In the official system of ancient China, in order to show the status and merits of officials, in addition to the real official titles, a series of honorary virtual titles were often awarded. The ancients paid special attention to these virtual titles. When they sign, they often list all their real official titles and a series of honorary false names before their names, forming a dazzling list.

Today we will take stock of the origins of the various levels and ranks of ancient officials.

1. Products:

Pin is a symbol of official rank, which originated from the "nine-grade Zhongzheng" bureaucratic selection system during the Cao Wei Dynasty. At that time, officers and soldiers were divided into nine levels according to their abilities, called "Nine Levels" to prepare for emergencies. Later, the rank and inferiority of serving officials were also divided into nine levels, also called nine levels. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, more detailed distinctions were made. Each product is divided into main and secondary products. The main and secondary products below the fourth product are divided into top and bottom products. The first 9 levels are developed into 30 levels. The order is:

First, second, second, third, third, fourth, fourth, fourth, ninth, ninth, ninth, ninth, ninth, ninth .

This hierarchical system was still used by several generations after the Sui and Tang Dynasties, but was abolished in the late Qing Dynasty, with slight differences from generation to generation. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, military positions were divided into upper and lower grades starting from the third grade, forming 32 levels of military positions. In the Sui and Qing dynasties, only the You and Cong methods among the Nine Ranks were retained. Power and obedience are no longer separated, and civil and military positions are the same, forming a unified eighteen ranks from right position to ninth rank. The Jin Dynasty was quite special. The positive and negative grades from levels three to five were divided into three levels: upper, middle and lower, forming 42 levels. The Yuan and Ming Dynasties were basically similar to the Jin Dynasty.

The rank of an official generally corresponds to his or her actual position. Taking the Qing Dynasty as an example, the cabinet bachelors were the first class, the six ministers or governors were the second class, the governors of the provinces were the second class, the prefects were the fourth class, the Zhizhi prefects were the fifth class, the prefects were the seventh class, and the county magistrates were the eighth class. The main register is the ninth grade, and the classics and history are the ninth grade. In feudal society, only officials within the ninth grade were called "officials", and those outside the ninth grade were called "officials." Those outside the ninth grade were also called "officials" or "outsiders" or "outsiders." Officials with higher grades and lower actual positions are called "officials with certain positions", and officials with lower grades and higher actual positions are called "officials with certain positions."

2. Order

Rank is an honorary title without actual obligations and responsibilities, specifically used to express the rank of an official. In the ancient Chinese official system, each title was associated with a corresponding title, collectively referred to as "titles." For example, in the official ranks of the Qing Dynasty, the first level was called Dr. Guanglu, the second level was Dr. Ronglu, the second level was called Zizheng, and the second level was Dr. Tong Feng.

The name Pinjie began in the Tang Dynasty and was used by later generations. It was abolished at the end of the Qing Dynasty, but the names of each generation were slightly different. The ancients attached great importance to the titles of grades. In the existing Taishan inscriptions, titles such as "Doctor XXX" and "Lang XXX" are often given to show honor.

3. Honor

Honor is also an honorary title without actual position, which began in the Tang Dynasty. In addition to a set of official title names, the Tang Dynasty also created a set of honorary titles using the false titles of loose officials in the past, called "honored officers", and those who received decorated officers were called "meritorious officials".

During the Northern Zhou Dynasty, soldiers who performed meritorious service were awarded honorary titles and gradually became court officials. Starting from the Tang Dynasty, there were 12 levels of customization, called "Twelve Tune". The order of the names is: Shang Zhuguo, Zhu Guo, Shang Hujun, Hu Jun, Shangqi Duwei, Shangqi Duwei, Shangqi Duwei, Xiaoqiwei, Feiqiwei, Yunqiwei, Wu Qiwei. Wu Qiwei, the lowest one, said the first turn, and Shang Zhuguo, the highest one, said the twelfth turn. During the year

the twelfth rank was awarded decorations and honors equivalent to the second to seventh ranks of military officers. The Qing Dynasty abolished the nobility and official system, and the nobility and title became one.

4. I feel that

that is, the knighthood is also an honorary title with no real effect. Among all the false titles indicating official status, the origin of jue is the earliest.

: "The king system of Lu Jue includes five: Duke, Marquis, Bo, Zi and Duke. Zheng Annotated: "Lu, what do you eat? Jue means rank. "It can be seen that "jue" is the level of aristocratic bureaucrats. The earliest known title comes from the Qin State during the Warring States Period. During Shang Yang's reform, he sorted out the past titles and clearly defined them as level 20. From level 20 to level 1, they are : Chehou, Guanneihou, Da Shuchang, Siche Shuchang, Da Shangzao, Shaoshangzao, You Geng, Zhong Geng, Zuo Geng, You Shu Chang, Zuo Shu Chang, Wu Fu, Gong Cheng, Gong Fu, Guan Fu, Among them, the first to eighth ranks are people's titles, and the ninth to twentieth ranks are official titles. Qin Shihuang designated Taishan Song as the "Five Great Men", which is the ninth rank of Qin Jue. In the Han Dynasty, there were only two. Titles: Wang and Marquis. In the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, titles such as Gong, Hou, Bo, Zi, and Nan were restored, and titles such as Junhou and Tinghou in the Han Dynasty were used. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the titles were divided into eight levels, just like the Han Dynasty. Heroes with different surnames can only be crowned as male, one as marquis, one as uncle, one as son, and one as male. After the title is given, there is generally no increase in material benefits, only "food and accommodation for several households" after the title. , can have a certain income. The titles of the Five Dynasties, the Two Songs, the Two Jins, and the Yuan Dynasty are basically the same as those of the Tang Dynasty.

The titles of the Qing Dynasty are divided into two systems. There are ten levels. The second is the level of nobility other than the royal family, which is divided into nine levels.

5. Publicity and independence

Gonggu and Sangu are the "Three Lords" and "Three Valleys", which are the highest honorary titles in ancient China.

Sangong originated very early. According to the records of the Zhou Dynasty, there were two types of public affairs at that time: one was Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao, and the other was Sima, Situ, and Zhou. It is not certain whether the three princes were later called three princes. The "three public" system did not become truly clear until the Western Han Dynasty. The three ruling giants of North Korea, namely the Prime Minister, Qiu Wei, the Miracle Doctor or Da Situ, Sima, and Da Sikong, are the Three Gongs, while Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao are the virtual titles of the Three Gongs. Since then, Taishi, Taifu and Taibao have been regarded as the highest honorary titles until the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The three orphans, namely Shaoshi, Shaofu, and Shaobao, collectively known as the "Three Young Masters", originated in the Han Dynasty. The explanation is: "Gu, special, inferior to the public, respectful to the minister." "It can be known that Sangu is an honorary title second only to Sangong.

After the Western Jin Dynasty, the titles of Taifu and Shaofu princes in the Han Dynasty The official positions developed into six honorary titles: Taifu Prince, Taifu Prince, Taibao Prince, Shaoshi Prince, Shaofu Prince and Shaobao Prince, collectively known as "East Palace Liufu". This has been the case since the Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui and Tang Dynasties. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, there have been 12 kinds of honorary titles in the palace drum series in China. These fictitious positions have no actual duties, no official affiliation, and no fixed number. They are just additional titles for high-ranking officials. Among them, the lowest status ones are the young master and the prince. The Prince of Shaofu and the Prince of Shaobao are equivalent to the second rank of Zheng. However, no matter what kind of high-ranking official, including the first-rank official, the first time you add the title of Gonggu, you usually need to start with the lowest title of Donggong Liufu, because the prince is called Donggong. , "East Palace Liufu" is also called "Palace Title", and the crown prince and Taibao are called Bao Gong. In the Qing Dynasty, officials with palace titles were called. For example, Ding Baozhen, the governor of Sichuan Province, was called Ding during the Guangxu period.