1
In ancient times the Three Ducal Ministers were charged with honoring Heaven and Earth, harmonizing yin and yang, and guiding the realm through discourse on the Way. Early in the Yuan dynasty the Grand Preceptor, Grand Tutor, and Grand Guardian constituted the Three Excellencies. Muqali, enfeoffed as king, was the first Grand Preceptor; thereafter every man raised to these three posts was a founding pillar of the realm. Among Han officials only Liu Bingzhong ever held Grand Guardian — and scarcely anyone among the Han after him. The institution also recognized Grand Minister of Education, Minister of Education, Grand Commandant, and Minister of Works, among others; but these offices were not consistently filled, and appointees varied in standing — so some appointees opened a formal bureau and others did not. The crown prince's establishment likewise sometimes included the Three Masters and Three Minor Mentors, though these posts were not kept permanently. A full record of every holder is impossible here; this table lists only those from Muqali onward who were appointed to the three great offices. Emperor Taizu
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bingyin | first year | |||
| dingmao | second year | |||
| wuchen | third year | |||
| jisi | fourth year | |||
| gengwu | fifth year | |||
| xinwei | sixth year | |||
| renshen | seventh year | |||
| guiyou | eighth year | |||
| jiaxu | ninth year | |||
| yihai | tenth year | |||
| bingzi | eleventh year | |||
| dingchou | twelfth year | Muqali | ||
| wuyin | thirteenth year | Muqali | ||
| jimao | fourteenth year | Muqali | ||
| gengchen | fifteenth year | Muqali | ||
| xinsi | sixteenth year | Muqali | ||
| renwu | seventeenth year | Muqali | ||
| guiwei | eighteenth year | Muqali | ||
| jiashen | nineteenth year | |||
| yiyou | twentieth year | |||
| bingxu | twenty-first year | |||
| dinghai | twenty-second year | |||
| wuzi |
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| jichou | first year | Ahai | Tughuai | Ming'an |
| gengyin | second year | The Extended Records of Karakorum preserve many accounts from the dynasty's founding, naming Grand Preceptor Ahai, Grand Tutor Tughuai, and Grand Guardian Ming'an; other official reports mention them as well, though the order and dates of their appointments and dismissals cannot be recovered. They are therefore noted here. | ||
| xinmao | third year | |||
| renchen | fourth year | |||
| guisi | fifth year | |||
| jiawu | sixth year | |||
| yiwei | seventh year | |||
| bingshen | eighth year | |||
| dingyou | ninth year | |||
| wuxu | tenth year | |||
| jihai | eleventh year | |||
| gengzi | twelfth year | |||
| xinchou | thirteenth year | |||
| renyin | ||||
| guimao | ||||
| jiachen | ||||
| yisi |
| 太師 | 太傅 | 太保 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 丙午 | 元年 | |||
| 丁未 | 二年 | |||
| 戊申 | 三年 | |||
| 己酉 | ||||
| 庚戌 |
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bingwu | first year | |||
| dingwei | second year | |||
| wushen | third year | |||
| jiyou | ||||
| gengxu |
| 太師 | 太傅 | 太保 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 辛亥 | 元年 | |||
| 壬子 | 二年 | |||
| 癸丑 | 三年 | |||
| 甲寅 | 四年 | |||
| 乙卯 | 五年 | |||
| 丙辰 | 六年 | |||
| 丁巳 | 七年 | |||
| 戊午 | 八年 | |||
| 己未 | 九年 |
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| xinhai | first year | |||
| renzi | second year | |||
| guichou | third year | |||
| jiayin | fourth year | |||
| yimao | fifth year | |||
| bingchen | sixth year | |||
| dingsi | seventh year | |||
| wuwu | eighth year | |||
| jiwei | ninth year |
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gengshen | first year of the Zhongtong reign | |||
| xinyou | second year | |||
| renxu | third year | |||
| guihai | fourth year | |||
| jiazi | first year of the Zhiyuan reign | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| yichou | second year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| bingyin | third year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| dingmao | fourth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| wuchen | fifth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| jisi | sixth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| gengwu | seventh year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| xinwei | eighth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| renshen | ninth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| guiyou | tenth year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| jiaxu | eleventh year | Liu Bingzhong | ||
| yihai | twelfth year | |||
| bingzi | thirteenth year | |||
| dingchou | fourteenth year | |||
| wuyin | fifteenth year | |||
| jimao | sixteenth year | |||
| gengchen | seventeenth year | |||
| xinsi | eighteenth year | |||
| renwu | nineteenth year | |||
| guiwei | twentieth year | |||
| jiashen | twenty-first year | |||
| yiyou | twenty-second year | |||
| bingxu | twenty-third year | |||
| dinghai | twenty-fourth year | |||
| wuzi | twenty-fifth year | |||
| jichou | twenty-sixth year | |||
| gengyin | twenty-seventh year | |||
| xinmao | twenty-eighth year | |||
| renchen | twenty-ninth year | |||
| guisi | thirtieth year | |||
| jiawu | thirty-first year |
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yiwei | first year of the Yuanzhen reign | Kökeçek | ||
| bingshen | second year | Kökeçek | ||
| dingyou | first year of the Dade reign | Kökeçek | ||
| wuxu | second year | Kökeçek | ||
| jihai | third year | Kökeçek | ||
| gengzi | fourth year | Kökeçek | Öljeyit | |
| xinchou | fifth year | Kökeçek | ||
| renyin | sixth year | Kökeçek | ||
| guimao | seventh year | Kökeçek | ||
| jiachen | eighth year | |||
| yisi | ninth year | |||
| bingwu | tenth year | |||
| dingwei | eleventh year | Harghasun | Talakhai |
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124
| Grand Preceptor | Grand Tutor | Grand Guardian | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| renzi | first year of the Huangqing reign | Asaghan | Teke | Qutu |
| guichou | second year | Asaghan | Bogh | Qutu |
| jiayin | first year of the Yanyou reign | Asaghan | Bogh | Qutu |
| yimao | second year | Asaghan | Bogh | Qutu |
| bingchen | third year | Temüder | Bogh | Qutu |
| dingsi | fourth year | Temüder | Bogh | Qutu |
| wuwu | fifth year | Bogh | Qutu | |
| jiwei | sixth year | Temüder | Bogh | Qutu |
| gengshen | seventh year | Temüder | Duoser | Qutu |
135
140
146