The Department of State Affairs (尚书省, Shàngshū Shěng) was the engine of imperial governance, responsible for executing policies drafted by the Secretariat (中书省, Zhōngshū Shěng) and reviewed by the Chancellery (门下省, Ménxià Shěng). While the other two departments advised and refined decisions, the Department of State Affairs turned imperial decrees into action. It was the largest and most practical arm of the central government, overseeing the empire's six ministries and countless clerks, scribes, and officials who kept the imperial system running.
Role and Responsibilities
The Department's primary duty was administration and implementation. Once the emperor approved a policy, this department transmitted orders to regional governments, managed communication across provinces, and supervised all state operations. It served as the central hub for records, petitions, and reports flowing between the emperor and his officials.
At its head was the Director of the Department of State Affairs (尚书令, Shàngshū Lìng), a prestigious position often held by one of the highest-ranking ministers in the empire. Beneath him were two Vice Directors (仆射, Púshè), who oversaw day-to-day affairs, and a complex hierarchy of assistants, clerks, and scribes who handled everything from taxation records to military orders.
Connection to the Six Ministries
The Department of State Affairs directly supervised the Six Ministries (六部, Liùbù): Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works. Each ministry specialized in a vital function of governance, making this department the administrative backbone of the empire. This structure ensured that no matter how large the empire grew, decisions flowed through a single, organized channel, keeping the emperor's power centralized.
Influence and Legacy
In its peak during the Tang Dynasty, the Department of State Affairs was so influential that its director was second only to the emperor in administrative authority. Over time, especially in later dynasties, its duties were gradually absorbed into other offices, such as the Grand Secretariat (内阁, Nèigé) in the Ming period. Despite these changes, its legacy as the empire's supreme executive office remained a cornerstone of Chinese bureaucracy.