Imperial Microcosm: The Yamen in Chinese History

Author: Guo Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-12-01
Features: When the term "yamen" is mentioned, almost everyone knows it refers to ancient government institutions. However, what exactly was an ancient yamen like? What was its layout and architectural style? What kinds of people entered and left it, and what were their respective responsibilities? How did they generally fulfill their duties? What were the main affairs of the yamen? How did it operate on a daily basis? What were its administrative rules and customs? And so on. These are not questions that ordinary people can easily answer. In fact, even if one flips through thick volumes of modern historical works or examines vast collections of official historical records from ancient times, it is still difficult to find specific answers in this regard. This book attempts to describe the specific details of ancient yamens to readers, striving to give them a relatively intuitive impression of these institutions, as if providing a guide.