On the Origin of Officials

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

3.5

Word count: 387 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

This chapter first argues that establishing offices and dividing duties so that each attends to its own task is the fundamental measure for ensuring the normal operation of the state apparatus. It then explains the powers and responsibilities of ruler and ministers and their methods of governance, particularly noting: "To examine opening and blocking, and to hold to one Way (a unified policy) — this is the essence of governance." All of this accords with the laws of historical development. Finally, it envisions a society in which "officials have no affairs to administer, the ruler offers no rewards, the people have no lawsuits, and the state has no merchants" — an unrealistic notion.

Editor's review

This piece begins with the establishment of offices and division of duties and discusses how the state apparatus maintains operation through the division of authority and a unified policy. It explains that ruler and ministers each attend to their duties and also emphasizes the governing principle of "examining what should be opened and what should be blocked, and holding to one way," finally sketching an ideal social picture with few officials, simple affairs, no litigation, and no merchants. Its value lies in placing administrative division of labor, policy unity, and social ideals in the same piece for comparative reading: the former is a realistic institutional arrangement, while the latter clearly carries an imaginative character. Readers may note how the author moves from "division of duties" to "one way," and then to an imagination of order approaching inactivity—there is both attention to clear responsibilities and vigilance against excessive governance. The piece is short and suitable as supplementary reading in institutional thought.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying ancient official systems and administrative thought
Readers of political science or public administration interested in the relationship between division of duties and unity
Readers who enjoy short classical essays and are willing to analyze argumentative structure
History and literature enthusiasts interested in ancient ideals of society

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking detailed accounts of the evolution of official institutions
Readers who prefer literary works or narrative classical prose
Beginners who need a complete introduction to a system of thought and do not wish to read fragmentary texts

Reading tips

First outline the layers of the text—"establishing offices and dividing duties—duties of ruler and ministers—holding fast to the one Way—the ideal society"—then review paragraph by paragraph how the argument connects.
Extract the line "officials have no affairs to govern, the ruler offers no rewards, the people have no lawsuits, the state has no merchants" on its own and consider the tension between it and the text's practical institutional proposals.
Read it alongside other chapters on governance in the same book and compare their different formulations of "divided duties" and "unity."

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
原官第十

FAQ

What is the core argument of this piece?

Its core argument is to establish offices and divide duties so that each attends to its own task, and on that basis to examine opening and blocking, hold fast to the one Way, and ensure the state apparatus runs by a unified policy. The author also sets out an ideal picture of society with few officials, simple affairs, no litigation, and no merchants.

How should the description of the ideal society be understood?

This description is clearly speculative in nature and should not be taken as a practical institutional proposal. It expresses above all a longing for clear responsibilities and simple governance; readers may compare it with the preceding argument for divided authority and duties in order to understand its idealized character.

Do I need prior knowledge of ancient official systems to read this piece?

Not necessarily, though some familiarity with official systems will make it smoother. The piece focuses on the principles of division of duties and unity, not on the evolution of specific official titles. A basic grasp of the duties of ruler and ministers and of administrative division will make the meaning easier to follow.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.