: those selected through the Ministry of Personnel from among jinshi could transfer to the censorate or the ministries; drafters in the two halls and two offices did not require ministry selection—jinshi, students, scholars, and commoners skilled in writing could all serve. Those not from the civil examination were first appointed marshals; after passing the secretariat drafter examination they could not transfer to the censorate or ministries; even when later given rank-9 titles, they still served with nominal ranks. Calligraphers from regular-script backgrounds could receive the title Vice Director of Imperial Sacrifices; Shen Du, Shen Can, Pan Chen, and others rose as high as Hanlin academicians and Ministers of Rites. Early in the Hongwu reign there were also one edict-awaiter at the Gate of Accepting Heaven, four gate commissioners, and ten observation commissioners—all later abolished.

行人司。司正一人，正七品左、右司副各一人，從七品行人三十七人。正八品職專捧節、奉使之事。凡頒行詔赦，冊封宗室，撫諭諸蕃，徵聘賢才，與夫賞賜、慰問、賑濟、軍旅、祭祀，鹹敘差焉。每歲朝審，則行人持節傳旨法司，遣戍囚徒，送五府填精微冊，批繳內府。

The Reception Office. One director at rank 7a; one left and one right vice director each at rank 7b; and thirty-seven reception attendants. At rank 8a its duty was specialized in holding credentials and conducting embassies. Issuing amnesty proclamations, investing imperial clansmen, pacifying foreign peoples, recruiting talent, and also rewards, condolences, relief, military affairs, and sacrifices—all were assigned in turn. Each year at the judicial review reception attendants held credentials to transmit edicts to the judicial offices, dispatch convicts to frontier service, send them to the Five Chief Military Commissions to fill detailed registers, and return the batch to the inner palace.

初，洪武十三年置行人司，設行人，秩正九品。左、右行人，從九品。尋改行人為司正，左、右行人為左、右司副，更設行人三百四十五人。二十七年升品秩，以所任行人多孝廉人材，奉使率不稱旨，定設行人司官四十員，咸以進士為之。非奉旨，不得擅遣，行人之職始重。建文中，罷行人司，而以行人隸鴻臚寺。成祖復舊制。

Initially, in Hongwu year 13 the Reception Office was established with reception attendants at rank 9a. Left and right reception attendants at rank 9b. Soon the attendants were renamed director, the left and right attendants became left and right vice directors, and three hundred forty-five attendants were added. In year 27 ranks were raised; because most appointees were filial and pure talent whose embassies often failed to satisfy imperial intent, the office was fixed at forty posts, all filled by jinshi. Without an imperial order they could not be dispatched at will, and the reception attendant's duty gained real weight. In the Jianwen era the Reception Office was abolished and the attendants were placed under the Court of State Ceremonial. Chengzu restored the old system.

欽天監。監正一人，正五品監副二人。正六品其屬，主簿廳，主簿一人，正八品春、夏、中、秋、冬官正各一人，正六品五官靈臺郎八人，從七品，後革四人。五官保章正二人，正八品，後革一人。五官挈壺正二人，從八品，後革一人。五官監候三人，正九品，後革一人。五官司曆二人，正九品五官司晨八人，從九品，後革六人。漏刻博士六人。從九品，後革五人。

The Directorate of Astronomy. One superintendent at rank 5a and two vice superintendents at rank 6a. Its subordinates included the Registrar Office with one registrar at rank 8a; one director each for Spring, Summer, Intercalary, Autumn, and Winter at rank 6a; and eight Clerks of the Spirit Platform at rank 7b, later reduced by four. Two Directors of Preservation and Registers at rank 8a, later reduced by one. Two Directors of Water-Clock Regulation at rank 8b, later reduced by one. Three Astral Observers at rank 9a, later reduced by one. Two Calendar Clerks at rank 9a; eight Dawn Announcers at rank 9b, later reduced by six. Six Water-Clock Doctors. At rank 9b, later reduced by five.

監正、副，掌察天文、定歷數、占候、推步之事。凡日月、星辰、風雲、氣色，率其屬而測候焉。有變異，密疏以聞。凡習業分四科：曰天文，曰漏刻，曰回回，曰曆。自五官正下至天文生、陰陽人，各分科肄業。每歲冬至日，呈奏明歲《大統曆》，成化十五年改頒明歲曆於十月朔日。移送禮部頒行。其《御覽月令曆》、《七政躔度曆》、《六壬遁甲曆》、《四季天象錄》，並先期進呈。凡曆注，禦曆注三十事，如祭祀、頒詔、行幸等類。民曆三十二事，壬遁曆七十二事。凡祭日，前一年會選以進，移知太常。凡營建、徵討、冠婚、山陵之事，則選地而擇日。立春，則預候氣於東郊。大朝賀，於文樓設定時鼓、漏刻報時，司晨、雞唱，各供其事。日月交食，先期算其分秒時刻、起復方位以聞，下禮部，移內外諸司救之，仍按佔書條奏。若食不及一分，與《回回曆》雖食一分以上，則奏而不救。監官毋得改他官，子孫毋得徙他業。乏人，則移禮部訪取而試用焉。五官正推曆法，定四時。司曆、監候佐之。靈臺郎辨日月星辰之躔次、分野，以占候天文之變。觀象臺四面，面四天文生，輪司測候。保章正專志天文之變，定其吉凶之佔。挈壺正知刻漏。孔壺為漏，浮箭為刻，以考中星昏旦之次。漏刻博士定時以漏，換時以牌，報更以鼓，警晨昏以鐘鼓。司晨佐之。

The superintendent and vice superintendents managed observing astronomy, fixing calendrical numbers, divination observation, and computational ephemerides. For the sun, moon, stars, wind, clouds, and atmospheric colors they led their subordinates in observation. Anomalies were reported in secret memorials. Training was divided into four specialties: astronomy, water-clocks, Islamic astronomy, and calendar. From the Five Directors down to astronomy students and yin-yang practitioners, each trained in a separate specialty. Each year on the winter solstice they memorialized the next year's 《Great Unity Calendar》; in Chenghua year 15 issuance of the next year's calendar was moved to the first day of the tenth month. It was transferred to the Ministry of Rites for promulgation. The 《Imperial Monthly Order Calendar》, 《Seven Luminaries Ephemeris Calendar》, 《Six Ren Hidden Stem Calendar》, and 《Four Seasons Celestial Phenomena Record》 were all submitted in advance. Calendar annotations included thirty imperial matters, such as sacrifices, proclamations, and imperial tours. Thirty-two common calendar matters and seventy-two Ren Dun calendar matters. Sacrificial dates were selected jointly in the previous year and forwarded to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. For construction, punitive campaigns, capping and marriage, and imperial tombs they selected sites and chose days. At Start of Spring they presaged the qi at the eastern suburb. At great court congratulations they set timing drums and water-clock time at the Literary Tower; Dawn Announcers and cock-crow each performed their duties. For solar and lunar eclipses they calculated in advance the degrees, seconds, timing, and orientation of onset and recovery and reported them; the Ministry of Rites was notified, all offices inside and outside were instructed to perform rescue rites, and memorials were submitted according to prognostication texts. If the eclipse was less than one degree, or if the 《Islamic Calendar》 showed an eclipse of more than one degree, they memorialized without ordering rescue rites. Directorate officials could not transfer to other posts, and their descendants could not change professions. When personnel were lacking, the Ministry of Rites was asked to recruit candidates for trial appointment. The Five Directors computed calendar methods and fixed the four seasons. Calendar Clerks and Observers assisted them. Clerks of the Spirit Platform distinguished the positions and territorial correspondences of the sun, moon, and stars to observe celestial changes. The Observatory had four sides; on each side four astronomy students rotated in observation duty. Directors of Preservation and Registers specialized in celestial changes and fixed auspicious and inauspicious prognostications. Directors of Water-Clock Regulation managed the clepsydra. A bronze vessel served as the clepsydra and a floating marker as the marks, to verify meridian stars and the sequence of dawn and dusk. Water-Clock Doctors fixed time by clepsydra, changed time by placard, announced watches by drum, and warned dawn and dusk by bells and drums. Dawn Announcers assisted them.

明初，即置太史監，設太史令，通判太史監事，僉判太史監事，校事郎，五官正，靈臺郎，保章正、副，挈壺正，掌曆，管勾等官。以劉基為太史令。吳元年，改監為院，秩正三品。院使，正三品，同知，正四品，院判，正五品，五官正，正六品，典簿、雨暘司、時敘郎、紀候郎，正七品，靈臺郎、保章正，正八品，副，從八品，掌曆、管勾，從九品。洪武元年，徵元太史張佑、張沂等十四人，改太史院為司天監，設監令一人，正三品少監二人，正四品監丞一人，正六品主簿一人，正七品主事一人，正八品五官正五人，正五品五官副五人，正六品靈臺郎二人，正七品保章正二人，從七品監候三人，正八品司辰八人，正九品漏刻博士六人。從九品又置回回司天監，設監令一人，正四品少監二人，正五品監丞二人。正六品徵元回回司天監鄭阿裏等議曆。三年，改司天監為欽天監。四年，詔監官職專司天，非特旨不得升調。又定監官散官。監令，正儀大夫；少監，分朔大夫；五官司，司玄大夫；監丞，靈臺郎；五官保章正，平秩郎；五官靈臺郎，司正郎；五官挈壺正，挈壺郎。十四年，改欽天監為正五品，設令一人，丞一人，屬官五官正以下，員數如前所列。俱從品級授以文職散官。二十二年，改令為監正，丞為監副。三十一年，罷回回欽天監，以其曆法隸本監。明初，又置稽疑司，以掌卜筮，未幾罷。洪武十七年，置稽疑司，設司令一人，正六品，左、右丞各一人，從六品，屬官司筮，正九品，無定員。尋罷。

At the beginning of the Ming the Grand Astrologer Directorate was established with a Grand Astrologer, associate and vice associate directors, verification clerk, Five Directors, Clerks of the Spirit Platform, Directors of Preservation and Registers and their deputies, Directors of Water-Clock Regulation, calendar manager, administrator, and other officials. Liu Ji was appointed Grand Astrologer. In the Wu era year the directorate was changed to a court at rank 3a. Court Director at rank 3a; Associate at rank 4a; Vice Director at rank 5a; Five Directors at rank 6a; Clerk of Records, Rain and Sun Bureau, Season Recorder, and Calendar Observer at rank 7a; Clerks of the Spirit Platform and Directors of Preservation and Registers at rank 8a; deputies at rank 8b; Calendar Manager and Administrator at rank 9b. In Hongwu 1 fourteen Yuan grand astrologers including Zhang You and Zhang Yi were recruited; the Grand Astrologer Court became the Directorate of Heavenly Observation, with one superintendent at rank 3a, two vice superintendents at rank 4a, one assistant superintendent at rank 6a, one registrar at rank 7a, one clerk at rank 8a, five Five Directors at rank 5a, five Five Vice Directors at rank 6a, two Clerks of the Spirit Platform at rank 7a, two Directors of Preservation and Registers at rank 7b, three Observers at rank 8a, eight Dawn Clerks at rank 9a, and six Water-Clock Doctors at rank 9b. At rank 9b. An Islamic Directorate of Heavenly Observation was also established, with one superintendent at rank 4a, two vice superintendents at rank 5a, and two assistant superintendents at rank 6a. At rank 6a Zheng Ali and others of the Yuan Islamic Directorate of Heavenly Observation were recruited to discuss the calendar. In year 3 the Directorate of Heavenly Observation was renamed the Directorate of Astronomy. In year 4 an edict fixed directorate posts exclusively to heavenly observation; without a special order there could be no promotion or transfer. Honorary titles for directorate officials were also fixed. Superintendent: Correct Ritual Grandee; Vice Superintendent: Divided New-Moon Grandee; Five Directors Clerk: Dark Mystery Grandee; Assistant Superintendent: Spirit Platform Gentleman; Director of Preservation and Registers: Balanced Order Gentleman; Clerk of the Spirit Platform: Correct Order Gentleman; Director of Water-Clock Regulation: Water-Clock Gentleman. In year 14 the Directorate of Astronomy was changed to rank 5a, with one director and one vice director; subordinate officials from the Five Directors down remained as previously listed. All were given civil honorary titles according to their rank grades. In year 22 director was changed to superintendent and vice director to vice superintendent. In year 31 the Islamic Directorate of Astronomy was abolished and its calendar methods were subordinated to the main directorate. Early in the Ming a Directorate of Oracle Verification was also established to manage divination; it was soon abolished. In Hongwu year 17 the Directorate of Oracle Verification was established, with one commander at rank 6a, one left and one right vice commander each at rank 6b, and subordinate Divination Clerks at rank 9a with no fixed quota. It was soon abolished.

太醫院。院使一人，正五品院判二人。正六品其屬，御醫四人，正八品，後增至十八人，隆慶五年定設十人。生藥庫、惠民藥局，各大使一人，副使一人。

The Imperial Medical Institute. One superintendent at rank 5a and two vice superintendents at rank 6a. Its subordinates included four Imperial Physicians at rank 8a, later increased to eighteen; in Longqing year 5 the quota was fixed at ten. The Raw Medicine Depot and the Public Pharmacy Bureau each had one ambassador and one vice ambassador.

太醫院掌醫療之法。凡醫術十三科，醫官、醫生、醫士，專科肄業：曰大方脈，曰小方脈，曰婦人，曰瘡瘍，曰針灸，曰眼，曰口齒，曰接骨，曰傷寒，曰咽喉，曰金鏃，曰按摩，曰祝由。凡醫家子弟，擇師而教之。三年、五年一試、再試、三試，乃黜陟之。凡藥，辨其土宜，擇其良楛，慎其條制而用之。四方解納藥品，院官收貯生藥庫，時其燥濕，禮部委官一員稽察之。診視禦脈，使、判、御醫參看校同，會內臣就內局選藥，連名封記藥劑，具本開寫藥性、證治之法以奏。烹調禦藥，院官與內臣監視。每二劑合為一，候熟，分二器，一御醫、內臣先嘗，一進禦。仍置曆簿，用內印鈐記，細載年月緣由，以憑考察。王府請醫，本院奉旨遣官或醫士往。文武大臣及外國君長有疾，亦奉旨往視。其治療可否，皆具本覆奏。外府州縣置惠民藥局。邊關衛所及人聚處，各設醫生、醫士或醫官，俱由本院試遣。歲終，會察其功過而殿最之，以憑黜陟。

The Imperial Medical Institute managed medical methods. There were thirteen medical specialties; medical officers, students, and practitioners each trained in one specialty: Great Internal Medicine, Minor Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Sores and Ulcers, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Bone-Setting, Cold Damage, Throat, Metal Arrow Wounds, Massage, and Incantation. Medical families chose teachers to instruct their members. Every three or five years there was a first, second, and third examination before promotion or demotion. For medicines they identified soil suitability, selected quality, and carefully prepared prescriptions before use. Medicines presented from the four directions were received by institute officials and stored in the Raw Medicine Depot; dryness and moisture were monitored, and the Ministry of Rites assigned one official to inspect. For imperial pulse diagnosis the superintendent, vice superintendents, and Imperial Physicians jointly examined and verified; they met inner eunuchs at the inner pharmacy to select drugs, jointly sealed the prescriptions, and memorialized with drug properties and treatment methods. In preparing imperial medicine institute officials and inner eunuchs supervised. Every two doses were combined into one; when cooked they were divided into two vessels—one tasted first by an Imperial Physician and an inner eunuch, one presented to the emperor. A register book was kept, stamped with the inner seal, recording in detail the year, month, and circumstances for inspection. When princely establishments requested physicians, the institute dispatched an official or practitioner by imperial order. When civil and military ministers or foreign rulers fell ill, physicians were also dispatched by imperial order. Whether treatment succeeded was always reported in a memorial. Public Pharmacy Bureaus were established in outer prefectures, departments, and counties. At frontier passes, guard posts, and populated areas, medical students, practitioners, or officers were appointed as needed—all tested and dispatched by the institute. At year's end their merits and faults were jointly reviewed and ranked to guide promotion and demotion.

太祖初，置醫學提舉司，設提舉，從五品同提舉，從六品副提舉，從七品醫學教授，正九品學正、官醫、提領。從九品尋改為太醫監，設少監，正四品監丞。正六品吳元年，改監為院，設院使，秩正三品，同知，正四品，院判，正五品，典簿，正七品。洪武三年，置惠民藥局，府設提領，州縣設官醫。凡軍民之貧病者，給之醫藥。六年，置禦藥局於內府，始設御醫。御醫局，秩正六品，設尚藥、奉禦二人，直長二人，藥童十人，俱以內官、內使充之。設御醫四人，以太醫院醫士充之。凡收受四方貢獻名藥及儲蓄藥品，奉禦一人掌之。凡供禦藥餌，醫官就內局修制，太醫院官診視。十四年，改太醫院為正五品，設令一人，丞一人，吏目一人。屬官御醫四人，俱如文職授散官。二十二年，復改令為院使，丞為院判。嘉靖十五年，改禦藥房為聖濟殿，又設禦藥庫，詔御醫輪直供事。

At the beginning of the Taizu reign, the Medical Superintendency was established, with a superintendent at rank 5b, an associate superintendent at rank 6b, a deputy superintendent at rank 7b, a medical instructor, and rank 9a rectifiers, official physicians, and directors. Those at rank 9b were soon superseded when the office became the Imperial Medical Directorate, with a vice director at rank 4a and a directorate assistant. The directorate assistant was at rank 6a. In the Wu year period the directorate became an institute, with a superintendent at rank 3a, an associate superintendent at rank 4a, a vice superintendent at rank 5a, and a registrar at rank 7a. In Hongwu year 3, Public Pharmacy Bureaus were established; prefectures had directors and departments and counties had official physicians. Poor and sick soldiers and civilians were given medicine. In year 6, the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau was established in the inner palace, and Imperial Physicians were first appointed. The Imperial Physicians Bureau, at rank 6a, had two Directors of Medicine and Imperial Attendants, two duty chiefs, and ten medicine pages—all filled by inner eunuchs and inner attendants. Four Imperial Physicians were appointed from among the institute's practitioners. One Imperial Attendant managed receipt of famous tribute medicines from the four directions and storage of pharmaceutical supplies. For imperial medicines, medical officers prepared them at the inner bureau while institute officials examined and diagnosed. In year 14, the Imperial Medical Institute was raised to rank 5a, with one director, one vice director, and one clerk. Four subordinate Imperial Physicians all received honorary civil titles like civil officials. In year 22, the director was again renamed superintendent and the vice director vice superintendent. In Jiajing year 15, the Imperial Pharmacy became the Hall of Sacred Succor, an Imperial Medicine Depot was also established, and Imperial Physicians were ordered to serve on rotating duty.

上林苑監。左、右監正各一人，正五品左、右監副各一人，正六品，監正、監副後不常設，以監丞署職。左、右監丞各一人。正七品其屬，典簿廳，典簿一人。正九品良牧、蕃育、林衡、嘉蔬四署，各典署一人，正七品署丞一人，正八品錄事一人。正九品

The Directorate of the Imperial Parks. There was one left and one right director at rank 5a and one left and one right vice director at rank 6a. Directors and vice directors were later not regularly appointed, and assistant directors served in their stead. There was one left and one right assistant director. At rank 7a. Its subordinates included the Registry Office, with one registrar. The four offices of Fine Herds, Breeding, Forestry Balance, and Fine Vegetables each had one office director, one deputy at rank 7a, and one clerk at rank 8a. Rank 9a.

監正掌苑囿、園池、牧畜、樹種之事。凡禽獸、草木、蔬果，率其屬督其養戶、栽戶，以時經理其養地、栽地而畜植之，以供祭祀、賓客、宮府之膳羞。凡苑地，東至白河，西至西山，南至武清，北至居庸關，西南至渾河，並禁圍獵。良牧，牧牛羊豕，蕃育，育鵝鴨雞，皆籍其牝牡之數，而課孳卵焉。林衡，典果實、花木，嘉蔬，典蒔藝瓜菜，皆計其町畦、樹植之數，而以時苞進焉。

Directors managed parklands, gardens, ponds, livestock breeding, and planting. For birds, beasts, plants, fruits, and vegetables, they led their subordinates to supervise keepers and planters, seasonally managing breeding and planting lands to supply sacrifices, guests, and palace kitchens. The parklands extended east to the Bai River, west to the Western Hills, south to Wuqing, north to Juyong Pass, and southwest to the Hun River; hunting was forbidden throughout. Fine Herds raised cattle, sheep, and pigs; Breeding raised geese, ducks, and chickens. Male and female counts were registered, and breeding output and eggs were assessed. Forestry Balance managed fruits and flowers; Fine Vegetables managed melons and vegetables. Plot and planting counts were recorded, and produce was presented seasonally.

洪武二十五年，議開上林院，度地城南。自牛首山接方山，西並河涯。比圖上，太祖謂有妨民業，遂止。永樂五年，始置上林苑監，設良牧、蕃育、嘉蔬、林衡、川衡、冰鑒及典察左右前後十屬署。洪熙中，並為蕃育、嘉蔬二署。以良牧、川衡並蕃育，冰鑒、林衡並嘉蔬，典察四署分併入。宣德十年，始定四署。正德間，增設監督內臣共九十九員。嘉靖元年，裁汰八十員，革蕃育、嘉蔬二署典署，林衡、嘉蔬二署錄事。

In Hongwu year 25, opening an Imperial Park Institute was discussed and land south of the city was surveyed. The area ran from Niushou Mountain to Fang Mountain and west to the riverbank. When the map was submitted, the Taizu said it would harm people's livelihoods, and the plan was abandoned. In Yongle year 5, the Directorate of the Imperial Parks was first established, with ten subordinate offices: Fine Herds, Breeding, Fine Vegetables, Forestry Balance, River Balance, Ice Store, and the Left, Right, Front, and Rear Inspectorates. During the Hongxi reign they were merged into the two offices of Breeding and Fine Vegetables. Fine Herds and River Balance were merged into Breeding; Ice Store and Forestry Balance into Fine Vegetables; and the four inspectorate offices were distributed and merged in. In Xuande year 10, the four offices were fixed. In the Zhengde period, supervising inner eunuchs were added, totaling ninety-nine posts. In Jiajing 1, eighty posts were cut; the office directors of Breeding and Fine Vegetables were abolished, as were the clerks of Forestry Balance and Fine Vegetables.

中、東、西、南、北五城兵馬指揮司。各指揮一人，正六品副指揮四人，正七品吏目一人。

The Five-City Military Patrol Offices of Central, East, West, South, and North. Each had one commander at rank 6a, four vice commanders at rank 7a, and one clerk.

指揮，巡捕盜賊，疏理街道溝渠及囚犯、火禁之事。凡京城內外，各畫境而分領之。境內有遊民、奸民則逮治。若車駕親郊，則率夫裏供事。凡親、郡王妃父無官者，親王授兵馬指揮，郡王授副指揮，不管事。

Commanders patrolled against bandits and robbers, cleared streets and drains, and managed prisoners and fire bans. Within and outside the capital, jurisdictions were marked out and separately administered. Vagrants and criminals within a jurisdiction were arrested and punished. When the emperor personally performed the suburban sacrifice, they led district laborers to serve. When the fathers of consorts of imperial princes and commandery princes held no office, the imperial prince's father-in-law was granted the title of military patrol commander and the commandery prince's father-in-law that of vice commander, without administrative duties.

明初，置兵馬指揮司，設都指揮、副都指揮、知事。後改設指揮使、副指揮使，各城門設兵馬。洪武元年，命在京兵馬指揮司並管市司，每三日一次校勘街市斛斗、秤尺，稽考牙儈姓名，時其物價。五年，又設兵馬指揮司分司於中都。十年，定京城及中都兵馬指揮司秩俱正六品。先是秩正四品。改為指揮、副指揮，職專京城巡捕等事，革知事。二十三年，定設五城兵馬指揮司，惟中城止稱中兵馬指揮司。俱增設吏目。建文中，改為兵馬司，改指揮、副指揮為兵馬、副兵馬。永樂元年復舊。二年，設北京兵馬指揮司。嘉靖四十一年，詔巡視五城御史，每年終，將各城兵馬指揮會本舉劾。隆慶間，御史趙可懷言：「五城兵馬司官，宜取科貢正途，職檢驗死傷，理刑名盜賊，如兩京知縣。不職者，巡城御史糾劾之。」

At the beginning of the Ming, Military Patrol Offices were established, with chief commanders, vice chief commanders, and administrative officers. Later commanders and vice commanders were established, and military patrol posts were set at each city gate. In Hongwu 1, the capital Military Patrol Offices were also ordered to manage market offices; every three days they verified street measures and scales, checked brokers' names, and reported current prices. In year 5, branch Military Patrol Offices were also established at the Secondary Capital. In year 10, the ranks of the capital and Secondary Capital Military Patrol Offices were both fixed at rank 6a. Previously the rank had been 4a. They were changed to commanders and vice commanders, with duties focused on capital patrol and related matters; the administrative officer was abolished. In year 23, the Five-City Military Patrol Offices were fixed; only the central city office was called the Central Military Patrol Office. A clerk was added to each. In the Jianwen reign they were changed to Military Patrol Offices, and commanders and vice commanders were renamed military patrol officers and deputy military patrol officers. In Yongle 1 the former names were restored. In year 2, the Beijing Military Patrol Office was established. In Jiajing year 41, an edict ordered the censors patrolling the five cities that at year's end they should jointly assess each city's military patrol commanders and memorialize recommending promotion or impeachment. In the Longqing period, Censor Zhao Kehuai said: "Officers of the Five-City Military Patrol Offices should be drawn from the regular examination route; their duties should include examining wounds and fatalities and handling criminal cases and banditry, like magistrates of the two capitals. Those who failed in duty should be impeached by the patrolling censors."

順天府。府尹一人，正三品府丞一人，正四品治中一人，正五品通判六人，正六品，嘉靖後革三人。推官一人，從六品儒學教授一人，從九品訓導一人。其屬，經歷司，經歷一人，從七品知事一人。從八品照磨所，照磨一人，從九品檢校一人。所轄，宛平、大興二縣，各知縣一人，正六品縣丞二人，正七品主簿無定員，正八品典史一人。司獄司，司獄一人。從九品都稅司，大使一人，從九品副使一人。宣課司，凡四，正陽門外、正陽門、張家灣、盧溝橋。稅課司，凡二，安定門外、安定門。各大使一人。從九品稅課分司，凡二，崇文門、德勝門。各副使一人。遞軍所、批驗所，各大使一人。

Shuntian Prefecture. There was one prefect at rank 3a, one vice prefect at rank 4a, one administrative assistant at rank 5a, and six vice prefects at rank 6a—three of the latter were abolished after the Jiajing reign. There was one judicial assistant at rank 6b, one prefectural instructor at rank 9b, and one prefectural tutor. Its subordinates included the Administrative Office, with one administrator at rank 7b and one administrative clerk. At rank 8b. The Copying Office had one copyist at rank 9b and one examiner. Under its jurisdiction were Wanping and Daxing counties, each with one magistrate at rank 6a, two assistant magistrates at rank 7a, assistant registrars without fixed quota at rank 8a, and one clerk. The Prison Office had one prison warden. At rank 9b. The Metropolitan Tax Office had one ambassador and one vice ambassador. There were four Commodity Tax Offices: outside Zhengyang Gate, at Zhengyang Gate, at Zhangjiawan, and at Lugou Bridge. There were two Transit Tax Offices: outside Anding Gate and at Anding Gate. Each had one ambassador. At rank 9b. There were two Branch Transit Tax Offices: at Chongwen Gate and at Desheng Gate. Each had one vice ambassador. Courier stations and inspection offices each had one ambassador.

府尹，掌京府之政令。宣化和人，勸農問俗，均貢賦，節徵徭，謹祭祀，閱實戶口，糾治豪強，隱恤窮困，疏理獄訟，務知百姓之疾苦。歲立春，迎春、進春，祭先農之神。月朔望，早朝，奏老人坊廂聽宣諭。孟春、孟冬，率其僚屬行鄉飲酒禮。凡勳戚家人文引，每三月一奏。市易平其物價。遇內官監徵派物料，雖有印信、揭帖，必補牘面奏。若天子耕耤，行三推禮，則奉青箱播種於後。禮畢，率庶人終畝。府丞，貳京府，兼領學校。治中，參理府事，以佐尹丞。通判，分理糧儲、馬政、軍匠、薪炭、河渠、堤塗之事。推官，理刑名，察屬吏。二縣，職掌如外縣，以近蒞輦下，故品秩特優。

The prefect managed the policies of the capital prefecture. He promoted harmony and instructed the people, encouraged agriculture and inquired into local customs, equalized tribute and taxes, regulated levies and corvée, maintained sacrifices, verified household registers, corrected powerful wrongdoers, relieved the destitute, cleared lawsuits, and strove to know the people's hardships. Each year at the Beginning of Spring he welcomed spring, presented spring offerings, and sacrificed to the Spirit of the First Farmer. On the first and fifteenth of each month he attended early court and reported at the Elderly Lane pavilion to hear proclamations. In the first month of spring and the first month of winter he led his subordinates in performing the district drinking ceremony. For household passes of meritorious officials' families, a report was submitted every three months. In markets prices were stabilized. When the Directorate of Palace Eunuchs requisitioned materials, even if there were seals and posted notices, a supplementary memorial had to be submitted in person. When the Son of Heaven plowed the sacred field and performed the three-push rite, he followed with the green seed box to sow behind. When the rite was complete, he led commoners to finish the furrow. The vice prefect assisted in the capital prefecture and concurrently oversaw schools. The administrative assistant participated in managing prefectural affairs to assist the prefect and vice prefect. Vice prefects separately managed grain stores, horse administration, military artisans, fuel and charcoal, rivers and canals, and embankments. The judicial assistant handled criminal cases and inspected subordinate officials. The two counties had duties like outer counties, but because they were near the imperial presence their ranks were especially high.

順天府即舊北平府。洪武二年置北平行省。九年改為北平布政司，皆以北平為會府。永樂初，改為順天府。十年，升為府尹，秩正三品，設官如應天府。順天府通判，舊六人，內一人管糧，一人管馬，一人清軍，一人管匠，一人管河，一人管柴炭。嘉靖八年革管河、管柴炭二人。萬曆九年革清軍、管匠二人。十一年復設一人，兼管軍匠。

Shuntian Prefecture was formerly Beiping Prefecture. In Hongwu year 2 the Northern Pacification Branch Secretariat was established. In year 9 it became the Beiping Provincial Administration Commission; in both cases Beiping served as the provincial seat. At the beginning of the Yongle reign it became Shuntian Prefecture. In year 10 it was elevated to a prefect at rank 3a, with officials established like those of Yingtian Prefecture. Shuntian Prefecture formerly had six vice prefects: one managed grain, one horses, one military registration, one artisans, one rivers, and one fuel and charcoal. In Jiajing year 8 the two vice prefects managing rivers and fuel and charcoal were abolished. In Wanli year 9 the two vice prefects managing military registration and artisans were abolished. In year 11 one post was restored, concurrently managing military artisans.

武學。京衛武學，教授一人，從九品訓導一人。衛武學，教授一人，訓導二人或一人。掌教京衛各衛幼官及應襲舍人與武生，以待科舉、武舉、會舉，而聽於兵部。其無武學者，凡諸武生則隸儒學。

The Military Academy. Capital-guard military academies had one instructor at rank 9b and one tutor. Guard military academies had one instructor and two tutors, or one tutor. They instructed young officers of the capital guards and individual guards, hereditary attendants awaiting succession, and military students, preparing them for civil, military, and joint examinations under the Ministry of War. Where no Military Academy existed, military students were assigned to Confucian schools.

建文四年始置京衛武學，設教授一人。啟忠等十齋，各訓導二人。永樂中罷，正統六年復設。後漸置各衛武軍，設官如儒學之制。

In Jianwen year 4 the capital-guard Military Academy was first established, with one instructor appointed. The ten halls, including Qizhong, each had two tutors. It was abolished during the Yongle period and restored in Zhengtong year 6. Later military academies were gradually established at each guard, with officials appointed on the same model as Confucian schools.

僧錄司。左、右善世二人，正六品左、右闡教二人，從六品左右講經二人，正八品左、右覺義二人。從八品

Office for Recording Buddhist Affairs. There were two left and two right world-improvers at rank 6a, two left and two right doctrine-promoters at rank 6b, two left and two right sutra lecturers at rank 8a, and two left and two right awakening-aides at rank 8b. Rank 8b.

導錄司。左、右正一二人，正六品左、右演法二人，從六品左、右至靈二人，正八品左、右玄義二人。從八品神樂觀提點一人，正六品知觀一人，從八品，嘉靖中革。龍虎山正一真人一人。正二品。洪武元年，張正常入朝，去其天師之號，封為真人，世襲。隆慶間革真人，止稱提點。萬曆初復之。法官、贊教、掌書各二人。閣皁山、三茅山各靈官一人，正八品太和山提點一人。

Office for Recording Taoist Affairs. There were two left and two right orthodox ones at rank 6a, two left and two right ritual expounders at rank 6b, two left and two right spirit attendants at rank 8a, and two left and two right arcane aides at rank 8b. The Abbey of Divine Music had one intendant at rank 6a and one abbot at rank 8b; both were abolished in the Jiajing period. One Orthodox One Perfected Man of Mount Longhu. Rank 2a. In Hongwu 1, Zhang Zhengchang came to court; his title of Celestial Master was removed and he was enfeoffed as Perfected Man on a hereditary basis. During the Longqing period the title Perfected Man was abolished and only intendant was used. At the beginning of the Wanli reign it was restored. There were two law officers, two praising instructors, and two record keepers. Mount Gezao and Mount Sanmao each had one spirit officer at rank 8a, and Mount Taihe had one intendant.

僧、道錄司掌天下僧道。在外府州縣有僧綱、道紀等司，分掌其事，俱選精通經典、戒行端潔者為之。神樂觀掌樂舞，以備大祀天地、神祇及宗廟、社稷之祭，隸太常寺，與道錄司無統屬。

The Buddhist and Taoist Recording Offices oversaw monks and Taoists throughout the realm. Outer prefectures, departments, and counties had Buddhist superintendencies, Taoist registries, and similar offices that shared these duties; appointees were chosen for mastery of the classics and upright, disciplined conduct. The Abbey of Divine Music managed music and dance for the great sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, spirits, ancestral temples, and the altars of soil and grain; it was subordinate to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and was not under the Taoist Recording Office.

洪武元年，立善世、玄教二院。四年革。五年，給僧道度牒。十一年，建神樂觀於郊祀壇西，設提點、知觀。初，提點從六品，知觀從九品。洪武十五年升提點正六品，知觀從八品。凡遇朝會，提點列於僧錄司左善世之下，道錄司左正一之上。十五年，始置僧錄司、道錄司。各設官如前所列。僧凡三等：曰禪，曰講，曰教。道凡二等：曰全真，曰正一。設官不給俸，隸禮部。二十四年，清理釋、道二教，限僧三年一度給牒。凡各府州縣寺觀，但存寬大者一所，並居之。凡僧道，府不得過四十人，州三十人，縣二十人。民年非四十以上、女年非五十以上者，不得出家。二十八年，令天下僧道赴京考試給牒，不通經典者黜之。其後，釋氏有法王、佛子、大國師等封號，道士有大真人、高士，高士等封號，賜銀印蟒玉，加太常卿、禮部尚書及宮保銜，至有封伯爵者，皆一時寵倖，非制也。

In Hongwu 1, the institutes of World-Improvement and Arcane Teaching were established. Abolished in year 4. In year 5, ordination certificates were issued to monks and Taoists. In year 11, the Abbey of Divine Music was built west of the suburban sacrifice altar, with an intendant and abbot appointed. Initially the intendant was rank 6b and the abbot rank 9b. In Hongwu year 15 the intendant was raised to rank 6a and the abbot to rank 8b. At court assemblies the intendant ranked below the left world-improver of the Buddhist Recording Office and above the left orthodox one of the Taoist Recording Office. In year 15, the Buddhist and Taoist Recording Offices were first established. Each was staffed with the officials listed above. Monks were divided into three grades: Chan, Lecture, and Teaching. Taoists were divided into two grades: Complete Perfection and Orthodox One. Their officials received no salaries and were subordinate to the Ministry of Rites. In year 24, Buddhism and Taoism were purged, and monks could receive certificates only once every three years. In each prefecture, department, and county only one spacious temple or abbey was retained, and all monks and Taoists lived together there. Monks and Taoists were capped at forty per prefecture, thirty per department, and twenty per county. Men under forty and women under fifty were not permitted to take ordination. In year 28, all monks and Taoists in the realm were ordered to come to the capital for examination before receiving certificates, and those who failed the classics were dismissed. Later Buddhists received titles such as Dharma King, Buddha Son, and Great State Preceptor, and Taoists titles such as Great Perfected Man and Lofty Gentleman, with silver seals, python robes and jade, plus honorary ranks as vice minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, minister of rites, and grand guardian, even to enfeoffment as earl—all were temporary favors, not regular institutions.

教坊司。奉鑾一人，正九品左、右韶舞各一人，左、右司樂各一人，並從九品掌樂舞承應。以樂戶充之，隸禮部。嘉靖中，又設顯陵供祀教坊司，設左、右司樂各一人。

Office of the Imperial Music Bureau. There was one bearer of the phoenix chime at rank 9a, one left and one right master of elegance and dance, and one left and one right director of music—all at rank 9b—managing music, dance, and performances. Posts were filled by music households, and the office was subordinate to the Ministry of Rites. In the Jiajing period the Xianling Sacrificial Music Bureau was also established, with one left and one right director of music.

宦官。十二監。每監各太監一員，正四品，左、右少監各一員，從四品，左、右監丞各一員，正五品，典簿一員，正六品，長隨、奉禦無定員，從六品。此洪武舊制也。後漸更革，詳見各條下。司禮監，提督太監一員，掌印太監一員，秉筆太監、隨堂太監、書籍名畫等庫掌司、內書堂掌司、六科郎掌司、典簿無定員。提督掌督理皇城內一應儀禮刑名，及鈐束長隨、當差、聽事各役，關防門禁，催督光祿供應等事。掌印掌理內外章奏及御前勘合。秉筆、隨堂掌章奏文書，照閣票批硃。掌司各掌所司。典簿典記奏章及諸出納號簿。內官監，掌印太監一員，總理、管理、僉書、典簿、掌司、寫字、監工無定員，掌木、石、瓦、土、塔材、東行、西行、油漆、婚禮、火藥十作，及米鹽庫、營造庫、皇壇庫，凡國家營造宮室、陵墓，並銅錫妝奩、器用暨冰窨諸事。御用監，掌印太監一員，裏外監把總二員，典簿、掌司、寫字、監工無定員。凡御前所用圍屏、牀榻諸木器，及紫檀、象牙、烏木、螺甸諸玩器，皆造辦之。又有仁智殿監工一員，掌武英殿中書承旨所寫書籍畫冊等，奏進御前。司設監，員同內官監，掌鹵簿、儀仗、帷幕諸事。御馬監，掌印、監督、提督太監各一員。騰驤四衛營各設監官、掌司、典簿、寫字、拿馬等員。象房有掌司等員。神宮監，掌印太監一員，僉書、掌司、管理無定員，掌太廟各廟灑掃、香燈等事。尚膳監，掌印太監一員，提督光祿太監一員，總理一員，管理、僉書、掌司、寫字、監工及各牛羊等房廠監工無定員，掌禦膳及宮內食用並筵宴諸事。尚寶監，掌印一員，僉書、掌司無定員，掌寶璽、敕符、將軍印信。凡用寶，外尚寶司以揭帖赴監請旨，至女官尚寶司領取，監視外司用訖，存號簿，繳進。印綬監，員同尚寶，掌古今通集庫，並鐵券、誥敕、貼黃、印信、勘合、符驗、信符諸事。直殿監，員同上，掌各殿及廊廡掃除事。尚衣監，掌印太監一員，管理、僉書、掌司、監工無定員，掌御用冠冕、袍服及屨舄、靴襪之事。都知監。掌印太監一員，僉書、掌司、長隨、奉禦無定員，舊掌各監行移、關知、勘合之事，後惟隨駕前導警蹕。

Eunuchs. Twelve Directorates. Each directorate had one grand director at rank 4a, one left and one right vice director at rank 4b, one left and one right assistant director at rank 5a, one registrar at rank 6a, and attendants and imperial attendants without fixed quota at rank 6b. This was the original Hongwu institution. It was gradually altered later; details appear under each entry below. The Directorate of Ceremonial had one supervising grand director, one seal-holding grand director, brush-holding and attending grand directors, directors of the libraries of books and famous paintings, directors of the inner script hall, directors of the six offices of scrutiny, and registrars without fixed quota. The supervisor oversaw all ritual and legal matters within the Imperial City, controlled attendants, duty assignments, and service personnel, guarded gates, and urged supplies from the Court of Imperial Entertainments. The seal-holder managed memorials from within and without and verification slips before the throne. Brush-holders and attending grand directors managed memorial documents and applied vermilion annotations according to Grand Secretariat recommendation slips. Directors each managed their assigned offices. The registrar kept records of memorials and all receipt and issue ledgers. The Directorate of Palace Eunuchs had one seal-holding grand director and general managers, managers, secretaries, registrars, directors, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota; it managed ten workshops—wood, stone, tile, earth, pagoda materials, Eastern Row, Western Row, lacquer, wedding goods, and gunpowder—and the rice and salt, construction, and imperial altar depots, handling state construction of palaces and tombs, copper and tin cosmetic boxes, utensils, and ice cellars. The Directorate of Imperial Manufacture had one seal-holding grand director, two inner and outer chief controllers, and registrars, directors, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota. All screens, couches, and other wooden furnishings used before the throne, as well as zitan, ivory, ebony, and mother-of-pearl curios, were made there. There was also one construction supervisor of the Hall of Benevolence and Wisdom, who managed books, albums, and other works written at the drafting office of the Hall of Military Glory and presented them before the throne. The Directorate of Palace Equipment, with posts like the Directorate of Palace Eunuchs, managed insignia, ceremonial guards, and curtains. The Directorate of Imperial Horses had one seal-holding grand director, one inspecting grand director, and one supervising grand director. The four Tengxiang Guard camps each had directors, controllers, registrars, scribes, horse handlers, and similar posts. The elephant house had directors and similar posts. The Directorate of Imperial Shrines had one seal-holding grand director and secretaries, directors, and managers without fixed quota, managing sweeping, incense, and lamps at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and its halls. The Directorate of Imperial Cuisine had one seal-holding grand director, one grand director supervising the Court of Imperial Entertainments, one general manager, and managers, secretaries, directors, scribes, construction supervisors, and supervisors of cattle, sheep, and other workshops without fixed quota, managing imperial meals, palace provisions, and banquets. The Directorate of Imperial Seals had one seal-holder and secretaries and directors without fixed quota, managing imperial seals, edict tokens, and general officers' seals. When seals were used, the outer Imperial Seals Office submitted a notice to the directorate for instructions; the female officials' Imperial Seals Office then received them; the directorate supervised the outer office until use was complete, kept the register, and returned them. The Directorate of Seals and Credentials, with posts like the Directorate of Imperial Seals, managed the comprehensive collections depot of past and present, as well as iron certificates, patents of nobility, yellow slips, seals, verification documents, tally tokens, and credential seals. The Directorate of Palace Maintenance, with posts as above, managed sweeping of the halls and corridors. The Directorate of Imperial Wardrobe had one seal-holding grand director and managers, secretaries, directors, and construction supervisors without fixed quota, managing imperial caps, robes, sandals, and boots and socks. Directorate of Imperial Inspection. There was one seal-holding grand director and secretaries, directors, attendants, and imperial attendants without fixed quota; formerly the office managed communications, notifications, and verification for all directorates, but later it only preceded the imperial carriage to clear the way.

四司。舊制每司各司正一人，正五品；左、右司副各一人，從五品。後漸更易，詳下。惜薪司，掌印太監一員，總理、僉書、掌道、掌司、寫字、監工及外廠、北廠、南廠、新南廠、新西廠各設僉書、監工，俱無定員，掌所用薪炭之事。鐘鼓司，掌印太監一員，僉書、司房、學藝官無定員，掌管出朝鐘鼓，及內樂、傳奇、過錦、打稻諸雜戲。寶鈔司，掌印太監一員，僉書、管理、監工無定員，掌造粗細草紙。混堂司。掌印太監一員，僉書、監工無定員，掌沐浴之事。

Four Offices. Under the original institution each office had one director at rank 5a; There was one left and one right vice director at rank 5b. These were gradually changed later; details appear below. The Office of Frugal Fuel had one seal-holding grand director and general managers, secretaries, controllers, directors, scribes, and construction supervisors, with secretaries and construction supervisors also at the Outer, North, South, New South, and New West yards—all without fixed quota—and managed firewood and charcoal. The Office of Bells and Drums had one seal-holding grand director and secretaries, clerks, and arts instructors without fixed quota, managing departure bells and drums, inner music, plays, patterned banquets, rice-stamping, and other entertainments. The Office of Treasure Notes had one seal-holding grand director and secretaries, managers, and construction supervisors without fixed quota, manufacturing coarse and fine straw paper. Office of the Bathhouse. There was one seal-holding grand director and secretaries and construction supervisors without fixed quota, managing bathing.

八局。舊制每局大使一人，正五品；左、右副使各一人，從五品。兵仗局，掌印太監一員，提督軍器庫太監一員，管理、僉書、掌司、寫字、監工無定員，掌製造軍器。火藥司屬之。銀作局，掌印太監一員，管理、僉書、寫字、監工無定員，掌打造金銀器飾。浣衣局，掌印太監一員，僉書、監工無定員。凡宮人年老及罷退廢者，發此局居住。惟此局不在皇城內。巾帽局，掌印太監一員，管理、僉書、掌司、監工無定員，掌宮內使帽靴，駙馬冠靴及籓王之國諸旗尉帽靴。針工局，員同巾帽局，掌造宮中衣服。內織染局，員同上，掌染造御用及宮內應用緞匹。城西藍靛廠為此局外署。酒醋面局，員同上，掌宮內食用酒醋、糖醬、面豆諸物。與禦酒房不相統轄。司苑局。員同上，掌蔬菜、瓜果。

Eight Bureaus. Under the original institution each bureau had one director at rank 5a; There was one left and one right vice director at rank 5b. The Bureau of Military Equipment had one seal-holding grand director, one grand director supervising the armory depot, and managers, secretaries, directors, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota, manufacturing weapons. The Gunpowder Office was subordinate to it. The Bureau of Silver Work had one seal-holding grand director and managers, secretaries, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota, crafting gold and silver ornaments. The Bureau of Laundry had one seal-holding grand director and secretaries and construction supervisors without fixed quota. Palace women who were old, dismissed, or discarded were sent to live at this bureau. This bureau alone lay outside the Imperial City. The Bureau of Caps and Boots had one seal-holding grand director and managers, secretaries, directors, and construction supervisors without fixed quota, managing inner attendants' caps and boots, imperial sons-in-law's caps and boots, and banner guards' caps and boots when princes went to their fiefs. The Bureau of Needlework, with posts like the Bureau of Caps and Boots, made palace clothing. The Bureau of Inner Weaving and Dyeing, with posts as above, dyed and wove imperial and palace satin. The indigo mill west of the city served as its outer office. The Bureau of Wine, Vinegar, and Flour, with posts as above, managed palace wine, vinegar, sugar paste, flour, and beans. It was not under the Imperial Wine Cellar. Bureau of Palace Gardens. With posts as above, it managed vegetables and melons.

十二監、四司、八局，所謂二十四衙門也。

The twelve directorates, four offices, and eight bureaus were what were called the twenty-four yamen.

其外有內府供用庫，掌印太監一員，總理、管理、掌司、寫字、監工無定員。掌宮內及山陵等處內官食米及御用黃蠟、白蠟、沉香等香。凡油蠟等庫俱屬之。舊制各庫設官同八局。司鑰庫，員同上，掌收貯製錢以給賞賜。內承運庫，掌印太監一員，近侍、僉書太監十員，掌司、寫字、監工無定員。掌大內庫藏，凡金銀及諸寶貨總隸之。十庫，甲字，掌貯銀硃、黃丹、烏梅、藤黃、水銀諸物。乙字，掌貯奏本等紙及各省所解胖襖。丙字，掌貯絲綿、布匹。丁字，掌貯生漆、桐油等物。戊字，掌貯所解弓箭、盔甲等物。承運，掌貯黃白生絹。廣盈，掌貯紗羅諸帛匹。廣惠，掌造貯巾帕、梳籠、刷抿、錢貫、鈔錠之類。贓罰，掌沒入官物。已上各掌庫一員，貼庫、僉書無定員。禦酒房，提督太監一員，僉書無定員。掌造御用酒。禦藥房，提督太監正、副二員，分兩班。近侍、醫官無定員。職掌御用藥餌，與太醫院官相表裏。禦茶房，提督太監正、副二員，分兩班。近侍無定員。職司供奉茶酒、瓜果及進禦膳。牲口房，提督太監一員，僉書無定員。收養異獸珍禽。刻漏房，掌房一員，僉書無定員。掌管每日時刻，每一時即令直殿監官入宮換牌，夜報刻水。更鼓房，有罪內官職司之。甜食房，掌房一員，協同無定員。掌造辦虎眼、窩絲等糖及諸甜食，隸御用監。彈子房，掌房一員，僉書數員。專備泥彈。靈臺，掌印太監一員，僉書近侍、看時近侍無定員。掌觀星氣雲物，測候災祥。條作，掌作一員，協同無定員。掌造各色兜羅絨及諸絛綬，隸御用監。盔甲廠，即舊鞍轡局，掌造軍器。安民廠，舊名王恭廠，各掌廠太監一員，貼廠、僉書無定員。掌造銃砲、火藥之類。午門，東華門，西華門，奉天門，玄武門，左、右順門，左、右紅門，皇宮門，坤甯門，宮左、右門。東宮春和門，後門，左、右門，皇城、京城內外諸門，各門正一員，管事無定員。司晨昏啟閉，關防出入。舊設門正、門副各一員。提督東廠，掌印太監一員，掌班、領班、司房無定員。貼刑二員，掌刺緝刑獄之事。舊選各監中一人提督，後專用司禮、秉筆第二人或第三人為之。其貼刑官，則用錦衣衛千百戶為之。凡內官司禮監掌印，權如外廷元輔；掌東廠，權如總憲。秉筆、隨堂視眾輔。各設私臣掌家、掌班、司房等員。提督西廠，不常設，惟汪直、穀大用置之。劉瑾又設西內廠。尋俱罷革。提督京營，提督太監，坐營太監，監槍、掌司、僉書俱無定員。始於景泰元年。文書房，掌房十員。掌收通政司每日封進本章，並會極門京官及各籓所上封本，其在外之閣票，在內之搭票，一應聖諭旨意御批，俱由文書房落底簿發。凡升司禮者，必由文書房出，如外廷之詹、翰也。禮儀房，提督太監一員，司禮、掌印或秉筆攝之，掌司、寫字、管事、長隨無定員。掌一應選婚、選駙馬、誕皇太子女、選擇乳婦諸吉禮。中書房，掌房一員，散官無定員。掌管文華殿中書所寫書籍、對聯、扇柄等件，承旨發寫，完日奏進。御前近侍，曰乾清宮管事，督理御用諸事，曰打卯牌子，掌隨朝捧劍，俱位居司禮、東廠提督守備之次。曰御前牌子，曰暖殿，曰管櫃子，曰贊禮，曰答應長隨，曰當差聽事，曰拿馬，尚冠、尚衣、尚履，皆近侍也。南京守備，正、副守備太監各一員。關防一顆，護衛留都，為司禮監外差。天壽山守備，太監一員。轄各陵守陵太監，職司護衛。湖廣承天府守備，太監一員。轄承德、荊、襄地方，護衛興甯。織造，提督太監南京一員，蘇州一員，杭州一員。掌織造御用龍衣。鎮守，鎮守太監始於洪熙，遍設於正統，凡各省各鎮無不有鎮守太監，至嘉靖八年後始革。市舶，廣東、福建、浙江三市舶司各設太監提督，後罷浙江、福建二司，惟存廣東司。監督倉場，各倉、各場俱設監督太監。諸陵神宮監，各陵俱設神宮監太監守陵。其外之監軍、採辦、糧稅、礦關等使，不常設者，不可勝紀也。

Outside these was the Inner Palace Supply Depot, with one seal-holding grand director and general managers, managers, directors, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota. It supplied grain rations for palace inner attendants and those at imperial tombs, and managed imperial yellow wax, white wax, agarwood, and other incense. All oil-wax depots and related stores fell under its jurisdiction. Under the original institution, each depot was staffed like the eight bureaus. The Key Depot, with posts as above, collected and stored minted coin for imperial bestowals and rewards. The Inner Transport Depot had one seal-holding grand director, ten attendant and secretary grand directors, and directors, scribes, and construction supervisors without fixed quota. It managed the inner palace treasury, and all gold, silver, and other valuables were subordinate to it. Of the ten depots, the Jia depot stored cinnabar, yellow orpiment, dark plum, garcinia, mercury, and similar items. The Yi depot stored memorial paper and padded jackets presented from the provinces. The Bing depot stored silk floss and cloth. The Ding depot stored raw lacquer, tung oil, and similar items. The Wu depot stored bows, arrows, armor, and similar items presented in tribute. The Chengyun depot stored raw yellow and white silk. The Guangying depot stored gauze, silk, and other bolts of cloth. The Guanghui depot made and stored handkerchiefs, comb boxes, brushes, strings of cash, and ingots of paper money. The Forfeiture depot managed goods confiscated by the state. Each of the above depots had one depot manager, with assistant depot managers and secretaries without fixed quota. The Imperial Wine Cellar had one supervising grand director and secretaries without fixed quota. It manufactured imperial wine. The Imperial Pharmacy had two supervising grand directors, senior and junior, divided into two shifts. Personal attendants and medical officers served without fixed quota. It managed imperial medicines and pills, working in tandem with officials of the Imperial Medical Institute. The Imperial Tea Room had two supervising grand directors, senior and junior, divided into two shifts. Personal attendants served without fixed quota. It supplied tea, wine, melons, and fruit and presented imperial meals. The Livestock House had one supervising grand director and secretaries without fixed quota. It housed rare beasts and precious birds. The Clepsydra Office had one chief controller and secretaries without fixed quota. It kept the hours of each day; at every double-hour it ordered an official of the Directorate of Palace Maintenance to enter the palace and change the time plaque, and at night reported the clepsydra graduations. The Night-Watch Drum Office was staffed by offending inner attendants. The Sweetmeats Office had one chief controller and assistants without fixed quota. It made tiger-eye, birds-nest, and other confections and various sweetmeats under the Directorate of Imperial Manufacture. The Pellet Office had one chief controller and several secretaries. It supplied clay pellets exclusively for palace use. The Spirit Platform had one seal-holding grand director and secretary attendants and timekeeping attendants without fixed quota. It observed stars, vapors, and clouds and measured omens of disaster and good fortune. The Cord Workshop had one master craftsman and assistants without fixed quota. It made various types of velvet, cords, and tassels under the Directorate of Imperial Manufacture. The Armor Factory, formerly the Saddle and Bridle Office, manufactured military equipment. The Anmin Factory, formerly called the Wanggong Factory, had one factory director grand director at each site, with assistant factory managers and secretaries without fixed quota. It manufactured guns, cannon, gunpowder, and the like. These included the Meridian Gate, East Flowery Gate, West Flowery Gate, Gate of Imperial Heaven, Dark Warrior Gate, left and right Gates of Compliance, left and right Red Gates, Imperial Palace Gate, Gate of Earthly Tranquility, and left and right palace gates. The Eastern Palace Gate of Spring Harmony, Rear Gate, left and right gates, and all gates within and without the Imperial City and capital each had one gate chief and managers without fixed quota. They opened and closed the gates at dawn and dusk and controlled passage in and out. Formerly each gate had one gate chief and one gate vice chief. The Eastern Depot supervisor had one seal-holding grand director and shift chiefs, leading shift chiefs, and office clerks without fixed quota. Two attached penal officers managed investigation and prison affairs. Formerly one man was chosen from each directorate to supervise; later only the second or third man of the Directorate of Ceremonial or the brush-holders was appointed. The attached penal officers were drawn from battalion and company commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Generally, the seal-holder of the Directorate of Ceremonial among inner officials wielded authority like the chief minister of the outer court; the Eastern Depot supervisor wielded authority like the censor-in-chief. Brush-holders and attending grand directors were regarded as vice ministers. Each maintained private retainers such as stewards, shift chiefs, and office clerks. The Western Depot supervisor was not regularly established; only Wang Zhi and Gu Dayong were appointed to it. Liu Jin further established the Western Inner Depot. Soon all were abolished. The capital camp supervisor included a supervising grand director, camp-resident grand director, firearms supervisors, directors, and secretaries—all without fixed quota. This institution began in Jingtai 1. The Document Office had ten chief controllers. It received daily memorials sealed and forwarded by the Directorate of Communications, sealed memorials from capital officials at the Gate of Supreme Harmony and from the feudatories, recommendation slips from outside and routing slips from within; all imperial edicts, instructions, and rescripts were registered and dispatched through the Document Office. All who rose to the Directorate of Ceremonial had to come up through the Document Office, like the Hanlin and Academy staffs of the outer court. The Ritual Office had one supervising grand director, filled concurrently by the Directorate of Ceremonial, seal-holder, or brush-holders, and directors, scribes, managers, and attendants without fixed quota. It managed all auspicious rites of selecting consorts, selecting imperial sons-in-law, the birth of imperial grandsons and granddaughters, and choosing wet nurses. The Central Secretariat Office had one chief controller and honorary officials without fixed quota. It managed books, couplets, fan handles, and other items written at the drafting office of the Hall of Literary Glory; on receiving instructions it dispatched the writing, and when finished presented them to the throne. Personal attendants before the throne included the manager of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, who oversaw imperial affairs, and the dawn bell attendant, who carried the sword at court; all ranked next after the Directorate of Ceremonial, Eastern Depot supervisor, and garrison commanders. These included imperial attendants, warming-hall attendants, cabinet keepers, ritual announcers, response attendants, duty attendants, horse handlers, and the offices of imperial caps, imperial robes, and imperial footwear—all personal attendants. The Nanjing garrison had one senior and one junior garrison grand director. It held one seal of authority, protected the secondary capital, and was an outside posting of the Directorate of Ceremonial. The Tianshou Mountain garrison had one grand director. He oversaw tomb-guard grand directors at each mausoleum and was charged with guarding the tombs. The Huguang Chengtian Prefecture garrison had one grand director. He had jurisdiction over Chengde and the Jing and Xiang regions and protected Xingning. For weaving, there was one supervising grand director each at Nanjing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. They wove imperial dragon robes. Garrison grand directors began in the Hongxi reign, were established everywhere in the Zhengtong period, and no province or garrison lacked one until they were abolished after Jiajing year 8. For maritime trade, each of the three maritime trade offices of Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang had a supervising grand director; later the offices of Zhejiang and Fujian were abolished, and only Guangdong remained. For granary and depot supervision, each granary and depot had a supervising grand director. At each imperial tomb a Directorate of Imperial Shrines grand director was appointed to guard the tomb. Beyond these, army supervisors, procurement agents, grain-tax collectors, mining and customs commissioners, and other irregularly established posts were too numerous to record.

初，吳元年置內史監，設監令，正四品丞，正五品，奉禦，從五品內史，正七品典簿。正八品皇門官設皇門使，正五品副。從五品後改置內使監、御用監，各設令一人，正三品丞二人，從三品奉禦，正六品典簿。正七品皇門官門正，正四品副，從四品春宮門官正，正五品副，從五品御馬司司正，正五品副，從五品尚寶兼守殿、尚冠、尚衣、尚佩、尚履、尚藥、紀事等奉禦。俱正六品洪武二年，定置內使監奉禦六十人，尚寶一人，尚冠七人，尚衣十人，尚佩九人，尚藥七人，紀事二人，執膳四人，司脯二人，司香四人，太廟司香四人，涓潔二人。置尚酒、尚醋、尚面、尚染四局，局設正一人，副二人。置御馬、御用二司，司設正一人，副二人。內府庫設大使一人，副使二人。內倉監設令一人，丞二人。及置東宮典璽、典翰、典膳、典服、典藥、典乘兵六局，局設局郎一人，丞一人。又置門官，午門等十三門，各設門正一人，副一人。東宮門官，春和門等四門，各設門正一人，副一人。三年，置王府承奉司。設承奉一人，承奉副二人，典寶、典服、典膳三所，各設正一人，副一人，門官設門正一人，副一人。改內使監、御用監，秩皆從三品，令從三品，丞正四品。皇門官秩從四品。門正從四品，副正五品，春宮門官正、副同。四年，復悉差其品秩，授以散官。乃改內使監為正五品，皇門官為正六品。洪武四年，定內官散官。正四品，中正大夫。從四品，中侍大夫。正五品，中衛大夫。從五品，侍直大夫。正六品，內侍郎。從六品，內直郎。正七品，正奉郎。從七品，正衛郎。正八品，司奉郎。從八品，司直郎。尋定內使監令。正五品，授中衛大夫。丞，從五品，授侍直大夫。皇門正、局正、司正、東宮門正、局正，俱正六品，授內侍郎。尚寶、奉禦、皇門副、局副、司副、東宮門副、局丞，王府承奉、門正、所正，俱從六品，授內直郎。尚冠等奉禦、內府庫大使、內倉監令、王府承奉副、門副、所副，俱正七品，授正奉郎。庫副使、倉丞，俱從七品，授正衛郎。六年，改御用監為供奉司，秩從七品，設官五人。內倉監為內府倉，以監令為大使，監丞為副使。內府庫為承運庫。仍設大使、副使。尋置紀事司，以宦者張翊為司正。秩正七品。又考前代糾劾內官之法，置內正司，設司正一人，正七品司副一人，從七品專糾內官失儀及不法者。旋改為典禮司，又改為典禮紀察司，升其品秩。司正升正六品，司副升從六品。十年，置神宮內使監，設監令，正五品丞，從五品，司香奉禦，正七品典簿。從九品天地壇、神壇各祠祭署，設署令，正七品丞，從七品，司香奉禦。正八品甲、乙、丙、丁、戊五庫，各設大使，正七品副使，從七品及皇城門官端門等十六門，各設門正，正七品副，從七品十二年，更置尚衣、尚冠、尚履三監，針工、皮作、巾帽三局。改尚佩局為尚佩監。十六年，置內府寶鈔廣源、廣惠二庫，職掌出納楮幣，入則廣源庫掌之，出則廣惠庫掌之。寶鈔廣源庫，設大使一人，正九品，用流官；副使一人，正九品，用內官。寶鈔廣惠庫，設大使二人，從九品；副使二人，從九品。俱流官、內官兼用。十七年，更定內官諸監、庫、局品職。內官監，設令一人，正六品丞二人，從六品典簿一人。正九品神宮監，設令一人，正七品丞一人，從七品奉禦一人，正八品。尚寶監，設令一人正七品丞一人。從七品尚衣監，設令一人，正七品丞一人。從七品奉禦四人。正八品尚膳監，設令一人，正七品丞一人。從七品司設監，設令一人，正七品丞一人，從七品奉禦四人，正八品司禮監，設令一人，正七品丞一人，從七品御馬監，設令一人，正七品丞一人，從七品直殿監，設令一人，正七品丞四人，從七品小內使十五人。宮門承製，設奉禦五人。正八品宮門守門官，設門正一人，正八品副四人。從八品內承運庫，設大使一人，正九品副使二人。從九品司鑰庫，設大使一人，正九品副使四人。從九品巾帽局，設大使一人，正九品副使一人，從九品針工局，設大使一人，正九品副使一人，從九品織染局，設大使一人，正九品副使一人。從九品顏料局，設大使一人。正九品司苑局，設大使一人。正九品司牧局，設大使一人。正九品皆於內官內選用。二十八年，重定內官監、司、庫、局與諸門官，並東宮六局、王府承奉等官職秩。凡內官監十一：曰神宮監，曰尚寶監，曰孝陵神宮監，曰尚膳監，曰尚衣監，曰司設監，曰內官監，曰司禮監，曰御馬監，曰印綬監，曰直殿監，皆設太監一人，正四品左、右少監各一人，從四品左、右監丞各一人，正五品典簿一人，正六品又設長隨、奉禦。正六品各門官七：午門、東華門、西華門、玄武門、奉天門、左順門、右順門，皆設門正一人，正四品門副一人。從四品司二：曰鐘鼓司，曰惜薪司，皆設司正一人，正五品，左、右司副各一人。從五品局庫九：曰兵仗局，曰內織染局，曰針工局，曰巾帽局，曰司苑局，曰酒醋面局，曰內承運庫，曰司鑰庫，曰內府供用庫。每局庫皆設大使一人，正五品左、右副使各一人。從五品。東宮典璽、典藥、典膳、典服、典兵、典乘六局，各設局郎一人，正五品局丞二人，從五品惟典璽局增設紀事、奉禦。正六品親王府承奉司設承奉正，正六品承奉副。從六品所三：曰典寶所，設典寶正一人，正六品副一人。從六品曰典膳所，設典膳正一人，正六品副一人。從六品曰典服所，設典服正一人，正六品副一人。從六品門官，設門正一人，正六品門副一人。從六品又設內使十人，司冠一人，司衣三人，司佩一人，司履一人，司藥二人，司矢二人。各公主位下設中使司，司正、司副各一人。三十年，置都知監，設太監一人，正四品左、右少監各一人，從四品左、右監丞各一人，正五品典簿一人。正六品又置銀作局，設大使一人，正五品副使一人。從五品

At the beginning, in Wu 1 the Inner Scribe Directorate was established, with a director at rank 4a, deputies at rank 5a, imperial attendants at rank 5b, inner scribes at rank 7a, and registrars. Rank 8b. Imperial gate officials were established as imperial gate envoys at rank 5a and vice envoys at rank 5b. Rank 5b. Later the Inner Attendant Directorate and Directorate of Imperial Manufacture were established, each with one director at rank 3a, two deputies at rank 3b, imperial attendants at rank 6a, and registrars. Rank 7a. Imperial gate officials had gate chiefs at rank 4a and vice chiefs at rank 4b; eastern palace gate officials had chiefs at rank 5a and vice chiefs at rank 5b; the imperial horse office had office chiefs at rank 5a and vice chiefs at rank 5b; and imperial attendants for imperial seals combined with palace guard, imperial caps, imperial robes, imperial girdles, imperial footwear, imperial medicine, and records. were all at rank 6a. In Hongwu year 2 the inner attendant directorate was fixed at sixty imperial attendants, one for imperial seals, seven for imperial caps, ten for imperial robes, nine for imperial girdles, seven for imperial medicine, two for records, four for kitchen service, two for preserved meats, four for incense, four for imperial ancestral temple incense, and two for cleanliness. Four offices were established for imperial wine, imperial vinegar, imperial flour, and imperial dyeing, each with one director and two deputies. Two offices were established for imperial horses and imperial manufacture, each with one director and two deputies. The inner palace depot had one chief envoy and two vice envoys. The inner granary directorate had one director and two deputies. Six eastern palace offices were also established for seals, documents, cuisine, robes, medicine, and chariots and arms, each with one bureau director and one deputy. Gate officials were also established at the thirteen gates including the Meridian Gate, each with one gate chief and one gate vice chief. Eastern palace gate officials were established at the four gates including the Gate of Spring Harmony, each with one gate chief and one gate vice chief. In year 3 the princely household service office was established. One household steward, two vice stewards, and three offices for seals, robes, and cuisine were established, each with one director and one deputy; gate officials were established with one gate chief and one gate vice chief. The Inner Attendant Directorate and Directorate of Imperial Manufacture were both reduced to rank 3b; directors were rank 3b and deputies rank 4a. Imperial gate officials were rank 4b. Gate chiefs were rank 4b and vice chiefs rank 5a; eastern palace gate chiefs and vice chiefs were the same. In year 4 all ranks were again adjusted and honorary titles were conferred. The inner attendant directorate was then changed to rank 5a and imperial gate officials to rank 6a. In Hongwu year 4 honorary titles for inner officials were fixed. Rank 4a was Righteous Central Grandee. Rank 4b was Central Attendant Grandee. Rank 5a was Central Guard Grandee. Rank 5b was Attendant Straight Grandee. Rank 6a was Inner Attendant Gentleman. Rank 6b was Inner Straight Gentleman. Rank 7a was Righteous Attendant Gentleman. Rank 7b was Righteous Guard Gentleman. Rank 8a was Office Attendant Gentleman. Rank 8b was Office Straight Gentleman. Soon after the inner attendant directorate director's post was fixed. The director at rank 5a was conferred Central Guard Grandee. Deputies at rank 5b were conferred Attendant Straight Grandee. Imperial gate chiefs, bureau chiefs, office chiefs, eastern palace gate chiefs, and bureau chiefs—all at rank 6a—were conferred Inner Attendant Gentleman. Attendants of imperial seals, imperial attendants, imperial gate vice chiefs, bureau vice chiefs, office vice chiefs, eastern palace gate vice chiefs, bureau deputies, princely household stewards, gate chiefs, and office chiefs—all at rank 6b—were conferred Inner Straight Gentleman. Imperial caps and other imperial attendants, inner palace depot chief envoys, inner granary directors, princely household vice stewards, gate vice chiefs, and office vice chiefs—all at rank 7a—were conferred Righteous Attendant Gentleman. Depot vice envoys and granary deputies—all at rank 7b—were conferred Righteous Guard Gentleman. In year 6 the directorate of imperial manufacture was renamed the Office of Offerings at rank 7b, with five officials established. The inner granary directorate became the inner palace granary; the director was made chief envoy and the deputy vice envoy. The inner palace depot was renamed the Transport Depot. Chief and vice envoys were still established. The Records Office was soon established, with the eunuch Zhang Yi as its director. Its rank was 7a. Examining past methods for censuring inner officials, the Inner Rectification Office was established with one director at rank 7a and one vice director at rank 7b, specifically to investigate breaches of decorum and unlawful conduct among inner officials. It was soon renamed the Ceremonial Office, then the Ceremonial Records and Inspection Office, and its ranks were raised. The office director was promoted to rank 6a and the vice director to rank 6b. In year 10 the inner attendant directorate of imperial shrines was established, with a director at rank 5a, a deputy at rank 5b, incense imperial attendants at rank 7a, and a registrar at rank 8b. Rank 8b. Sacrifice offices at the altars of heaven and earth and spirit altars each had a commissioner at rank 7a, a deputy at rank 7b, and incense imperial attendants at rank 8a. Five depots—A, B, C, D, and E—each had a chief envoy at rank 7a and a vice envoy at rank 7b; imperial city gate officials at the Duan Gate and fifteen other gates each had a gate chief at rank 7a and a vice chief at rank 7b. In year 12 three directorates were added for imperial robes, imperial caps, and imperial footwear, along with bureaus for needlework, leatherwork, and caps and boots. The bureau of imperial girdles was renamed the directorate of imperial girdles. In year 16 the inner palace treasure note Guangyuan and Guanghui depots were established to handle paper currency; the Guangyuan depot received deposits and the Guanghui depot handled disbursements. The treasure note Guangyuan depot had one chief envoy at rank 9a, filled by a regular official; one vice envoy at rank 9a, filled by an inner official. The treasure note Guanghui depot had two chief envoys at rank 9b; two vice envoys at rank 9b. Both regular and inner officials were used interchangeably. In year 17 the ranks and posts of inner directorates, depots, and bureaus were fixed anew. The directorate of palace eunuchs had one director at rank 6a, two deputies at rank 6b, and one registrar. Rank 9a. The directorate of imperial shrines had one director at rank 7a, one deputy at rank 7b, and one imperial attendant at rank 8a. The directorate of imperial seals had one director at rank 7a and one deputy at rank 7b. The directorate of imperial wardrobe had one director at rank 7a and one deputy at rank 7b. Its deputy was rank 7b, with four imperial attendants at rank 8a. The directorate of imperial cuisine had one director at rank 7a and one deputy at rank 7b. The directorate of palace equipment had one director at rank 7a, one deputy at rank 7b, and four imperial attendants at rank 8a; the directorate of ceremonial had one director at rank 7a and one deputy at rank 7b; the directorate of imperial horses had one director at rank 7a and one deputy at rank 7b; the directorate of palace maintenance had one director at rank 7a, four deputies at rank 7b, and fifteen junior inner attendants at rank 7b. The palace gate imperial manufacture office had five imperial attendants. Rank 8a. Palace gate guard officials had one gate chief at rank 8a and four vice chiefs at rank 8b. The inner transport depot had one chief envoy at rank 9a and two vice envoys at rank 9b. The key depot had one chief envoy at rank 9a and four vice envoys at rank 9b. The bureau of caps and boots had one chief envoy at rank 9a and one vice envoy at rank 9b; the bureau of needlework had one chief envoy at rank 9a and one vice envoy at rank 9b; the bureau of dyeing had one chief envoy at rank 9a and one vice envoy at rank 9b. The bureau of pigments had one chief envoy at rank 9a. The bureau of palace gardens had one chief envoy at rank 9a. The bureau of palace herds had one chief envoy at rank 9a. All rank 9a posts were filled from among inner officials. In year 28 the ranks of inner directorates, offices, depots, bureaus, gate officials, eastern palace six bureaus, and princely household stewards were fixed anew. There were eleven inner directorates: the directorate of imperial shrines, directorate of imperial seals, Xiaoling imperial shrines directorate, directorate of imperial cuisine, directorate of imperial wardrobe, directorate of palace equipment, directorate of palace eunuchs, directorate of ceremonial, directorate of imperial horses, directorate of seals and credentials, and directorate of palace maintenance—each with one grand director at rank 4a, left and right vice directors at rank 4b, left and right assistant directors at rank 5a, one registrar at rank 6a, and attendants and imperial attendants also established. Seven gate offices—the Meridian Gate, East Glorious Gate, West Glorious Gate, Dark Warrior Gate, Gate of Receiving Heaven, Left Gate of Conforming to the Seasons, and Right Gate of Conforming to the Seasons—each had one gate chief at rank 4a and one vice chief at rank 4b. Two offices at rank 4b—the Office of Bells and Drums and the Office of Frugal Fuel—each had one office director at rank 5a and left and right vice directors at rank 5b. Nine bureaus and depots at rank 5b: the bureau of military equipment, inner dyeing bureau, bureau of needlework, bureau of caps and boots, bureau of palace gardens, bureau of wine, vinegar, and flour, inner transport depot, key depot, and inner palace supply depot. Each bureau and depot had one chief envoy at rank 5a and left and right vice envoys. The vice envoys were rank 5b. The eastern palace's six bureaus of seals, medicine, cuisine, robes, arms, and chariots each had one bureau director at rank 5a and two bureau deputies at rank 5b; only the seals bureau additionally had record keepers and imperial attendants. Rank 6a. Princely household steward offices had chief stewards at rank 6a and vice stewards at rank 6b. Three offices at rank 6b: the seal office, with one seal director at rank 6a and one deputy at rank 6b. The cuisine office had one cuisine director at rank 6a and one deputy at rank 6b. The robes office had one robes director at rank 6a and one deputy at rank 6b. Gate officials had one gate chief at rank 6a and one vice chief at rank 6b. Ten inner attendants were also established, with one cap keeper, three robe keepers, one girdle keeper, one footwear keeper, two medicine keepers, and two arrow keepers. Under each princess's household an inner attendant office was established, with one office director and one vice director. In year 30 the directorate of imperial inspection was established, with one grand director at rank 4a, left and right vice directors at rank 4b, left and right assistant directors at rank 5a, and one registrar at rank 6a. Rank 6a. The bureau of silver work was also established, with one chief envoy at rank 5a and one vice envoy. The vice envoy was rank 5b.

太祖嘗謂侍臣曰：「朕觀《周禮》，奄寺不及百人。後世至逾數千，因用階亂。此曹止可供灑掃，給使令，非別有委任，毋令過多。」又言：「此曹善者千百中不一二，惡者常千百。若用為耳目，即耳目蔽；用為心腹，即心腹病。馭之之道，在使之畏法，不可使有功。畏法則檢束，有功則驕恣。」有內侍事帝最久，微言及政事，立斥之，終其身不召。因定制，內侍毋許識字。洪武十七年鑄鐵牌，文曰：「內臣不得干預政事，犯者斬」，置宮門中。又敕諸司毋得與內官監文移往來。然二十五年命聶慶童往河州敕諭茶馬，中官奉使行事已自此始。成祖亦嘗云：「朕一遵太祖訓，無禦寶文書，即一軍一民，中官不得擅調發。」有私役應天工匠者，立命錦衣逮治。顧中官四出，實始永樂時。元年，李興等齎敕勞暹羅國王，此奉使外國之始也。三年，命鄭和等率兵二萬，行賞西洋古裏、滿剌諸國，此將兵之始也。八年，敕王安等監都督譚青等軍，馬靖巡視甘肅，此監軍、巡視之始也。及洪熙元年，以鄭和領下番官軍守備南京，遂相沿不改。敕王安鎮守甘肅，而各省鎮皆設鎮守矣。宣德四年，特設內書堂，命大學士陳山專授小內使書，而太祖不許識字讀書之制，由此而廢。賜王瑾、金英印記，則與諸密勿大臣同。賜金英、範弘等免死詔，則又無異勳臣之鐵券也。英之王振，憲之汪直，武之劉瑾，熹之魏忠賢，太阿倒握，威福下移。神宗礦稅之使，無一方不罹厥害。其他怙勢薰灼，不可勝紀。而廕弟、廕侄、封伯、封公，則撓官制之大者。莊烈帝初翦大憝，中外頌聖。既而鎮守、出征、督餉、坐營等事，無一不命中官為之，而明亦遂亡矣。

The Taizu emperor once told his attending ministers: "When I examine the 《Rites of Zhou》, palace eunuchs numbered fewer than one hundred. Later ages reached several thousand, and disorder arose through their employment. These people should only supply sweeping and running errands; they have no separate commissions—do not let their numbers grow excessive. He also said: "Among these people, perhaps one or two in a thousand are good; the bad are normally nine hundred ninety-nine in a thousand. If they are used as eyes and ears, then the eyes and ears are blinded; if they are used as heart and belly, then the heart and belly are diseased. The way to control them is to make them fear the law—not to let them have achievements. Fear of the law keeps them restrained; achievements make them arrogant and unrestrained. There was an inner attendant who had served the emperor longest; he briefly touched on state affairs and was immediately dismissed, never summoned again for the rest of his life. Accordingly a rule was made that inner attendants were not permitted to learn literacy. In Hongwu year 17 an iron plaque was cast reading "Inner officials must not meddle in state affairs; violators are executed," and it was placed within the palace gates. Orders were also issued that no department might exchange official documents with the directorate of palace eunuchs. Yet in year 25 Nie Qingtong was sent to Hezhou with an imperial rescript on tea and horses—the beginning of inner officials bearing imperial commissions. The Chengzu emperor also once said: "I follow the Taizu precepts in full; without an imperial seal document, not even one soldier or one commoner may an inner official deploy on his own authority. When one privately employed artisans of Yingtian, he immediately ordered the Brocade Guard to arrest and punish him. Yet the actual sending out of inner officials in all directions truly began in the Yongle reign. In year 1 Li Xing and others carried an imperial message to congratulate the king of Siam—this was the beginning of missions abroad. In year 3 Zheng He and others were ordered to lead twenty thousand troops on reward missions to the Western Ocean states of Calicut, Malacca, and others—this was the beginning of commanding troops. In year 8 Wang An and others were ordered to supervise the armies of Regional Commander Tan Qing and others; Ma Jing toured Gansu—this was the beginning of army supervision and inspection tours. By Hongxi 1 Zheng He was put in charge of the stationed troops from the southern voyages to garrison Nanjing, and this practice continued unchanged. Wang An was ordered to garrison Gansu, and garrison commissioners were established in every province. In Xuande year 4 an Inner Script Hall was specially established, and Grand Secretary Chen Shan was ordered to instruct junior inner attendants in literacy—thereby abolishing the Taizu prohibition against literacy and reading. When Wang Jin and Jin Ying were granted seal stamps, they were treated like confidential grand ministers. When death-exemption edicts were granted to Jin Ying, Fan Hong, and others, they were no different from the iron certificates given to meritorious ministers. Wang Zhen under Yingzong, Wang Zhi under Xianzong, Liu Jin under Wuzong, and Wei Zhongxian under Xizong—in each case imperial authority was inverted and power shifted downward. The mining-tax commissioners of Shenzong brought suffering to every region. Other cases of relying on power to intimidate and dominate were too numerous to record. Ennobling younger brothers and nephews as earls and dukes was a major distortion of the official system. When the Chongzhen emperor first cut down the great villain, court and country praised the sage ruler. Thereafter garrisoning, campaigning, supervising supplies, sitting in camp, and the like—none of these was done without appointing inner officials, and with that the Ming dynasty perished.

女官。六局。尚宮局，尚宮二人，正五品。六尚並同。尚宮掌導引中宮。凡六局出納文籍，皆印署之。若徵辦於外，則為之請旨，牒付內官監。監受牒，行移於外。領司四：司記，司記二人，正六品；典記二人，正七品；掌記二人，正八品。掌宮內諸司簿書，出入錄目，番署加印，然後授行。女史六人，掌執文書，凡二十四司，二十四典，二十四掌，品秩並同。司言，司言二人，典言二人，掌言二人，女史四人，掌宣傳啟奏。凡令節外命婦朝賀中宮，司言傳旨。司簿，司簿二人，典簿二人，掌簿二人，女史六人，掌宮人名籍及廩賜之事。司闈。司闈六人，典闈六人，掌闈六人，女史四人，掌宮闈管鍵之事。尚儀局，尚儀二人，掌禮儀起居事。領司四：司籍，司籍二人，典籍二人，掌籍二人，女史十人，掌經籍、圖書、筆劄、幾案之事。司樂，司樂四人，典樂四人，掌樂四人，女史二人，掌音樂之事。司賓，司賓二人，典賓二人，掌賓二人，女史二人，掌朝見、宴會、賜賚之事。司贊，司贊二人，典贊二人，掌贊二人，女史二人，掌朝見、宴會、贊相之事。彤史。彤史二人，正六品，掌宴見進禦之事，凡后妃、羣妾禦於君所，彤史謹書其月日。尚服局，尚服二人，掌供服用採章之數。領司四：司寶，司寶二人，典寶二人，掌寶二人，女史四人，掌寶璽、符契。司衣，司衣二人，典衣二人，掌衣二人，女史四人，掌衣服、首飾之事。司飾，司飾二人，典飾二人，掌飾二人，女史二人，掌巾櫛、膏沐之事。司仗，司仗二人，典仗二人，掌仗二人，女史二人，凡朝賀，帥女官擎執儀仗。尚食局，尚食二人，掌膳羞品齊之數。凡以飲食進禦，尚食先嚐之。領司四：司膳，司膳四人，典膳四人，掌膳四人，女史四人，掌割烹煎和之事。司醞，司醞二人，典醞二人，掌醞二人，女史二人，掌酒醴酏飲之事。司藥，司藥二人，典藥二人，掌藥二人，女史四人，掌醫方藥物。司饎。司饎二人，典饎二人，掌饎二人，掌廩餼薪炭之事。尚寢局，尚寢二人，掌天子之宴寢。領司四：司設，司設二人，典設二人，掌設二人，女史四人，掌牀帷、茵席、汛掃、張設之事。司輿，司輿二人，典輿二人，掌輿二人，女史二人，掌輿輦、傘扇之事。司苑，司苑二人，典苑二人，掌苑二人，女史四人，掌園囿種值花果。司燈。司燈二人，典燈二人，掌燈二人，女史二人，掌燈燭事。尚功局，尚功二人，掌督女紅之程課。領司四：司制，司制二人，典制二人，掌制二人，女史四人，裳衣服裁製縫紉之事。司珍，司珍二人，典珍二人，掌珍二人，女史六人，掌金玉寶貨。司彩，司彩二人，典彩二人，掌彩二人，女史六人，掌繪綿絲絮事。司計，司計二人，典計二人，掌計二人，女史四人，掌度支衣服、飲食、柴炭之事。宮正司。宮正一人，正五品；司正二人，正六品；典正二人，正七品。掌糾察宮闈、戒令、謫罰之事。大事則奏聞。女史四人，記功過。

Palace women officials. Six Bureaus. The Chief Palace Bureau had two Chiefs of Palace at rank 5a. All Six Chiefs held the same rank and staffing. The Chief of Palace directed and guided the empress. For all documents issued and received by the Six Bureaus, she sealed and signed them. If supplies had to be procured from outside, she requested an imperial decree and forwarded a memorandum to the Inner Official Directorate. The directorate received the memorandum and sent dispatch documents outside. It oversaw four offices. Records: two Supervisors of Records at rank 6a; two Aides of Records at rank 7a; two Clerks of Records at rank 8a. They kept the ledgers of all inner offices, recorded what went in and out, applied seals in rotation, and only then authorized release. Six female clerks handled documents; across all twenty-four Supervisors, twenty-four Aides, and twenty-four Clerks, ranks were the same. Speech: two Supervisors of Speech, two Aides of Speech, two Clerks of Speech, and four female clerks who conveyed announcements and presented petitions. Whenever edicts summoned titled ladies from outside to attend the empress on ceremonial occasions, the Supervisors of Speech transmitted the imperial will. Registers: two Supervisors of Registers, two Aides of Registers, two Clerks of Registers, and six female clerks who kept the registry of palace women and managed grain allotments and gifts. Inner Gate. Six Supervisors of Inner Gate, six Aides of Inner Gate, six Clerks of Inner Gate, and four female clerks who managed the keys and gates of the inner palace. The Chief Ceremonial Bureau had two Chiefs of Ceremonies who managed ritual protocol and daily conduct. It oversaw four offices. Archives: two Supervisors of Archives, two Aides of Archives, two Clerks of Archives, and ten female clerks who managed classics, books, writing materials, and desk furnishings. Music: four Supervisors of Music, four Aides of Music, four Clerks of Music, and two female clerks who managed musical affairs. Guests: two Supervisors of Guests, two Aides of Guests, two Clerks of Guests, and two female clerks who managed audiences, banquets, and imperial gifts. Acclaim: two Supervisors of Acclaim, two Aides of Acclaim, two Clerks of Acclaim, and two female clerks who managed audiences, banquets, and ceremonial prompting. Red Record. Two Red Record keepers at rank 6a managed banquets, audiences, and attendance at the emperor's bedchamber; whenever the empress, consorts, and concubines attended the sovereign, the Red Record keepers carefully recorded the month and day. The Chief Wardrobe Bureau had two Chiefs of Wardrobe who managed the standards for dress and insignia. It oversaw four offices. Seals: two Supervisors of Seals, two Aides of Seals, two Clerks of Seals, and four female clerks who managed imperial seals and tally documents. Garments: two Supervisors of Garments, two Aides of Garments, two Clerks of Garments, and four female clerks who managed clothing and head ornaments. Toiletries: two Supervisors of Toiletries, two Aides of Toiletries, two Clerks of Toiletries, and two female clerks who managed towels, combs, and bathing preparations. Regalia: two Supervisors of Regalia, two Aides of Regalia, two Clerks of Regalia, and two female clerks; at every court congratulation ceremony they led palace women officials in bearing ceremonial regalia. The Chief Food Bureau had two Chiefs of Food who managed the standards for dishes and delicacies. Whenever food and drink were presented to the emperor, the Chief of Food tasted it first. It oversaw four offices. Cuisine: four Supervisors of Cuisine, four Aides of Cuisine, four Clerks of Cuisine, and four female clerks who managed cutting, cooking, frying, and seasoning. Brewing: two Supervisors of Brewing, two Aides of Brewing, two Clerks of Brewing, and two female clerks who managed wine, fermented liquor, and beverages. Medicine: two Supervisors of Medicine, two Aides of Medicine, two Clerks of Medicine, and four female clerks who managed medical prescriptions and drugs. Provisions. Two Supervisors of Provisions, two Aides of Provisions, and two Clerks of Provisions who managed grain allotments and fuel. The Chief Bedchamber Bureau had two Chiefs of Bedchamber who managed the emperor's sleeping quarters. It oversaw four offices. Furnishings: two Supervisors of Furnishings, two Aides of Furnishings, two Clerks of Furnishings, and four female clerks who managed bed curtains, mats, cleaning, and setup. Carriages: two Supervisors of Carriages, two Aides of Carriages, two Clerks of Carriages, and two female clerks who managed palanquins, umbrellas, and fans. Gardens: two Supervisors of Gardens, two Aides of Gardens, two Clerks of Gardens, and four female clerks who managed planting flowers and fruit in the palace gardens. Lamps. Two Supervisors of Lamps, two Aides of Lamps, two Clerks of Lamps, and two female clerks who managed lamps and candles. The Chief Works Bureau had two Chiefs of Works who supervised quotas and assessments for women's needlework. It oversaw four offices. Manufacture: two Supervisors of Manufacture, two Aides of Manufacture, two Clerks of Manufacture, and four female clerks who managed cutting, sewing, and stitching garments. Treasures: two Supervisors of Treasures, two Aides of Treasures, two Clerks of Treasures, and six female clerks who managed gold, jade, and precious goods. Colors: two Supervisors of Colors, two Aides of Colors, two Clerks of Colors, and six female clerks who managed dyeing, silk floss, and padding. Accounts: two Supervisors of Accounts, two Aides of Accounts, two Clerks of Accounts, and four female clerks who managed expenditures for clothing, food, and fuel. Palace Rectitude Office. One Palace Rectifier at rank 5a; two Rectifier Supervisors at rank 6a; two Rectifier Aides at rank 7a. They inspected the inner palace, enforced regulations, and imposed demotions and punishments. Major matters were reported to the throne. Four female clerks recorded merit and fault.

吳元年，置內職六尚局。洪武五年，定為六局一司。局曰尚宮，曰尚儀，曰尚服，曰尚食，曰尚寢，曰尚功。司曰宮正。尚宮二人，尚儀、尚服、尚食、尚寢、尚功各一人，宮正二人，俱正六品。六局分領二十四司，每司或二人或四人。司記、司言、司簿、司樂、司寶、司衣、司飾、司醞、司藥、司供、司輿、司苑、司珍、司彩、司計各二人。司闈、司籍、司賓、司贊、司仗、司饌、司設、司燈、司制各四人。女史十八人。尚功局六人，餘五局及宮正局各二人。十七年，更定品秩。尚宮、尚儀、尚服、尚食、尚寢、尚功、宮正各一人，俱改正五品；二十四司正六品。增設二十四掌，正七品。宮正司增設司正，正六品。二十二年，授宮官敕。服勞多者，或五載六載，得歸父母，聽婚嫁。年高者許歸，願留者聽。現授職者，家給與祿。二十七年，又重定品職。增設二十四典，正七品。改二十四掌為正八品。尚儀局增設彤史，正六品。宮正司增設典正，正七品。自六尚以下，員數俱如前所列。凡宮官一百八十七人，女史九十六人。六局各鑄印給之。永樂後，職盡移於宦官。其宮官所存者，惟尚寶四司而已。

In the first year of the Wu reign era, the Six Chief Bureaus of inner service were established. In Hongwu year 5 they were fixed as six bureaus and one office. The bureaus were Chief Palace, Chief Ceremonial, Chief Wardrobe, Chief Food, Chief Bedchamber, and Chief Works. The office was called Palace Rectitude. There were two Chiefs of Palace; one each for Chief Ceremonial, Chief Wardrobe, Chief Food, Chief Bedchamber, and Chief Works; and two Palace Rectifiers—all at rank 6a. The Six Bureaus divided supervision among twenty-four offices, each staffed with either two or four incumbents. Records, Speech, Registers, Music, Seals, Garments, Toiletries, Brewing, Medicine, Provisions, Carriages, Gardens, Treasures, Colors, and Accounts each had two incumbents. Inner Gate, Archives, Guests, Acclaim, Regalia, Cuisine, Furnishings, Lamps, and Manufacture each had four incumbents. There were eighteen female clerks. The Chief Works Bureau had six incumbents; the other five bureaus and the Palace Rectitude Office each had two. In year 17 the ranks were revised. One each for Chief Palace, Chief Ceremonial, Chief Wardrobe, Chief Food, Chief Bedchamber, Chief Works, and Palace Rectifier—all raised to rank 5a; the twenty-four Supervisors were rank 6a. Twenty-four Clerks were added at rank 7a. The Palace Rectitude Office added Rectifier Supervisors at rank 6a. In year 22 appointment patents were issued to palace officials. Those who had served diligently for five or six years might return to their parents and were permitted to marry. The aged were allowed to leave; those who wished to remain were permitted to stay. Those currently holding office had salaries granted to their families. In year 27 the ranks and posts were revised again. Twenty-four Aides were added at rank 7a. The twenty-four Clerks were changed to rank 8a. The Chief Ceremonial Bureau added Red Record keepers at rank 6a. The Palace Rectitude Office added Rectifier Aides at rank 7a. From the Six Chiefs downward, staffing numbers were all as listed above. In all there were 187 palace officials and 96 female clerks. Each of the Six Bureaus was cast a seal and given it. After Yongle, the posts were entirely transferred to eunuchs. Of the palace officials who remained, only the four offices under the Chief Wardrobe Bureau survived.

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