The
Chancellor (), variously translated as
Prime Minister,
Premier or
Chief Councillor, was a generic name given to the highest-ranking official in the imperial government in ancient
China. The Chancellor can also refer to a specific post in the imperial government, which was first officially instituted in
Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC) as the "head of all civil service officials". The term was known by many different names throughout Chinese history, and the exact extent of the powers associated with the position fluctuated greatly even during a particular dynasty.
History
In the
Spring and Autumn Period,
Guan Zhong was the first Chancellor in China, who became chancellor under
the state of Qi in
685 BC. In
Qin during the
Warring States Period, the Chancellor was officially established as "the head of all civil service officials". There were sometimes two Chancellors, differentiated as being "of the left" (senior) and "of the right" (junior). After emperor
Qin Shi Huang ended the Warring States Period by establishing the
Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the Chancellor, together with the
Imperial Secretary, and the
Grand Commandant, were the most important officials in the imperial government, generally referred as the
Three Lords.
In 1 BC during the
emperor Ai, the title was changed to
da si tu (大司徒). In the
Eastern Han Dynasty, the Chancellor post was replaced by the
Three Excellencies:
Grand Commandant (太尉),
Minister over the Masses and
Minister of
Works (司空). In
190,
Dong Zhuo claimed the title "Chancellor of State" (相國) under the powerless
Emperor Xian of Han, placing himself above the Three Excellencies. After Dong Zhuo's death in
192, the post was vacant until
Cao Cao restored the position as "Imperial Chancellor" (丞相) and abolished the Three Excellencies in
208. From then until
March 15,
220, the power of Chancellor was greater than that of the emperor. Later this often happened when a dynasty became weak, usually some decades before the fall of a dynasty.
During the
Sui Dynasty, the executive officials of the three highest departments of the empire were called "Chancellors" (真宰相) together. In the
Tang Dynasty, the government was divided into
three departments: the Department of State Affairs (尚書省), the Chancellery (門下省) and the Secretariat(中書省) and the head of each department was generally referred to as the
Chancellor.
In the
Song Dynasty, the post of Chancellor was also known as the "Tongpingzhangshi" (同平章事), in accordance with late-Tang terminology, while the vice-chancellor was known as the "Jijunsi". Some years later, the post of Chancellor was changed to "
Prime Minister" (首相
shou xiang) and the post of vice-Chancellor was changed to "Second Minister" (次相
ci xiang). In the late
Southern Song Dynasty, the system changed back to the Tang naming conventions.
During the Mongol-founded
Yuan Dynasty, the Chancellor was not the head of the Secretariat, but the
Crown Prince (皇太子) was. After the establishment of the
Ming Dynasty, the post became the head of the Secretariat again. The post was abandoned after the execution of the Chancellor of China,
Hu Weiyong, who was accused of treason (though his conviction is still strongly disputed in present times because of a lack of evidence to prove his guilt). Still, appointments of the people who held the highest post in the government were called "Appointment of Prime Minister" (拜相) until
1644.
List of Chancellors of China
List of Chancellors of Shang Dynasty
List of Chancellors of Qin Dynasty since 251 BC
List of other famous Chancellors and Prime Ministers
Premiers after 1644/1911
See also
