Feudal System?

[Suet Seung]

Does anyone know about the feudal system of Ancient Chinese government?

Like DOMD's WXB, he was promoted by Kang Xi up to many levels of imperial court positions and I would like to know more about the positions in the imperial court like in the TV series, they always talk about an official of this and this level. Prime Minister and etc.

Is anyone knowledgeable on that subject? Can anyone draw up a chart or list of the high level to low level imperial court positions?

[TommyH]

What does this have to do with wuxia? There's always 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, etc. You could be a 1st class eunuch or a lowclass eunuch. WXB is a 1st class, of course.

[Laviathan]

Does anyone know about the feudal system of Ancient Chinese government?

Feudal system and government official hierarchy are two different things. Feudal systems concerns the relation between the king/overlord/hegemon and his vassal lords. In Imperial China, there were the standard fiefs/titles:

Imperial Prince
Commandery Prince
Grand Duke
Commandary Duke
Marquis
Count
Viscount
Baron

Is anyone knowledgeable on that subject? Can anyone draw up a chart or list of the high level to low level imperial court positions?

Are you kiddin' me?

[Suet Seung]

What does this have to do with wuxia? There's always 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, etc. You could be a 1st class eunuch or a lowclass eunuch. WXB is a 1st class, of course.

It does too! Jin Yong almost always have some political issues in his novels. Like the position of Ao Bai, Ng Sam Wai, etc, etc.... I'm just trying to understand his characters a little bit more and for curiousity purposes. You got a problem?! Hmmm?

Laviathan, yes, I would like to know about the government official hierarchy. No, I didn't mean like a detailed chart or list, just a brief outline of whose who and little bit of what they do or have power of.

[Athena]

In the Qing dynasty eunuchs could only reach a class 4 status. No eunuch could ever achieve a class one position. Wei Xiaobao was class 5.

To Suet Seung: Every dynasty had a different system. The same minister post could have a different class distinction in a different dynasty.

Suffice to know is that there 9 classes in total. And every class has a subclass, so there are 18 grades alltogether.

[Extremer88]

Many countries in the past, apart from China, also have feudal systems and states. Feudalism in europe lasts only about a thousand years. The period of Zhou dynasty to Qing dynasty is referred to as the feudal state. It lasts more than 2500 years until the start of the opium war in which the system started to have changes.

[Suet Seung]

In the Qing dynasty eunuchs could only reach a class 4 status. No eunuch could ever achieve a class one position. Wei Xiaobao was class 5.

To Suet Seung: Every dynasty had a different system. The same minister post could have a different class distinction in a different dynasty.

Suffice to know is that there 9 classes in total. And every class has a subclass, so there are 18 grades alltogether.

Thanks Athena for the insights. Do you know what's the Song's or Ming's system of government hiearchy is like?

I found a website that talked about how Tang Tai-Tsung created his Chinese Government.

" At the top of the hierarchy was the emperor; below him were three adminstrations: Council of the State, Military Affairs, and the Censorate. The most important of these administrations was the Council of the State, which drafted policy (the Secretariat), reviewed policy (the Chancellery), and implemented policy (the State Affairs, which consisted of six Ministries). The administration of Military Affairs directed the military under the control of the emperor. The Censorate watched over the government and government officials to ferret out misgovernance and official corruption."

Source credit: http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CHEMPIRE/TANG.HTM

Thanks Extremer88 for your tidbit of facts/info.

[Athena]

I know that in the Ming dynasty the post of Prime Minister was abolished. But I have an url of a good site that explains in depth how the government administration of Song and Ming dynasties works.
Give me some time to dig up the url again.

[Athena]

I found the links of the sites. I found them quite usefull in the past. I hope this helps.

Song dynasty administration

Ming dynasty administration

[danshu_]

I found the links of the sites. I found them quite usefull in the past. I hope this helps.

Song dynasty administration

Ming dynasty administration

hey, thats a great website for all kinds off stuff

[Suet Seung]

I found the links of the sites. I found them quite usefull in the past. I hope this helps.

Song dynasty administration

Ming dynasty administration

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu SO much Athena. Very useful. Not only you're a good wuxia buff, but your not too shabby with the history either. Hahaha..Thanks!