Introduction of Governor of Public Administration
Governor of Public Administration, an old name of official rank, was established in 1376 ( the 9 th Year of Hungwu Emperor) and was changed from Civilian Official under the governance of Central Government to administer a province, commonly named as “Fansi” or “Fantai.” This administration system started from Ming Tai Emporor, Chu Yunzhang, who wanted to control local administration to ensure centralization, a countermeasure. Governor of Public Administration managed administration, civil affairs, and financing of a province and announced the implementation of national policies at Fu, Zhao, County levels. The official ranking belonged to the second tier and the full name was “Cheng Xun Governor of Public Administration.” During Ming Dynasty, besides the establishment of “Cheng Xun Governor of Public Administration, there were Criminal Inspection Governor, Command Governor that formed a balance based on collaboration under the system.
As mentioned in “Brief Description of Official Rankings in Chinese Dynasties.” Before Ming Dynasty, big administrative districts higher than Fu were administered temporally by military officials and there had been no permanent organization. Thus, generals and superintendents in South and North Dynasty were also temporary posts. Although administers during Tang Dynasty governed a district, but they needed to also take the post as military governors. Administrators during Sung Dynasty governed remote areas and there had been no recurrent system. In Yuan Dynasty, administers of big administrative districts functioned as the central agencies and did not need to take the posts of local officials. The system development led to independent trend. Thus, Ming Dynasty had to establish the highest ranking administrative district and meanwhile, avoid further independence of local government. Governors of Public Administration were appointed to modify system of Yun Dynasty and added more control. Although Governors of Public Administration were recurrent officials but they did not get in touch with civilians. Governors of Public Administration also commanded military serving as officials of criminal justice. There were right and left Governors of Public Administration to keep the system balance. Supervision General was also established to monitor for the emperor.
The beginning of Qing Dynasty inherited Ming system and established Governors of Public Administration to manage administration and financial affairs. There were left and right Governors of Public Administration. By 1667 (the sixth year of Kanxi), only on Governor of Public Administration was assigned to each province. After Qinglung Emperor, Governor General and Inspection General were recurrent officials and Governor of Public Administration became an official ranking. In 1887 (the 13 th Year of Guangxu), Taiwan Governor of Public Administration was established but due to the subordinate stance of Taiwan that originally was governed by Fujian, the close ties between two provinces, and shorter establishment time, Fujian Taiwan Governor of Public Administration followed the case of Ganshui and Xinjiang as the 21 st Governor of Public Administration appointed by Qing Dynasty.
Governors of Public Administration need to evaluate their inferiors and cared for civilian affairs for setting good examples and punishing the bad. They were also the leaders of Prefecture, Fu and County, modeling the ancient Fangzhen ruling. Governors of Public Administration were the leaders of provincial administration, governed financial affairs, announced policies, and evaluated Prefecture and County under their governance. The duties can be divided into five categories:
• Conveying Emperor and National Policies
In order to convey imperial orders, since Ming Dynasty, orders were announced by national the cabinet and copies were sent to each Yuan. Then the orders were conveyed to Prefecture and County and implementation of imperial orders. Political affairs and orders were all conveyed by Governors of Public Administration to Fu, Ting, and Prefecture and the implementation were also led by them. Punishments were given to various degree of ineffective implementation. When necessary, Governors of Public Administration could report all political affairs to the Emperor.
• Household Investigation and Farm Taxation
In order to effectively investigate and utilize national financial resources and to establish important foundation for the country, every ten years, investigation of household, taxes, number of people, and number of field were conducted and the results were reported to the Household Commission of Central Government. Governors of Public Administration were not the front line workers of this complicated investigation work but the leaders who commanded the work.
• Conducting Exams to Select Officials Every Three Years ( before the 7 th Year of Yungzheng, 1729 )
Official exam is the first screening system for the country to recruit talents and it was the highest ranking examination in Qing Dynasty. Governors of Public Administration served as “Examiners” who took charge of examination arrangement both externally and internally and shouldered the responsibilities of this activity. In addition, they should give travel expenses to those Jurens who past county examination and attended further examination in the capital city. But in Yungzhen era, due to the complication, time consuming, and easy occurrence for corruption of this task, Prefectural Magistrate took over the responsibilities. This also showed the importance of posts of Governors of Public Administration.
• Supervision for Civil Cultivation and Administering Provincial Finance
Same as the Supervision General, Governors of Public Administration needed to care for “time for newly cultivated land” for taxation purpose as well as financial sources. Governors of Public Administration had been regarded as the external financial commissioners who manage various incomes of the provinces directly as well as the highest ranking financial officials appointed by Governor General and Inspection General to maintain stable finance. But the central government often gave difficulties for the financial management of Governors of Public Administration by imposing various requirements. As a Governor of Public Administration, this often poses challenge for him.
• Management of Subordinates
Officials subordinated to Fu and Zhou shall be administered by Governors of Public Administration who were in charge of salary allocation and performance appraisal. The results were sent to Governor General and Inspection General or even Official Department under central government.An Examination of Taiwan Governor of Public Administration from the perspective of 《 Recompiling of Taiwan General History 》
Governors of Public Administration held the similar official rankings with Inspection General and before the establishment of Taiwan Province , financial affairs were administered by Fujian Governor of Public Administration.
In the 6 th Year of Yungzheng Emperor (1782), Taiwan Intendant was established and public administration was half under the governance of the Intendant. In the 13 th Year of Guanxu Emperor, Taiwan Province was established and recurrent Governor of Public Administration was appointed to carry out duties as follows:
A. Taxes with the Province (except for Customs tariffs);
B, Registration of lands and farms;
C. Provincial budgeting plan;
D. Supervision of Military Equipment Bureau, Gunpowder Bureau, Communications Bureau, Official Doctors, Post Bureau and Telegram Bureau.
E. Salt trading within the Province;
F. Supervision of metalware making;
G. Allocation of official and military officer salaries;
H. Budgeting adjustment and report;
I. When local officials under prefects were in absence, Governor of Public Administration should recommend suitable talents to Supervision General.
J. When there was absence of Assistant Prefect, Governor of Public Administration and Prefect recommend suitable talents to Supervision General and Governor General.
K. Official subordinated to Prefect were reported to Inspection General and Governor General and punishment was decided by central government.
L. When civilian ruling given by County Magistrate was proven inappropriate, the appeal can be made to Inspection General.
In short, since Fujian Taiwan Public Administration Hall was the last and the 21 st one established by Qing Government, a new province at its initial stage that needed to administer various affairs. Therefore, there were 14 special organizations governed by Governor of Public Administration:
１ . Cultivation Tax Bureau (with local branches);
２ . General Tax Bureau (with local branches);
３ . Business Affairs Bureau;
４ . Whole Taiwan Salt Affairs Bureau (Local General Office or Branch Hall);
５ . Post Affairs Bureau (with local branches);
６ . General Bureau of Telegram(with local branches);
７ . General Bureau of Revenue ( in charge of accounting, Branch Bureau in Taiwan );
８ . General Bureau of Gunpowder (Branch Bureau in Taiwan );
９ . Bureau of Mine Oil （ Branch Bureau in Taichung ） ;
１０ . General Bureau of Firepowder (Branch Bureau in Taiwan );
１１ . Bureau of Train;
１２ . Bureau of Coal Affairs;
１３ . Bureau of Vessels and Ships;
１４ . Bureau of Official Doctor
Bureau of Train and Bureau of Coal Affairs were combined under the governance of “Trading Bureau.” In addition, Settlement Bureau and Military Equipment and Machinery Bureau that were not under the governance of Public Administration Hall, belonged to the governance when Shou Youlien was the Governor of Public Administration. The establishment of these new organizations helped to respond to western trend and cultivated learning abilities in European and American Countries. Meanwhile, they led Taiwan to modernization.
Reference:
Chen, L. C. (2005). A Study on Governors of Public Administration during Prosperous Qing Dynasty. MA thesis of Department of History, National Chengchi University . Unpublished. National Chengchi University .
Yang, R. J. (1991). Investigation Research and Restoration Plan of Taiwan Public Administration Hall. Taipei City : Taipei City Government.
Chiao, Y. J. (2005). A study on utilization of historical scenario- Case study of Taiwan Public Administration Hall, the second tiered historical site in Taiwan and Fujian area. Unpublished thesis of On-the-job Program of Graduate Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chinese Culture Un iversity . Taipei City .