Over the course of two thousand years, the structure of executive power in China remained largely unchanged, with each dynasty making additions as they saw fit. The
Han dynasty established the "
Three Departments and Six Ministries" system for central administration, while the Ming dynasty had only one office—the
Central Secretariat—overseeing Six Ministries. In 1380, the
Hongwu Emperor executed Chancellor
Hu Weiyong and abolished the highest level of administration, including the Central Secretariat, Censorate, and Chief Military Commission. He personally took control of the Six Ministries and five Chief Military Commissions, placing their leaders at the top of the official hierarchy. These six ministers and the head of the reorganized Censorate were informally known as the "Seven Chief Ministers" (). In more important court discussions, they were joined by the head of the Office of Transmission () and the head of the
Court of Judicature and Revision, making them the "
Nine Chief Ministers". While matters involving multiple departments were discussed by the Seven or Nine Chief Ministers, the final decision always rested with the emperor, who had the power to change it at any time. The administration of the empire required a well-structured system of laws. In 1364, the compilation of a new Confucian code, known as the
Great Ming Code, began. This code was heavily influenced by the
Tang Code from 653. The initial draft was completed in 1367 and the final version was adopted in 1397. This code remained unchanged until the empire's downfall, when it was amended with additional provisions. The judiciary in China was not independent; local civil authorities held judicial power. Verdicts made by local authorities were subject to review by provincial authorities, and important cases were reviewed by the Ministry of Justice. Conflicts involving military personnel and the law were handled by their commanders, with further review taking place at the provincial regional military commissions and the Chief Military Commissions in the capital. Cases overseen by provincial control authorities were examined by the Censorate. The most serious cases were discussed by the Court of Judicature and Revision, which included representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Military Commissions, and the Censorate. The emperor's approval was required for death sentences.
Offices of the Imperial Household Workshop) set up in
Beijing in the early Ming dynasty. Decorated in
dragons and
phoenixes, it was made during the
Xuande era (1426–1435). The imperial workshops in the Ming era were overseen by a eunuch bureau. (
See closeup for detail) The staff of the
imperial household was composed of
eunuchs and women, each with their own designated offices. The female staff were responsible for various tasks, including service, ceremony, clothing, food supply, bedchamber, crafts, and staff supervision. By the 1420s, eunuchs had taken over most of these roles, leaving only the office of clothing for women. The
Hongwu Emperor initially placed the relatively small number of eunuchs under the Directorate of Palace Attendants (). However, as their numbers grew, so did their power and influence, resulting in the creation of twenty-four major agencies ()—twelve directorates (;
jian), four offices (;
si), and eight bureaus (;
ju)—to manage the thousands of eunuchs. The eunuch directorates were responsible for tasks such as staff control, ceremonies, food supply, kitchen utensils, documents, stables, seals, and clothing. Offices were established for fuel, music, paper, and baths, while bureaus were in charge of weapons, silverware, laundry, headgear, bronze products, textile production, vineyards, and orchards. The Hongwu Emperor prohibited eunuchs from learning to read and involving themselves in political affairs. It is uncertain how strictly these laws were enforced during his own rule. However, when the
Yongle Emperor ascended to the throne, eunuchs were able to hold positions of power, oversee state workshops, lead armies, and interfere in the selection and appointment of officials. This eventually led to the establishment of a separate administrative network, controlled by eunuchs and operating independently from the standard bureaucratic system. While a few eunuchs such as
Wang Zhen, Wang Zhi, and
Liu Jin held quasi-dictatorial power during the Ming dynasty, the extent of eunuch influence was not openly apparent until the 1590s, when the
Wanli Emperor expanded their authority over the civil administration and granted them the right to collect provincial taxes. One of the most effective means of controlling subjects was through the secret service, initially based in the
Eastern Depot and later in the Western Depot. This secret service was directly subordinated to the Directorate of Ceremonial, which represented a significant power center during the Ming period. Over time, the eunuch in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial gained the position of chief of the palace staff and almost dictatorial power in the empire. While the majority of the palace staff consisted of eunuchs and women, there was also a group of officials in the Seal Office () who worked alongside the eunuchs to maintain and preserve seals and seal implements. Other palace officials were responsible for overseeing the affairs of the imperial princes. The emperor chose and supported the palace staff, both eunuchs and officials, who were collectively known as the "inner court". This was in contrast to the "outer court", which consisted of the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and other authorities.
Civil authorities Grand Secretariat and Six Ministries Despite the official rhetoric of resisting Mongol rule and reviving the Tang dynasty model, the Hongwu Emperor did not simply restore the old system or copy the Yuan dynasty's administrative structure. Instead, he incorporated elements of traditional Chinese administration, dividing it into civil, surveillance, and military offices. At the center of this system was the
Central Secretariat (;
Zhongshu Sheng), led by two grand chancellors (;
chengxiang) of the rank 1a, known as "of the left" (senior) and "of the right" (junior). These two were informally referred to as the "Prime Ministers" (;
zaixiang). The Secretariat oversaw Six Ministries and other civil authorities. Submissions and memoranda addressed to the emperor were centralized in the Office of Reports Inspection (;
Chayan si) starting in 1370, which was later renamed the Office of Transmission (;
Tongzheng si) in 1377. Copies were sent to Offices of Scrutiny (;
ke), which oversaw the various ministries, while the original was sent directly to the emperor. With the emergence of the grand secretaries, a new process was implemented where they would propose a solution to the emperor, and after receiving his signature, the relevant supervisory authority would forward the documents to the appropriate ministry. In most cases, the matter was first discussed by the seven or nine chief ministers, and their written opinions were then reviewed by the Office of Transmission. The final decision was then announced through an imperial decree in the court record (;
chaobao) and in a condensed form in the
Beijing Gazette (;
dibao), which also included reports on the country's domestic and foreign policies. In 1380, the Hongwu Emperor abolished the Central Secretariat and personally took over the management of Six Ministries. This resulted in the concentration of the country's administration directly in the hands of the emperor. The Hongwu Emperor soon became overwhelmed by a large amount of official correspondence and reports. As a solution, in 1382 he appointed several (usually three to six) grand secretaries (;
daxueshi) from the members of the
Hanlin Academy. These grand secretaries served as the emperor's advisors and also assisted the tutors of the heir apparent. Originally, the grand secretaries recorded imperial decisions. Later, the
Yongle Emperor transferred the handling of his correspondence to the grand secretaries, and from the 1420s they gained a dominant role in the government. However, they never held the same status as the former Central Secretariat—they did not have the authority to give orders to other authorities or require reports. Although their rank remained at the low level of the rank 5a, their actual power was demonstrated through the granting of formal titles such as minister or vice minister, and later the ancient high titles of "
Three Ducal Ministers" (;
sangong) associated with the rank 1a, and "Three Solitaries" (;
sangu) with the rank 1b. The term Grand Secretariat (;
Neige), which was informally used at the time, was not officially introduced until the mid-16th century. Members of the Grand Secretariat were chosen from the Hanlin Academy, with the understanding that they would serve as instruments of the emperor's will without any influence from the ministry. Unlike the leaders of the ministries, they did not have to go through long-term service in regional and central offices, which led to them being viewed as outsiders by the officials of the government apparatus and being counted among the "inner court". In reality, the Grand Secretariat followed its own agenda, often diverging from both the emperor and the ministerial administration. 's royal carriage being pulled by elephants and escorted by cavalry (
full panoramic painting here) The Grand Secretariat played a coordinating role, while the Six Ministries (;
bu)—Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works—were responsible for their own administrative tasks. Each ministry was led by a minister (;
shangshu) with the rank 3a, which was upgraded to the rank 2a in 1380, and a vice minister (;
shilang). The
Ministry of Personnel (;
Libu) was responsible for overseeing the promotion and transfer of civil servants, as well as the awarding of honors and titles. The position of minister of personnel was considered the most prestigious of the six ministerial roles. The
Ministry of Revenue or Finance (;
Hubu), was responsible for managing state revenue. This included overseeing the maintenance of tax records for peasants and collecting their taxes in the various provinces. The ministry also handled monetary affairs. To effectively carry out these duties, it was divided into bureaus, with each one responsible for a specific province. However, the customs houses located along the
Grand Canal were under the direct authority of the ministry and were not subject to local government control. The
Ministry of Rites (;
Libu) was responsible for overseeing official religious ceremonies, rituals, and sacrifices. It maintained records of Taoist and Buddhist clergy, with the leaders of both religious communities holding the status of a sixth-rank official. Additionally, the ministry was responsible for receiving foreign envoys. It also oversaw offices for musicians, dancers, and court entertainment. The
Ministry of War (;
Bingbu) was responsible for appointing and deploying army commanders, managing fortifications, supplying troops with weapons and equipment, breeding horses for the army, and overseeing the courier service network. Additionally, it maintained records of hereditary soldiers and their families. The
Ministry of Justice (;
Xingbu) was responsible for overseeing the administration of justice for the country's civilians, similar to how the Ministry of Revenue was organized by province. It worked closely with the independent Censorate and the Court of Judicature and Revision. The
Ministry of Public Works (;
Gongbu) was responsible for organizing government
construction enterprises, such as hiring and supplying labor, repairing canals and roads, standardizing weights and measures, and organizing labor duties. It also oversaw the management of state workshops, including armories, ironworks, textiles, and shipbuilding. In 1471, the ministry received a collection of tax levies from the Ministry of Revenue for the extraction of wood (i.e. trees). Additionally, the ministry registered artisans and ensured that they fulfilled their tax obligations.
Other central authorities In addition to the ministries, there were also several lower-ranking offices that served under them or operated independently. These included the
Hanlin Academy, which focused on literary and historical matters and played a role in creating government decrees. Other important offices included the Directorate of Astronomy (), the Imperial Academy of Medicine (), and the Directorate of Imperial Parks (). The
Imperial University (;
Guozijian) was responsible for the education system and was led by a chancellor (;
jijiu; literally 'libationer') who held the official rank 4b. The highest judicial authority was the
Court of Judicature and Revision (;
Dali si). Its role was to review and confirm decisions made by the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Military Commissions, and the Censorate. The death penalty required the emperor's approval, while all other decisions made by the Court of Judicature and Revision were considered final. The Court of Judicature and Revision, along with the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, were collectively known as the "Three Judicial Offices" (;
Sanfa si). The heads of these three institutions, along with the Six Ministers, formed a group of the highest-ranking civilian dignitaries known as the "Nine Ministers".
Capitals Yingtian (In response to Heaven; present-day
Nanjing) was the original capital of the empire and the seat of the emperor and government. In 1368, during the Hongwu Emperor's several-month stay in
Kaifeng, it was referred to as Beijing (Northern Capital) and Yingtian as Nanjing (Southern Capital). In February 1403, the Yongle Emperor chose Beiping (present-day
Beijing) as the secondary capital and renamed it Shuntian (Obedient to Heaven). After the construction of Beijing was completed in 1421, the government moved there and Nanjing became a secondary capital. Both cities had a complete structure of ministries and government offices, with a few exceptions. After 1421, the number of officials in the Nanjing ministries decreased significantly and they only administered the southern metropolitan region. The Ministries of War, Justice, Personnel, and Revenue had wider competencies in some areas and could apply to all of southern China. Both metropolises, Yingtian and Shuntian, were administratively designated as
prefectures (
fu). These prefectures, which encompassed the capital cities and their surrounding areas, were not part of any province. Instead, they were directly subordinate to the government and were known as the Metropolitan Areas (;
jing). The region surrounding Nanjing (present-day
Anhui and
Jiangsu provinces) was referred to as Jingshi (Metropolitan Area), although it was also informally known as
Zhili (; literally 'directly attached'). In 1403, the province of Beiping (encompassing present-day Beijing and
Hebei) was reorganized into Beijing (Northern Metropolitan Area), informally known as
Beizhili. In 1421, the names were changed to Nanjing (Southern Metropolitan Area), informally known as
Nanzhili in the south, and Jingshi, informally known as Zhili, in the north. Formally, the Ming dynasty had two other capitals: Zhongdu (Central Capital) and Xingdu (Flourishing Capital). Zhongdu (near
Fengyang) was established in 1369 by the Hongwu Emperor, who wanted to transfer the seat of government from Nanjing to his native region. Due to its inconvenient location and high costs, he eventually abandoned the effort to transfer the metropolis. Despite this, the city retained its formal status as a capital. Xingdu (located in present-day
Zhongxiang County,
Hubei province) was granted formal capital status by the
Jiajing Emperor in 1531, as it was his father's seat and birthplace. At the same time, he renamed Anluzhou to Chengtian Prefecture (Following the Heavens) in imitation of the prefectures of the two main capitals.
Regional and local administration {{Quote box The organization of state administration in the regions was modeled after the Yuan dynasty. When the Ming dynasty was established on Chinese New Year in 1368, it initially controlled the metropolitan area around the capital city of Nanjing and three provinces:
Zhejiang,
Jiangxi, and
Huguang (which is present day divided into
Hubei and
Hunan). However, through military campaigns, the Ming government gradually annexed more territories, including
Fujian,
Guangdong,
Guangxi,
Henan,
Shandong (which also included
Liaodong),
Shanxi, and Beijing (which was reorganized into the Northern Metropolitan Area in 1403, informally known as Beizhili). In 1369, the province of
Shaanxi was conquered, which also encompassed the modern-day provinces of
Gansu and
Ningxia.
Sichuan was added in 1371, and
Yunnan in 1382. In 1413,
Guizhou province was formed from parts of Huguang, Yunnan, and Sichuan. From 1407 to 1428, the Jiaozhi Province was established in northern Vietnam. After its abolition, the number of provinces remained unchanged at thirteen until the end of the dynasty. Initially, the provinces were governed by the Branch Secretariats, but in 1376, they were replaced by "the three provincial offices": the Provincial Administrative Office (;
Buzhengsi) headed by the Provincial Administration Commissioner (;
buzhengshi) with the rank 2b, the Regional Military Commission, and the Provincial Surveillance Office. The Provincial Administrative Office was responsible for civil administration, the Regional Military Commission oversaw military units in the province, and the Provincial Surveillance Office monitored all activities. In 1391, the Hongwu Emperor sent his successor,
Zhu Biao, to Shaanxi to "travel and reconcile" (;
xunfu). In 1421, the Yongle Emperor sent 26 officials to the provinces with a similar goal. This practice became regular in the 1420s, with officials from the center coordinating the work of civil, military, and provincial authorities in two or more provinces at once. They also oversaw smaller but important areas. By the 1430s, these officials had permanent roles. They were known as the
grand coordinators (
xunfu) and were considered representatives of the central government, with titles such as minister or vice minister. The
supreme commanders (;
zongdu), who were also sent to the regions by the central government, had a higher status than the grand coordinators and were primarily responsible for military tasks. Over time, the roles of
xunfu and
zongdu evolved into the offices of provincial governor and governor-general during the
Qing dynasty. During the Ming era, there were a total of 1,385 counties. In order to better supervise their assigned areas, the Investigating Censors divided the empire into circuits (;
dao), each named for one of the provinces. The county office was the lowest level of civil state administration during the Ming era, overseeing an area with approximately 40,000 inhabitants. It was led by three senior officials (;
guan): the county magistrate, his vice magistrate, and an assistant magistrate. Additionally, there were a significant number of lower officials (;
li) and support staff. The main responsibility of the county magistrate and his subordinates was to maintain order and ensure the well-being of the population in their designated area. This included tasks such as keeping population registers (known as the Yellow Registers) and recording land ownership in the Fish Scale Registers. Other duties included collecting taxes, apprehending and prosecuting criminals, and resolving disputes. Parts of the
Sichuan and
Huguang provinces, and especially in
Guizhou and
Yunnan, had a significant non-Chinese population. These regions were governed by native authorities known as
tusi, at the prefecture, subprefecture, or county level. These native authorities were established by granting Chinese official titles and ranks to local chiefs, who were then referred to as "native officials" or
tuguan. From the 16th century onwards, the term
tusi was used to describe areas that were administered similarly to regular Chinese regions. The population in these areas had the same responsibilities as the Chinese and were governed by a combination of native chiefs and Chinese officials who were accountable to higher civil authorities. On the other hand, indigenous
tuguan officials, mostly with military titles, were in charge of regions that maintained a significant level of autonomy, but were still under the supervision of the Ministry of War.
Local government At the sub-county level during the Ming period, there were four distinct systems of population organization. These systems, while largely overlapping, served different purposes. The first was a multi-level territorial division of the county. The second involved grouping households into units of tens and hundreds through the
lijia system, which facilitated the collection of taxes and labor for the state. The third system was the
baojia security organization, and the fourth was the
xiangyue village assembly. While their boundaries often aligned and their tasks overlapped, this structure provided self-government with the coherence and longevity that lasted well into the 20th century. {{Quote box Depending on the population and size of the fields, counties were divided into smaller territorial units, typically ranging from two to four levels. The highest sub-county unit was
xiang (), with an average of eight units per county, but sometimes up to twenty. These units did not exist in cities. In smaller counties, there were only a few hundred registered households, while in more populated counties like Jiangnan, there could be over 15,000 households. At the middle level, rural counties or towns were known as
du (), while urban counties were referred to as
fang () or
yu (), and suburbs were called
xiang (). These units typically had 500–2000 households, with one to a dozen units per county, usually three. Each unit had its own land registers and served as the primary means for the county authorities to handle administrative and tax tasks. In the southern regions with high population density, an additional administrative level was introduced between the county and middle-level units—
li (), which was equivalent in size to counties in other areas. The smallest unit was known as
tu () or
she () in the north, and sometimes
tun () or
fang () in northern cities. These units typically consisted of approximately 1,000 individuals. The registration of taxpayers, the collection of taxes, and the organization of work duties were all overseen by county officials through the system of local self-government known as
lijia (). This system was based on the ideal formation of ten households forming a
jia, ten
jia forming a
li, and ten wealthier families forming one
li. However,
li often included a few extra households beyond the standard number of 110, as well as households too poor to pay labor and taxes. As a result, the average number of households in a
li was roughly 140 or 140 to 160. The families within a
jia would take turns leading their group for a year, while the ten wealthiest families would rotate in the role of
li administrator. Each year, one
jia was responsible for providing labor and in-kind supplies, while the other nine
jia only had to pay taxes. In the second half of the 15th century, the
jia served twice in a ten-year cycle—once as a supplier of materials and goods, and the second time as a provider of services and labor. As the 16th century progressed and most allowances and corvée were replaced by surcharges on land taxes, the importance of the
lijia system declined. By the mid-Ming era, it existed only as a formal tax registration system, and in the 16th century, the
li took on the character of a territorial unit, merging with the counties. From the mid-Ming period, the
baojia () system ran parallel to the
lijia system, with ten households forming a
jia and ten
jia forming a
bao. Elected leaders, known as
jiazhang and
baozhang, were tasked with maintaining public order. Local assemblies also played a role in this system, as they would come to agreements known as community compacts (;
xiangyue) to promote correct behavior and mutual assistance.
Censorate The traditional branch of the Chinese government was the Censorate (;
Yushi tai; literally 'Tribunal of Censors'), an independent control institution responsible for overseeing the official apparatus. It was headed by two Censors-in-chief (;
yushi dafu) of the rank 1b. Although it was abolished in 1380, it was later reinstated under a new name (;
Ducha yuan; literally 'Chief Surveillance Office'), with the status of the office heads reduced to the rank 2a. The censors held significant power, as they were responsible for monitoring the actions of both civil and military authorities and institutions. They were also authorized to request corrective measures from these entities. One of their main duties was to identify and address any errors or mistakes made by the emperors, making them the guardians of customs and law. The core of the Censorate consisted of 110
Investigative Censors with the rank 7a, who had direct access to the emperor. These censors were sent to different provinces with the title of Regional Inspectors (;
xunan) for a year, during which they traveled and oversaw the region. They had unrestricted access to official records, received complaints from the public, and reprimanded officials. They also had the authority to propose the dismissal of individuals and suggest changes in government policies, which were then directly forwarded to the emperor. In matters of local importance, they were able to directly instruct local authorities. The power held by these censors was so great that, in order to balance it, the grand coordinators were given the title of Vice or Assistant Censors-in-chief, making them formally superior to the Regional Inspectors. In addition to the Regional Inspectors, censors with lower levels of authority were also sent from the central government. In addition to the Censorate, there were the Six Offices of Scrutiny (;
liuke), one for each ministry, headed by supervising secretaries of relatively low seventh rank. These offices were directly subordinate to the emperor. The employees of these offices were assigned to ministries based on their expertise and provided independent expert assessments of matters. Their responsibilities included overseeing the flow of documents to and from ministries, as well as the ability to reformulate or even cancel unsatisfactory decisions. At the provincial level, there were Provincial Surveillance Offices (;
Tixing anchasi, or simply
Ancha si) headed by an Surveillance Commissioner (;
anchashi) of the rank 3a. These offices not only had control and disciplinary tasks, but also functioned as an appeals court.
Army The profession of a
soldier was hereditary in the Ming dynasty. Soldiers and their families (;
junhu, as opposed to civilian families—;
minhu) were exempt from paying land taxes and fulfilling work obligations, unlike peasants and artisans. These families were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War and were stationed in strategically important areas of the empire, where they farmed on land allocated to them by the state. Each family was required to provide a soldier to serve in the local garrisons. Military units were regularly transferred from assembly points to training divisions near Beijing and to fighting armies in the borderlands. After
the wars ended and the Mongols were expelled from China, there was a period of relative peace. During this time, the army decreased to only 1,198,442 soldiers by 1392. By the early 15th century, the Ming army had grown to include 493 guards and 359 battalions. In the 1440s, the army reached a peak of 3,150,000 soldiers, but in the middle of the Ming period, the number of Chinese troops decreased by about half. By the end of the dynasty, it had once again increased to over four million. The Ministry of War was responsible for the organization, supply, administration, and personnel matters of the army. Initially, the Chief Military Commission (;
Da dudufu) was in charge of commanding the troops, but in 1380, it was divided into five Chief Military Commissions, each led by a commanders-in-chief (;
dudu) who held the rank 1a. These Five Commissions were responsible for overseeing the troops in all of China, except for the garrisons in the two capitals. Additionally, there were five Chief Military Commissions based in Nanjing, which commanded the garrison there. The guard units of Imperial Guards in Beijing were directly under the emperor's control. At the provincial level, the troops were under the control of Regional Military Commissions (, or simply ), with thirteen commissions for each province and three additional commissions in sensitive areas along the northern borders. The Regional Commissioners held the rank 2a and were responsible for overseeing guards (;
wei), each consisting of 5,600 soldiers. These guards were further divided into five battalions, each with 1,120 soldiers. Each battalion was then divided into 10 companies, each with 112 soldiers. The battalion commander held the rank 5a, while the company commander held the rank 6a. Additionally, princes had their own personal guards consisting of several hundred men.
Government communications Administering the country required constant movement of people and goods. Officials were constantly traveling between the capital and the regions, while subjects were expected to perform work duties even if it meant traveling hundreds of kilometers away from their homes. This created a need to ensure the supply of goods to both the metropolis and the regions. To handle these tasks, three bureaus were established: the courier service (
yichuan), the postal service (
yidi), and the transport service (
diyun). The courier service has existed in China since ancient times. Its main task was to ensure the transport of messages between different regions and the capital, as well as the movement of officials, messengers, taxes (such as grain and other products), and persons performing work duties or soldiers. This service was under the authority of the Ministry of War. Along the communication routes, courier service stations were established every 60–80
li (34–45 km, during the Ming dynasty, 1
li was equivalent to 559.8 meters). This distance was considered a day's journey. The staff at these stations were responsible for providing accommodation, food, and transportation to authorized individuals. It was mandatory for these individuals to have appropriate official documents, even for large groups of dozens of members, and everyone was counted by name. The transportation of people and goods was a crucial responsibility for the service's officers, who were held to strict deadlines. Failure to meet these deadlines resulted in punishment as a military offense. The local population was responsible for providing everything necessary for the service's operation through labor obligations and in-kind levies. During the middle Ming period, these obligations were converted into cash payments, which were used by local authorities to fund the service. This reform led to a chronic lack of funding and a decrease in the number of stations. During the Hongwu Emperor's reign, there were 1,936 stations, but by 1587, this number had decreased to 1,036. The postal service, which was established by the previous Yuan dynasty, was also under the jurisdiction of the military department. It was carried out by "postal soldiers"—hereditary soldiers who were stationed at various locations and were responsible for delivering messages. These stations were approximately 10
li (5.6 km) apart, and it was determined that it would take 3/100 of a day (45 minutes) to deliver a message between them, resulting in a transmission speed of 190 km per day. In the border areas, there were chains of towers manned by a dozen soldiers who used signal fires to transmit messages. In 1376, transport offices were established in each prefecture with the purpose of providing extensive transport services, including the transportation of tax grain and individuals with work duties. ==Aristocracy and officials==