| In the early period of Ming Dynasty,the Three Provincial offices(三司)of Regional Military Commission(都司),Provincial Administration Commission(布政司)and Provincial Surveillance Commission(按察司),were set up to take charge of military,civil and supervision affairs.The three correspond to the central governor—the Five Chief Military(五军都督府),the Six Ministries(六部)and the Chief Surveillance Office(都察院)respectively,and carry out exclusive document transfer.A set of provincial official document operation system centered on the Three Provincial offices was established locally.It not only includes the document transfer between the Three Provincial offices,but also about the central government,and the subordinate prefectures and counties of the Three Provincial offices.Among them,the Chief Surveillance Office only carried out exclusive document transfer with the Provincial Surveillance Commission,which showed the special arrangement of the supervision system,while the double standards of various department movement reflected the balance between the grade and the actual power In Ming Dynasty.The two Provinces which directly under the central government are without the Three Provincial offices,and substitute for the Six Ministries,carried out document with them.While the Three Provincial offices have many disadvantages.In this case,the Ming Dynasty had to send officials to deal with local government affairs and supervision officials,the Regional Inspector(巡按)and the Touring Pacifier(巡抚)had appeared.With the establishment of the institution of the Regional Inspector and the improvement of the relevant institution of the Touring Pacifier.They surpassed the Three Provincial offices and became the actual manager in local provincial affairs.After that,the Ming Dynasty finally established the dominant position of the Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier(抚按),in the provincial official document system through the disputes between Hong Zhi(弘治)and Jia Jing(嘉靖)dynasties.The Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier became the center of the provincial document transfer system,which connected the central government and the Three Provincial offices,government,county and other department.It was irreplaceable in the document system,so it replaced the Three Provincial offices and became the core of the provincial document system in the middle and late Ming Dynasty.This system is conducive to strengthening the control of local affairs and the diversification of information channels.It is also an effective way for the central government to strengthen the control of local affairs in Ming Dynasty,but it is also accompanied by the increase of document circulation process and the complexity and multiplicity of document transfer.The Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier request the government affairs to the emperor in the form of jointly document and independence.The jointly document was supposed to handle local affairs together,such as official impeachment,disaster and injury relief,system reform.After reaching an agreement,they jointly reported to the emperor,and finally formed the principle of local affairs.It reflects the overlap of functions,powers and the concentration of local powers,which is conducive to the implementation of local decision—making and the operation of government affairs.In the case of military merit verification,mutual supervision and special affairs,the Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier must be separated,and they can also be played separately when they disagree,in order to ensure the independence of the two powers and the principle of mutual checks and balances.The jointly document and independence of the Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier reflect the management system of centralization and decentralization in the Ming Dynasty.While strengthening the central control over local areas,there are also negative factors such as difficult overall management.Faceing the complicated local situation,the Regional Commander(总兵官),the Guard eunuch(镇守内监),the Supreme Commander(总督),have also been sent to the local government to deal with the corresponding government affairs,and their functions and powers mostly focus on the military.As far as the Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier are concerned,they not only deal with local military,supervision and other affairs,but also intersect with many affairs at the provincial level.The two,together with the Supreme Commander,the Guard eunuch,the Regional Commander,have formed a power structure combining separation and comprehensive governance.In terms of document transfer,they often transfer document directly with the Six Ministries of central government;the Regional Inspector is to transmit official documents with the Chief Surveillance Office,reflecting different document transfer systems and power emphasis.From the actual handling of local government affairs in the middle and late Ming Dynasty,it can be seen that the Regional Inspector and Touring Pacifier not only grasp many local powers,but also can connect the corresponding officials in the complex government affairs,and realize their respective functions and powers in the operation of official documents,so that the local powers can operate in a clear way and with clear responsibilities,so as to ensure the stability of provincial powers and the benign operation of official documents.The two not only met the needs of the Ming Dynasty to strengthen centralization of power,but also well coordinated the operation of local power,and orderly handled government affairs and transmitted official documents in the division of labor and cooperation. |
