Many people must have watched the TV series “Prime Minister Liu Luoguo”. But in fact, the Qing Dynasty did not have a prime minister. The Qing Dynasty inherited the Ming system, and many systems in the Qing Dynasty followed the Ming Dynasty. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, in view of the heavy power of the Tang and Song dynasties, which threatened the survival of the imperial power, the system of prime ministers was abolished.
Therefore, not only the Qing Dynasty, but also the Ming Dynasty did not have a prime minister. It is wrong to say that Zhang Juzheng, Xu Jie, Yang Tinghe, Xia Yan, Shen Shixing, Gao Gong, etc. are prime ministers and prime ministers from a strict point of view, and the correct name is “Cabinet Chief Assistant”. Strictly speaking, in Chinese history, only the Liao Dynasty set up an official position called “Prime Minister”, and no other dynasties have ever set up this official position.
Using “Zhou Li” to explain, “Zai” is a collective name for officials in ancient China, and it means “master”. In the Yin and Shang dynasties, Zai refers to the officials who manage housework and slaves; in the Zhou Dynasty, there were Dazai who were in charge of state affairs, house magistrates who were in charge of household affairs for nobles, and magistrates who were in charge of a city. Therefore, “zai” is a general term for officials. Xiang, the original meaning is a person who is courteous, and it also means to assist.
The earliest combination of the word “Zai” and “Xiang” is the sentence in “Han Feizi Xianxue” that “the official of the Ming Lord, the prime minister must start from the state department, and the fierce general must start from the army”. The general term of high officials was later used to refer to the chief executive who assisted the emperor, commanded the group of officials, and took charge of government affairs.
Chen Ping of the Western Han Dynasty said:
“The prime minister is the one who assists the emperor at the top, manages Yin and Yang, follows the four seasons, and adapts all things at the bottom. He controls the princes of the four barbarians on the outside, and attaches himself to the people inside, so that the officials and ministers can hold their positions.”
In other words, prime minister is just a general title of official in the history of our country. Well, in this sense, all dynasties and dynasties will have the highest chief executive, and there will also be so-called “prime ministers”, but they have different names and different names. However, although the positions of Shaman Shi, Dazai, Yin, and Taishi in the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties were meant to assist the emperor in managing the country, they did not have the nature of chief of staff in the state apparatus at that time. appropriate.
The prime minister in the true sense began in the period of Duke Huan of Qi’s hegemony. Guan Zhong was appointed Prime Minister by Duke Huan of Qi, thus Guan Zhong became the first prime minister in Chinese history. Also from this period, the countries of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty established Xiangguo, that is, prime ministers. If someone asks you who are the famous states in history? You can say Baili Xi, Yan Ying, Li Kui, Shang Yang, and Lin Xiangru.
The State of Qin was the first country to establish the system of prefectures and counties in the Warring States Period. In the second year of King Wu of Qin (309 BC), he appointed Chi Liji and Gan Mao as the left and right prime ministers. From then on, the name of Prime Minister began to replace the name of Xiangguo. The Han Dynasty inherited the Qin system, but with the development of history, the prime minister mainly dealt with daily administrative affairs, and the government affairs center was transferred to the inner court. The power of the prime minister was gradually transferred to the hands of the chief minister of Shangshutai.
During the period of Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, Da Sima, Da Sikong, and the prime minister were set up as the three princes, and the power of the prime minister was dispersed, that is, the three princes were the three prime ministers. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the three lords were changed to Situ, Sikong, and Taiwei. Among the three lords, the Taiwei was the most respected. During the time of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, the prime minister was reinstated, and Cao Cao was in charge. Contemporary prime ministers include Zhuge Liang of Shu Han and Lu Xun of Sun Wu.
The Jin Dynasty established provincial affairs, and the governors of the three provinces, including Shangshu Province and Menxia Province, became prime ministers. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Zhongshujian, Zhongshuling, Menxia Shizhong, Shangshuling, Pushe, General, Lushangshushi, etc., because they often discussed political affairs with the emperor and were entrusted with secrets by the emperor, they became the real name. prime minister. The Sui Dynasty established the system of three provinces, and the governors of the three provinces, the Neishi Ling of the Neishi Province, the Nayan of the Menxia Province, and the Shangshu Ling of the Shangshu Province were all prime ministers.
In the Tang Dynasty, Zhongshu Ling, the governor of Zhongshu Province, Shizhong, the governor of Menxia Province, Zhongshu Shilang, Menxia Shilang who participated in political affairs, and Shangshu Pushe, who was reformed from Shangshuling, were all prime ministers. After Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, only those who added “Tongzhongshumenxia Sanpin” and “Tongzhongshumenxiapingzhangshi” were prime ministers. Hundreds of officials participating in government affairs are also prime ministers who are added with the titles of participating in political affairs, participating in political affairs, co-instructing political affairs, and Tongping political affairs.
The prime minister system of the Five Dynasties basically followed the Tang Dynasty. However, in the late Jin Dynasty of the Five Dynasties, the system of chief prime minister appeared and was inherited. Tongping Zhangshi of the Song Dynasty was the prime minister. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Yuanfeng reformed the system and set up two prime ministers. The prime minister was called Shangshu Zuopushe and Menxia Shilang, and the second prime minister was called Shangshu Youpushe and Zhongshu Shilang;
During the Jianyan period of the Southern Song Dynasty, Shangshu’s left and right servants shot Tong Zhongshumenxia Pingzhangshi as prime minister. At the beginning of Zhu Yuanzhang’s founding of the country, there was also a Zhongshu Province, left and right prime ministers.
But in the thirteenth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed Zhongshu Province, abolished the prime minister, and took charge of state affairs. It can be said that the prime minister system was abolished. But in the Chengzu Dynasty of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, the founder of Ming Dynasty, was overwhelmed by the complexity of the general administration, so he set up the assistant secretary of the cabinet, university and scholars, and established the cabinet system.
Note that the cabinet is only an appointed spokesperson, not a specialized agency. Its members are all Hanlin bachelors with no administrative experience; Although scholars have the title of “phase” among the people, their essence is different. The Qing Dynasty inherited the political system of the Ming Dynasty and established a cabinet system. There were University Scholars of Wenhuadian, Bachelor of Baohedian, Bachelor of Dongge, Bachelor of Wuyingdian, Bachelor of Wenyuange, Bachelor of Tirenge, and Co-organized University. scholar.
Liu Luoguo and Liu Yong used to be a cabinet bachelor, co-organizer, and Tirenge bachelor, so the people call him prime minister. In fact, in the Yongzheng Dynasty, Yongzheng set up another military aircraft department, and the cabinet has become a idle position. It is actually inappropriate to call it a “prime minister”.
The Minister of Military Aircraft has a bit of a “prime minister”. In other words, according to his official position and rights, Liu Luoguo is not worthy of being called a prime minister, but his “rival” He Shen is both a bachelor and a minister of military affairs, so he can be called a prime minister. (The original text comes from the headlines of We Love History)
