Shangshu Sheng

Shangshu Sheng
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese尚書省
Simplified Chinese尚书省
Literal meaningSecretary's department
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShàngshū Shěng
Wade–GilesShang4-shu1 Sheng3
Vietnamese name
VietnameseThượng thư tỉnh
Korean name
Hangul상서성
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationSangseo Seong
McCune–ReischauerSangsŏ Seong

The Shangshu Sheng (尚書省), sometimes translated as the Department of State Affairs or the Imperial Secretariat, was one of the departments of the Three Departments and Six Ministries government structure. It was the primary executive institution of imperial China, head of the Six Ministries, the Nine Courts, and the Three Directorates (sometimes five). The Six Ministries consisted of the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Works.[1] The Department of State of Affairs existed in one form or another from the Han dynasty (206 BC – 9 AD) until the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), but was never re-established in the following Ming dynasty.

  1. ^ An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture, by Qizhi Zhang, p157