The Three Ducal Ministers (Chinese: 三公; pinyin: Sāngōng), also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in Ancient China and Imperial China. These posts were abolished by Cao Cao in 208 AD and replaced with the position of Grand Chancellor. When Cao Cao's son Cao Pi became King of Wei after his father's death, he reinstated the three positions. Hua Xin was made Chancellor, Jia Xu was made Grand Commandant and Wang Lang was made Grand Secretary. When Cao Pi declared himself emperor in late 220, Hua Xin was made Cao Wei's first Minister of the Masses, Jia Xu remained as Grand Commandant, and Wang Lang was made the first Minister of Works.
Each minister was responsible for different areas of government, but the boundaries were often blurred. Together, the Three Ducal Ministers were the emperor's closest advisors. Toward the end of a dynasty, the positions were often sold to men of wealth to raise state revenue.
Because all three titles contain the word "司" (pinyin: sī; lit. 'management') at the time of the Eastern Han, the Three Ducal Ministers were also called "Sansī" (三司).[2]
Rankedit
During the Han dynasty, civil service officials were classified according to twenty grades (reduced to sixteen after 32 BC), expressed by the official's annual salary in terms of number of dàn (石) or Chinese bushels of grain.[note 1] This ranged from the ten-thousand-bushel rank at the top to the one-hundred-bushel at the bottom. Under this system, the Three Ducal Ministers all held the highest rank of ten-thousand-bushel.[3]
^probably of wheat, the core of the Chinese Empire at that time being mainly on the North China Plain, above the Yangzi River. Rice came later to the area.
^"Official Titles of the Han dynasty: A Tentative List Compiled for The Han Dynasty History Project" (PDF). University of Washington. p. 31. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
three, ducal, ministers, chinese, 三公, pinyin, sāngōng, also, translated, three, dukes, three, excellencies, three, lords, collective, name, three, highest, officials, ancient, china, imperial, china, these, posts, were, abolished, replaced, with, position, gra. The Three Ducal Ministers Chinese 三公 pinyin Sangōng also translated as the Three Dukes Three Excellencies or the Three Lords was the collective name for the three highest officials in Ancient China and Imperial China These posts were abolished by Cao Cao in 208 AD and replaced with the position of Grand Chancellor When Cao Cao s son Cao Pi became King of Wei after his father s death he reinstated the three positions Hua Xin was made Chancellor Jia Xu was made Grand Commandant and Wang Lang was made Grand Secretary When Cao Pi declared himself emperor in late 220 Hua Xin was made Cao Wei s first Minister of the Masses Jia Xu remained as Grand Commandant and Wang Lang was made the first Minister of Works Contents 1 Overview 2 Rank 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 SourcesOverview editEach minister was responsible for different areas of government but the boundaries were often blurred Together the Three Ducal Ministers were the emperor s closest advisors Toward the end of a dynasty the positions were often sold to men of wealth to raise state revenue Starting in the late Shang dynasty and Zhou dynasty the top three were Grand Preceptor Chinese 太師 pinyin Taishi Grand Tutor Chinese 太傅 pinyin Taifu Grand Protector Chinese 太保 pinyin Taibǎo During the Western Han dynasty the three positions were 1 Chancellor Chinese 丞相 pinyin Chengxiang Grand Secretary Chinese 御史大夫 pinyin Yushǐ Dafu Grand Commandant Chinese 太尉 pinyin Taiwei In the Eastern Han dynasty the names of the Three Ducal Ministers were changed to Minister of War Chinese 大司馬 pinyin Da Simǎ Minister of the Masses Chinese 司徒 pinyin Situ Minister of Works Chinese 司空 pinyin Sikōng Because all three titles contain the word 司 pinyin si lit management at the time of the Eastern Han the Three Ducal Ministers were also called Sansi 三司 2 Rank editDuring the Han dynasty civil service officials were classified according to twenty grades reduced to sixteen after 32 BC expressed by the official s annual salary in terms of number of dan 石 or Chinese bushels of grain note 1 This ranged from the ten thousand bushel rank at the top to the one hundred bushel at the bottom Under this system the Three Ducal Ministers all held the highest rank of ten thousand bushel 3 See also editGovernment of the Han dynasty Nine Ministers Translation of Han dynasty titlesNotes edit probably of wheat the core of the Chinese Empire at that time being mainly on the North China Plain above the Yangzi River Rice came later to the area References editCitations edit Wang 1949 p 150 Official Titles of the Han dynasty A Tentative List Compiled for The Han Dynasty History Project PDF University of Washington p 31 Retrieved March 21 2013 Wang 1949 p 137 Sources edit de Crespigny Rafe 2007 A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23 220 AD Leiden South Holland Brill ISBN 978 90 04 15605 0 Wang Yu Ch uan June 1949 An Outline of The Central Government of The Former Han Dynasty Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies Harvard Yenching Institute 12 1 2 134 187 doi 10 2307 2718206 JSTOR 2718206 nbsp nbsp This article related to the history of China is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This government related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Three Ducal Ministers amp oldid 1172829093, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
