183:
402:, local recruiters recommended official candidates. Social status became the most important criterion, and powerful local families secured places in government; this led to the saying: "There are no poor people in the upper ranks and no powerful families in the lower ones." Centralization during the Sui and Tang reduced the power of the local elites, and candidates started to be selected by the
298:, but conflict remained between the right of evaluation between centrally-appointed Controllers and the governors of the regions. Nonetheless, the continued instability and turmoil of the Three Kingdoms period meant that the nine-rank system was not fully or solely implemented; mentions of the old nomination system as the basis for identifying talent remain prevalent in early Cao Wei writings.
25:
291:. The system was ostensibly based on a few criteria: moral probity, administrative ability, and the contributions of the person or his family to the newly created Cao Wei regime. In practice, descent also played an important role; the service grade of a candidate's father had a bearing on their candidacy grade.
313:
and the subsequent peace, the system also became more systematized and formalized. Through the changes, the nine-rank system also became more closely aligned with the interests of the powerful official clans who had come to dominate imperial politics since the Cao Wei period. The expanded powers of
370:
The upper ranks were 1 − the highest — to 3, the middle were 4 to 6, and the lower were 7 to 9. Each rank had two classes − standard and secondary − for 18 steps. From the
Northern Wei to before the Northern Song, classes from ranks 4 to 9 were further divided into upper and lower grades for 30
317:
While the nine-rank system helped powerful clans to dominate official posts in the court, it also helped stimulate private schooling within families as a means of transmitting knowledge that could increase one's standing as someone eligible for evaluation. An example of this intrafamilial
272:
Chen Qun's reform was a way of systematizing the selection of candidates for political appointments in two ways: by creating a common scale of nine ranks to evaluate a person and by appointing
Controllers
355:, ranks four to nine added additional upper and lower ranks to the standard and secondary ranks, giving the nine-rank system a total of 30 ranks (6 in the top 3 ranks; 24 from ranks 4 to 9).
342:, were all famed calligraphers in their own right. The emphasis placed by the nine-rank system on moral attributes such as filial piety also led to the growth of "familial instructions" (
314:
the appointed
Controllers in turn meant that the officials who held the post, many of whom came from these clans, could use their powers to promote the interests of their own scions.
279:) in the court to grade officials on the scale. In practice, not only potential entrants but also existing officials were graded, creating two parallel systems: a "candidacy grade"
671:
215:(萬石), meaning ten thousand bushels, and were paid 350 bushels of grain per month. The lowest ranking petty subofficials were paid in pecks, worth less than 100 bushels per year.
218:
The Nine-rank system was a reorganization of the Han dynasty practice of recommending noteworthy locals for political office. Since 134 BCE, during the reign of
1082:
850:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1107:
301:
The nine-rank system would become more dominant in the later years of the Cao Wei regime under the regency of the Sima clan and into the early years of the
1102:
1056:
664:
46:
33:
1213:
222:, the Han court relied mainly on nomination by local magnates and officials as a way of identifying talent, by nominating them under titles such as
294:
The nine-rank system was originally intended to centralize the power of nominating and selecting appointees to office into the imperial court at
1006:
991:
978:
943:
741:
657:
207:
Prior to the nine-rank system, official positions were denoted by their salary paid in number of bushels of grain. For example, during the
484:
1011:
900:
1001:
420:
167:
458:
255:, proposed it as a way of organizing the state bureaucracy. It was called the "nine-rank method for recruiting men for office" (
1187:
1149:
1132:
883:
1167:
1097:
1041:
753:
375:
198:) on the chest. Mandarin duck was a symbol of marital fidelity and thus loyalty, a noble quality in a government official.
1087:
845:
309:, the power of Controllers was expanded to include not only evaluation but also the nomination of talent, and with the
339:
926:
734:
415:
395:
Prestige titles were also awarded, normally based on seniority, to confer status among officials of the same rank.
348:), which aimed to transmit moral teachings to children, as a genre of writing in the Jin and subsequent dynasties.
38:
1144:
840:
878:
769:
724:
967:
362:
the nine ranks reverted to the original standard of 18 ranks, with each rank containing only two classes.
182:
986:
888:
810:
774:
310:
302:
187:
1218:
403:
1051:
1036:
830:
374:
Ranks were expressed as class, rank, then grade; for example: Standard class, Rank 4, Upper grade (
323:
331:
1159:
702:
406:
system instead of by recommendations. By the Song, recruitment through examination was the norm.
1223:
1061:
1046:
996:
805:
714:
697:
306:
219:
490:
1208:
779:
719:
689:
101:
78:
643:
The
Aristocratic Families in Early Imperial China: A Case Study of the Po-Ling Ts'ui Family
1228:
1066:
191:
956:
951:
893:
825:
707:
681:
148:
140:
1202:
1031:
729:
359:
195:
171:
1112:
961:
352:
266:
160:
156:
152:
108:
1137:
921:
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746:
399:
335:
327:
208:
649:
1092:
319:
835:
820:
24:
931:
916:
248:
247:
The nine-rank system was created after the end of the Han in 220 AD when
224:
295:
252:
144:
815:
383:
636:, Harvard University Asia Center for the Harvard-Yenching Institute
855:
181:
860:
653:
437:
435:
139:, was used to categorize and classify government officials in
18:
269:
it became the "system of Nine ranks and impartial judges."
600:
598:
596:
513:
511:
509:
507:
166:
A similar system was also used in Korea. In Japan, the
155:, and similar ranking systems were also present in the
489:(Thesis). Northwest University (China). Archived from
113:
305:
regime during which it had changed in nature. Under
16:
Ranking system in the
Imperial Chinese civil service
1158:
1125:
1075:
1024:
977:
942:
909:
871:
788:
762:
688:
107:
100:
95:
77:
68:
211:, the highest-ranking officials were classed as
1083:Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers
665:
554:
552:
343:
286:
280:
274:
260:
239:
229:
83:
8:
532:
530:
528:
526:
318:transmission of skills is the calligrapher
1072:
939:
672:
658:
650:
576:
574:
92:
1057:Grand coordinator and provincial governor
616:
604:
559:Zhang, Xuhua (1999). "试论西晋九品中正制的弊病及其作用".
517:
452:
450:
441:
49:of all important aspects of the article.
537:Wang, Xiaoyi (2007). "再论曹魏九品中正制的历史真相".
431:
170:was adopted in 603 during the reign of
65:
45:Please consider expanding the lead to
251:, a court official from the state of
7:
583:Journal of Huadong Normal University
581:Wu, Ni (1996). "论魏晋九品中正制与私学的关系关".
14:
186:Portrait of a young Qing Dynasty
421:Twelve Level Cap and Rank System
168:Twelve Level Cap and Rank System
23:
1214:Northern and Southern dynasties
561:Journal of Zhengzhou University
37:may be too short to adequately
884:Three Lords and Nine Ministers
459:"Portrait of a young official"
416:Number nine in Chinese culture
388:
379:
326:that was prominent during the
114:
84:
47:provide an accessible overview
1:
1098:Nine Gates Infantry Commander
634:Chinese History: A New Manual
645:, Cambridge University Press
632:Wilkinson, Endymion (2012),
137:nine-grade controller system
234:, Filial and Incorrupt) or
1245:
927:Bureau of Military Affairs
851:Territorial administration
735:Heirloom Seal of the Realm
244:, of Outstanding Talent).
143:. Created in the state of
1145:Embroidered Uniform Guard
344:
287:
281:
275:
261:
240:
230:
125:
91:
73:
1108:Administrative divisions
641:Ebrey, Patricia (1978),
151:, it was used until the
968:Secretariat-Chancellery
483:Huang, Liuzhu (1985).
285:and a "service grade"
199:
1042:Imperial Commissioner
987:Ministry of Personnel
889:Three Ducal Ministers
811:Imperial examinations
775:Mandarin (bureaucrat)
311:conquest of Wu by Jin
194:of the seventh rank (
185:
1150:Qing Imperial Guards
1133:Tang Imperial Guards
404:imperial examination
398:From the Han to the
135:, also known as the
115:jiǔpǐn zhōngzhèngzhì
1052:Imperial Clan Court
1037:Remonstrance Bureau
1007:Ministry of Justice
992:Ministry of Revenue
846:Historical capitals
831:Academies (Shuyuan)
619:, pp. 265–266.
324:Wang clan of Langya
257:Jiǔ pǐn guān rén fǎ
188:government official
444:, p. 265-266.
389:Zheng si pin shang
200:
1196:
1195:
1121:
1120:
1062:Viceroys in China
1047:Grand Secretariat
1020:
1019:
1012:Ministry of Works
997:Ministry of Rites
944:Three Departments
901:Translated titles
806:Five Directorates
220:Emperor Wu of Han
129:
128:
121:
120:
102:Standard Mandarin
64:
63:
1236:
1073:
940:
841:Tributary system
796:Nine-rank system
780:Scholar-official
770:Grand Chancellor
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133:nine-rank system
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69:Nine-rank system
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19:
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1126:Imperial guards
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1067:Mandarin square
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1002:Ministry of War
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910:Middle Imperial
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192:mandarin square
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32:This article's
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979:Six Ministries
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957:Zhongshu Sheng
954:
952:Shangshu Sheng
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894:Nine Ministers
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872:Early Imperial
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826:Hanlin Academy
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682:Imperial China
680:Government of
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627:
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621:
617:Wilkinson 2012
609:
607:, p. 266.
605:Wilkinson 2012
592:
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520:, p. 265.
518:Wilkinson 2012
503:
475:
457:Marcin Latka.
446:
442:Wilkinson 2012
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330:, whose sons,
265:). During the
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149:Three Kingdoms
141:Imperial China
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96:Transcriptions
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41:the key points
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1088:Grand Council
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1038:
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1032:Three Bureaus
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1029:
1027:
1025:Late Imperial
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730:Son of Heaven
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493:on 2021-04-21
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360:Northern Song
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196:Mandarin duck
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172:Empress Suiko
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55:February 2024
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1113:Zongli Yamen
962:Menxia Sheng
795:
789:Institutions
642:
633:
626:Bibliography
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567:(11): 24–30.
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560:
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538:
495:. Retrieved
491:the original
485:
478:
466:. Retrieved
462:
397:
394:
387:
373:
369:
366:Organization
357:
353:Northern Wei
350:
340:Wang Xianzhi
332:Wang Ningzhi
316:
300:
293:
271:
267:Song dynasty
256:
246:
235:
223:
217:
212:
206:
165:
161:Qing dynasty
157:Ming dynasty
153:Song dynasty
136:
132:
130:
109:Hanyu Pinyin
52:
36:
34:lead section
1219:Sui dynasty
1138:Shence Army
922:Jimi system
801:Nine Courts
747:Consort kin
589:(1): 13–20.
545:(6): 62–69.
351:During the
336:Wang Huizhi
328:Eastern Jin
209:Han dynasty
147:during the
1203:Categories
1093:Lifan Yuan
497:2020-05-24
427:References
358:After the
320:Wang Xizhi
203:Background
1160:Dynasties
836:Censorate
821:Guozijian
322:, of the
39:summarize
1224:Goguryeo
932:Shumishi
917:Jiedushi
698:Monarchy
690:Nobility
486:两汉孝廉制度考略
410:See also
307:Sima Yan
249:Chen Qun
225:Xiaolian
1209:Cao Wei
763:Offices
742:Empress
720:Emperor
703:Dynasty
468:31 July
463:artinpl
376:Chinese
371:steps.
296:Luoyang
253:Cao Wei
178:History
145:Cao Wei
79:Chinese
1229:Baekje
816:Taixue
715:Titles
386::
384:pinyin
378::
236:Maocai
213:wandan
1103:Ranks
856:Yamen
754:Harem
708:Cycle
262:九品官人法
190:with
85:九品中正制
1188:Qing
1183:Yuan
1178:Liao
1173:Tang
1076:Qing
879:King
861:Tusi
725:List
587:1996
543:2007
470:2019
380:正四品上
338:and
159:and
131:The
1168:Han
539:文史哲
400:Sui
392:).
303:Jin
1205::
595:^
585:.
573:^
565:32
563:.
551:^
541:.
525:^
506:^
461:.
449:^
434:^
382:;
345:家訓
334:,
288:官品
282:資品
276:中正
259:;
241:茂才
231:孝廉
174:.
163:.
970:)
966:(
673:e
666:t
659:v
500:.
472:.
273:(
238:(
228:(
57:)
53:(
43:.
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