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{{Infobox government agency
{{Infobox government agency
| name                = Correspondence Council
| name                = Council of Correspondence
| native_name_a        = 尚書臺
| native_name_a        = 尚書臺
| native_name_r        = djang'-st'ja-de
| native_name_r        = ''djang′-st′ja-le''
| type                = central government
| type                = Government
| seal                =  
| seal                =  
| seal_width          = 300px
| seal_width          = 300px
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| image_size          =  
| image_size          =  
| image_caption        =  
| image_caption        =  
| formed              = {{Start date|265|11|22|df=yes}}
| formed              = 1st century
| preceding1          = Board of Correspondence (典書臺)
| preceding1          =  
| preceding2          = <!-- up to |preceding6= -->
| preceding2          = <!-- up to |preceding6= -->
| dissolved            =  
| dissolved            =  
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| motto                =  
| motto                =  
| employees            = 322 (council proper)
| employees            = 322 (council proper)
| budget              = $560 billion (OSD, 2017 nominal)
| budget              =  
| minister1_name      =  
| minister1_name      =  
| minister1_pfo        =  
| minister1_pfo        =  
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| deputyminister1_pfo  =  
| deputyminister1_pfo  =  
| deputy              =  
| deputy              =  
| parent_agency        = [[Outer Court (Themiclesia)|Privy Treasurer (formally)]]
| parent_agency        = [[Privy Treasury]] (formally)
| child1_agency        =  
| child1_agency        =  
| child2_agency        = <!-- up to |child25_agency= -->
| child2_agency        = <!-- up to |child25_agency= -->
| keydocument1        =  
| keydocument1        =  
| footnotes            =  
| footnotes            =  
}}The '''Council of Correspondence''' (尚書臺 ''djang'-st'ja-de'' or 尚書省 ''djang'-st'ja-sriang'') is the highest-ranking executive body in Themiclesia and one of ten councils that compose of the [[Inner Court (Themiclesia)|Royal Court]].  The Council consists of a number of ministers, politically responsible to the [[Council of Protonotaries]] (中書省, ''trjung-sʼljag-shreng''), junior ministers, and a secretariat staffed by administrative officials.
}}The '''Council of Correspondence''' (尚書臺, ''djang′-st′ja-le'') is the executive branch of the Themiclesian government.  The Council consists of a number of ministers, politically responsible to the [[Parliament of Themiclesia]].  The meeting of the [[Prime Minister of Themiclesia|prime minister]] and other senior ministers is referred to as the Cabinet, in the {{wp|Westminster system|Hadaway system}}.


==Names==
==Names==
The two [[Shinasthana]] terms that refer to this body differ in their emphasis.  The first describes it as a public body and assembly of individuals, while the second technically refers to the place where the body sits.  This second sense overlaps with the first readily when the body is described as an institution, particularly as a static one.  Both phrases share the phrase ''ghljangs-s'ljag'', meaning "to manage correspondence".
The two [[Shinasthana]] terms that refer to this body differ in their emphasis.  The first describes it as a public body and assembly of individuals, while the second technically refers to the place where the body sits.  This second sense overlaps with the first readily when the body is described as an institution.  Both phrases share the phrase ''′djang′-st′ja'', meaning "to manage correspondence".


The Council has several names in {{wp|Finnish|Rajian}} and {{wp|English|Tyrannian}}, varying in fidelity to the literal meaning of its name or description of its function.  In Rajian, the terms '''Royal Court, Royal Council, Great Council, Council of Affairs, Council of Letters''', and '''Council of State''' have all been applied to the body at some point.  Some of them have also been applied to other institutions, even by the same authors, generating much confusion.  In Tyrannian, the terms '''Council of State''' and '''High Council''' seem most common, but '''Privy Council''' has also been used, probably in analogy to Tyrannian political institutions.  In the 19th century, the Tyrannian term Council of Letters has been settled as the standard translation of the Shinasthana original.
The Council has several names in {{wp|Finnish|Hallian}} and {{wp|English|Tyrannian}}, varying in fidelity to the literal meaning of its name or accuracy to its function.  In Hallian, the terms '''Royal Court, Royal Council, Great Council, Council of Affairs, Council of Letters''', and '''Council of State''' have all been applied to the body at some point.  Some of them have also been applied to other institutions, even by the same authors, generating some confusion.  In Tyrannian, the terms '''Council of State''' and '''High Council''' seem most common, but '''Privy Council''' has also been used, probably in analogy to Tyrannian political institutions.  In the 19th century, the Tyrannian term Council of Correspondence has been settled as the standard translation of the Shinasthana original.
 
The Council of Correspondence includes only one part of the broader Ministry, which is the group of all government ministers appointed by the crown with the confidence of Parliament.


==Current composition==
==Current composition==
{{Cabinet table start|hiderefcol=y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = President of Correspondence (尚書令)<br>Chancellor of Themiclesia (晉相邦)
| minister1                  = [[La Le]]
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (主客尚書)<br>Vice Chancellor (丞相)<br>Vice President of Correspondence (尚書僕射)<br>Comptroller of Embassies (典客)
| minister1                  = Sngā Gāi
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = Secretary of State for Finance (度支尚書)<br>Chancellor of Accounts (計相)<br>Inner Administrator of the Palace (中內史)
| minister1                  = Re Sklur
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = Secretary of State for Barons (侯曹尚書)<br>Vice Chancellor (丞相)<br>Vice President of Correspondence (尚書僕射)
| minister1                  = Mē Kwar
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = Secretary of State for Home Affairs (主民尚書)
| minister1                  = Sle-da Ntrang
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title                      = Secretary of State for the Environment (虞部尚書)
| minister1                  = Sng′ra′ Longs-ts′ra
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Health (紹曹尚書)
| minister1= Hwārh Pang
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Social Services (康曹尚書)
| minister1= Tu Kun
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Transport (起部尚書)
| minister1= Stang Ge-lra
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Defence (衛邦尚書)
| minister1= Smlem Tsots
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Trade (貿易尚書)
| minister1= Le Gwrings
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for Labour (百業尚書)
| minister1= Sun Te-tang
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title= Secretary of State for the East (東國尚書)
| minister1                  = Pe Mwa
| minister1_party            = Liberal Party (Themiclesia)
| minister1_termstart        = Mar. 14, 2016
| minister1_termend          =
| minister1_ref              =
| minister1_ministryhead      = y}}
{{Cabinet table end}}
<!--
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3"| Title !! colspan="2"| Holder !! Party !! Portfolio
! colspan="3"| Title !! colspan="2"| Holder !! Party !! Portfolio
|-
|-
| President of Correspondence || 尚書令 || Djang-st'ja-mlings || 徐貽 || lja-le || {{yes|Liberal}} || Head of government
| [[Prime Minister of Themiclesia|President of Correspondence]]<br>[[Chancellor of Tsjinh|Chancellor of Themiclesia]] || 尚書令<br>晉相邦 || ''djang′-st′ja-ringh<br>tsjinh-smjangh-prong || 徐貽 || [[Lja Le]] || {{yes|Liberal}} || Head of government
|-
|-
| Minister of the Left || 左僕射 || Dzuar-bok-las || 蘇賀 || sa-har || {{yes|Liberal}} || Foreign affairs
| Minister of the Left<br>Foreign Secretary<br>Left Vice Chancellor<br>Comptroller of Embassies || 左僕射<br>客曹尚書<br>晉左丞相<br>典客 || ''dzar-bok-ljagh<br>kr′ak-dzaw-djang′-st′ja<br>tsjinh-dzar-djêng-smjangh<br>den′-k.r′ak || 蘇賀 || Snga Gai || {{yes|Liberal}} || Foreign affairs
|-
|-
| Minister of the Right and <br>Secretary of State for Ceremonies || 右僕射 || Gwrje-bok-las || 枚寬衍 || me-kwan-grian || {{yes|Liberal}} || Education
| Minister of the Right<br>Secretary of State for Education<br>Right Vice Chancellor || 右僕射<br>祠部侯尚書<br>晉右丞相 || ''gwrje′-bok-ljagh<br>mlje-be′-go-djang′-st′ja<br>tsjinh-gwrje′-djêng-smjangh || 枚寬衍 || Me Kwan-grên || {{yes|Liberal}} || Education
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Public Affairs || 民部尚書 || Mrjing-ba-djang'-st'ja || 司徒長 || sje-da-trjang || {{yes|Liberal}} || Local government, law and order
| Secretary of State for Public Affairs || 左民尚書 || ''dzar-mrjing-djang′-st′ja || 司徒長 || Slje-da Ntrjang || {{yes|Liberal}} || Local government, law and order
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Finance || 度支尚書 || Das-klji-djang'-st'ja || 李睢 || rje-sel || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
| Secretary of State for Finance<br>Inner Administrator of Themiclesia<br>Privy Treasurer<br>Comptroller of Waters || 度支尚書<br>中内史<br>少府<br>水黃令 || ''dagh-krjê-djang′-st′ja<br>trjung-nubh-srje<br>sm′jaws-pjo′<br>st′jui-gwrang-ringh || 李睢 || Rje Sklur || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for the Environment || 虞部尚書 || Nga-bah-djang'-st'ja || 楚用初 || tsra'-lungs-tsrja || {{yes|Liberal}} || Environment, energy
| Secretary of State for the Environment || 虞部尚書 || ''ngwa-be'-djang′-st′ja || 楚用初 || Sng′rja′ Longh-ts′rja || {{yes|Liberal}} || Environment, energy
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Public Services || 社會尚書 || Dja-gweps-djang'-st'ja || 周緄 || tju-klun || {{yes|Liberal}} || Heath, social security
| Secretary of State for Health || 紹曹尚書 || ''stjawh-dzaw-djang′-st′ja || 奐方 || Hwarh Pjang || {{yes|Liberal}} || Heath
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Transport || 交通尚書 || Kraw-hlung-djang'-st'ja || 商其涂 || stjang-gje-da || {{yes|Liberal}} || Roads, railways, aviation
| Secretary of State for Social Services || 右民尚書 || ''gwrje′-mrjing-djang′-st′ja || 周緄 || Tju Kun || {{yes|Liberal}} || Social security
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Technology || 藝術尚書 || Ngjaih-sjut-djang'-st'ja || 苡濙倫 || le-gwrjings-lun || {{yes|Liberal}} || Technological development, industrial application
| Secretary of State for Transport || 道途尚書 || ''lu′-la-djang′-st′ja || 商其涂 || Stjang Gje-lra || {{yes|Liberal}} || Roads, railways, aviation
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Defence || 諸兵尚書 || Tja-prjang-djang'-st'ja || 沈最 || sdjem-tsuih || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
| Secretary of State for Technology || 藝術尚書 || ''ngjaih-sljut-djang′-st′ja || 苡濙倫 || Le Gwrjingh-run || {{yes|Liberal}} || Technological development, industrial application
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Commerce || 貿易尚書 || Muh-lis-djang'-st'ja || 孫之章 || sun-tje-tjang || {{yes|Liberal}} || Domestic and international commerce
| Secretary of State for Defence || 衛邦尚書 || ''gwrjaih-prjang-djang′-st′ja || 沈最 || Sdjem Tsodh || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
|-
|-
| Secretary of State for Labour || 從業尚書 || Dzjong-ljap-djang'-st'ja || 陳徽彙 || drjen-hwjei-gwjeih || {{yes|Liberal}} || Labour, employment
| Secretary of State for Commerce || 貿易尚書 || ''mruh-lis-djang′-st′ja || 孫之章 || Sun Tje-tjang || {{yes|Liberal}} || Domestic and international commerce
|-
|-
| Minister without Portfolio || 殿中尚書 || Den-trjung-djang'-st'ja || 王弱 || gwjang-njakw || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
| Secretary of State for Labour || 從業尚書 || ''dzjong-ljap-djang′-st′ja || 陳徽 || Drjen M′jei || {{yes|Liberal}} || Labour, employment
|-
|-
| Minister without Portfolio || 殿中尚書 || Den-trjung-djang'-st'ja || 高黎 || kaw-rjii || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
| Secretary of State for the East<br>Comptroller of Associated States || 東國尚書<br>屬邦 || ''tong-kwek-djang-st′ja<br>tjo′-prong || 式袞 || L′jek Kror′ || {{yes|Liberal}} || Ethnic minority states
|-
|-
!colspan="7"|Also attending cabinet meetings
| Minister without Portfolio || 殿中尚書 || ''ntenh-trjung-djang′-st′ja || 王弱 || Ghwjang Njakw || {{yes|Liberal}} ||
|-
|-
| Secretary of the Left || 左丞 || Dzuar-gljing || 何鏞 || gar-lung || ||  
| Minister without Portfolio || 殿中尚書 || ''ntenh-trjung-djang′-st′ja || 高黎 || Kaw Rji || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
|-
|-
| Secretary of the Right || 右丞 || Gwrje-gljing || 余能參 || la-hsem ||  ||
!colspan="7"|Sometimes attending cabinet meetings
|-
|-
| Minister of Royal Attendants || 侍中僕射 || Dji-trjung-bok-las || 許佑 || hngja-gwrjeh || {{yes|Liberal}} ||  
| Secretary of the Left || 尚書左丞 || ''djang-stja-dzar-djêng || 何鏞 || Gar Long || ||  
|-
|-
| Royal Secretary of Tribunes || 御史中丞 || Ngjah-srje'-trjung-gljing || 羅尚理 || ra-stjang-rje' ||  ||  
| Secretary of the Right || 尚書右丞 || ''djang-stja-gwrje-djêng || 余參 || La S.r′um ||  ||  
|-
|-
| President of the Privy Council || 中大夫令 || Trjung-dais-pja-mlings || 雷稴 || rui-riam || ||  
| Marshal of Peers || 主爵中尉 || ''tjo-tsjakw-trjung-′judh'' || 許佑 || Mghja′ Gwrjes || {{yes|Liberal}} || Leader of the [[House of Lords (Themiclesia)|House of Lords]]
|-
|-
| Envoy to Cavalier Attendants || 通事常侍郎 || Hlung-srje'-djang-dji-rang || 呂麟 || ra-rjen ||  ||  
| Royal Secretary of Tribunes || 御史中丞 || ''ngjah-srje′-trjung-djêng || 羅尚理 || Ra Djang′-rje′ ||  || Chief Prosecutor
|-
|-
| Gentlemen of the Amber Gate || 黃門侍郎 || Gwang-men-dji-rang || 張懸 || trjang-gwian || ||  
| Secretary of Tribunes || 御史丞 || ''ngjah-srje′-djêng || 琵科 || Pri Kar ||  ||
|}
|-
| President of the Privy Council || 中大夫令 || ''trjung-ladh-pja-ringh || 雷稴 || Rui K.rêm || {{yes|Liberal}} ||
|-
| First Lord-in-waiting<br>Keeper of Seals || 侍中侯<br>典符節 || lje′-trjung-go || 嫝遂 || K.r′ang Luih || {{yes|Liberal}} ||
|-
| Usher-in-chief || 大謁者 || ''ladh-′jat-tja′'' || 呂麟 || P.rja Rjing || {{yes|Liberal}} ||
|-
| President of Protonotaries || 中書令 || ''trjung-stja-ringh'' || 張懸 || Trjang Gwên || {{yes|Liberal}} || Leader of the [[House of Commons (Themiclesia)|House of Commons]]
|}-->


==History==
==History==
===Menghean precursor===
===Precursor===
The Council has its deepest origins in Meng-era Menghe (2nd c. BCE to 3rd c. CE), in which the office of Correspondence Manager is one of six managers responsible to the Meng Dynasty emperorInitially, the emperor had a minor role in governance, and most policies were made by high ministers of the Outer Court and implemented by them, upon an expected approval from the throne; from time to time the empreor did voice his opinions and ordered discussions to be opened on them, but he rarely compelled ministers to accept his willIn the 1st c., a more assertive emperor began to issue edicts through his Correspondence Manager and sidelined the Outer Court. Becoming the centre of policy, the Correspondence Manager gradually became a department, and officials there specialized into specific portfolios.  Though the assertive ruler died, the department became a self-sustaining-cum-aggrandizing college of ministers that accrued sufficient power through the reigns of weaker rulers to become the ''de facto'' government, even though the Outer Court still retained a broad range of functionsIt was at this point that Themiclesia's government was first constituted along Menghean lines.
The Council has its origins in Warring-States Menghe (2nd c. BCE to 3rd c. CE), in which the Correspondence Manager is found in some states as an official responsible for registering and dispatching the ruler's correspondenceDuring that period, the ruler had a smaller role in governance, most policies made and implemented by officials of the Outer Court, upon an expected approval from the throne.  This situation continues into the early Meng dynasty, but later a more assertive emperor began to issue edicts through the Correspondence Manager and sidelined the Outer Court. Becoming the centre of policy, the Correspondence Manager gradually became a department, and officials there specialized into specific portfolios.  The department became a college of ministers that become the ''de facto'' government, even though the Outer Court still retained administrative function. 
 
===Domestic origins===
The Correspondence Manager first appeared in Themiclesian history during the [[Hexarchy]], not long after its attestation in Menghe.  It is mentioned in the [[Ran-lang Collection]], dating to the 1st century CE and describing the chief officials of the [[Tsjinh]] state; however, the Collection provides no description of the office's roles, and no contemporary literature mentions the office at all.  Historians attribute this office and a number of others to imitation of the Menghean court, though no direct evidence supports this conclusion.  The [[Vessel of investiture|vessels of investiture]], bearing inscriptions recording appointments, yield only a single reference to the Correspondence Manager and then on an {{wp|ostracon}} rather than bronze, suggesting that such an appointment was barely worth recording.
 
During the final century of the Tsjinh dynasty, the Correspondence Manager entered historical narratives as an agent of the Patriarch of N.rang (唐伯), who became the guardian for the entire royal family and made decisions in its nameThe Correspondence Manager was important in this case as he controlled the flow of information to and from the throne, whose duties the Patriarch assumed.  In order to circumvent the bureaucracy controlled by the magnates of the [[Demesne (Themiclesia)|demesne land]] and communicate with nobles beyond it, he appointed a confidant to the position.  In 397, N.rang's regency was overthrow by the Patriarch of Sungh (宋伯), who relied on a different mechanism to secure power at court, so the Correspondence Manager again faded into anonymity.


===Historical function===
In the middle of the 5th century, the Sungh ruler was compelled by battlefield logistics to reform his army, which hitherto was composed of royal, ducal, and baronial forces, each organizing its supplies.  Prolonged warfare necessitated a central distribution of refurbishments and victuals; however, the barons were fearful that the nobles of the demesne land, free of military duty, would exempt themselves from supporting the war effortNot willing to lose his barons' trust, the Sungh king promised to regulate the distribution of warfare burdens personally.  He could not actually do this, so the barons selected a group amongst themselves to act as the Correspondence Manager, which had access to the papers of the Chancellor, the head of the bureaucracy dominated by the demesne noblesBut when the war ended, the demesne nobles forced the king to dissolve the new administration.
<div style="float:right; clear:left;"><imgur w="300" thumb="yes" comment="A tentative reconstruction of what the Council Hall may have looked like c. 300~1800">5Rr0IRM.png</imgur></div>
As opposed to the Outer Court, whose operation was much more charismatic and hierarchical, the Council adhered to a set of customs more resembling that of a committee, since its members were initially (and in terms of court rank even now) equal in status and power.  A "prime minister" was not appointed until fairly late in the history of the Meng Dynasty, and even then it was acknowledged as a badge of seniority, not one of authority over other members of the councilIt was (and is) customary for its members to meet in the morning to discuss affairs of state and report their conclusions to the emperor afterwardsEven less frequently than in Menghe the monarch vetoed the Council's opinions, though it was not uncommon for members to continue arguments for days before a decision (often bitter) was reached.


The composition of the Council has not changed much since the 3rd c., since Themiclesia's early government revolved around preserving Menghean norms as they stood before the Meng Dynasty fell to [[Five States and Seven Fiefdoms|civil war]]By the following century, the Council acquired the monicker '''Eight Mattresses''' in reference to the number of positions in it.  The actual membership was often six or seven, but rarely eight, since the portfolios of '''Minister of the Right''' and '''Rites Secretary''' were customarily bestowed on a single member.  Only in the 19th c. were new positions added to address more modern issues, such as industry, commerce, transport, social services, health, and justiceAs a rule, Council members lived inside the palace complex, in residences built for them and their families, who lived with them.  The office section was separate from the residential oneUntil the previous century, members of the council also regularly hosted debates and feasts within the residential quarters, though recently such events rarefied in prominence.
The Correspondence Manager, after the 450s, became a standard wartime council on which internal political borders were broken on the pretext of war.  Many historians believe the council's purpose during the Sungh era was mediative—resolving the difference between groups of nobles that had divergent expectations or motives.  The real operation of the council is difficult to ascertain, as it did not leave many records of itself.  It thus followed that the council was not above the Chancellor in authority, and in some instances he dominated the barons appointed to it due to their inexperience, disunity, or his own charismaIn 497, a renewed round of warfare began under the [[Rjang]] king, who deposed the Sunghs in 492.  The Council appears to have been transformed into a permanent chancery at this point with the power over all correspondence between the king and his subjectsAppointments to the council also evolved from barons to a mixture of demesne nobles and barons.


==Structure==
===Institutionalization===
All members of the Council are appointed by edict and thereby with the confidence of the Council of Protonotaries''Visa versa'' that body can also pass an edict to withdraw confidence in the Council.  The confidence of the Protonotaries is effective as far the status of Council member is concerned; the specific portfolios that each member takes is, legally speaking, not subject to the approval of the Protonotaries, though in practice conflicts rarely arise over this discrepancyLikewise, there is no legal requirement that a minister also be a protonotary, but this is most often observedThe leader of the parliamentary party will almost always be the President of Correspondence, though exceptions have occurredIf party leader has made an especially clear commitment to one policy area, he may take that portfolio himself to ensure the implementation of the policy, since amalgamating two portfolios for this purpose has been feared to attract criticismIf this situation is true, then the President may not be the powerful member on the Council.
The Council of Correspondence emerged as a permanent institution during the reign of [[King Ngjon of Rjang]].  It is an emergent view amongst historians that the Council evolved towards a college of ministers that had peacetime administrative functions as much as wartime utility.  While its precursors during the Tsjinh and Sungh consisted of one or several undifferentiated "Correspondence Managers", it seems they began to assume different roles during the RjangThe date for this change cannot be firmly dated, though some tentatively assign it to the 510s.  The "Secretary for Patriarch" (伯), "Secretary for Barons" (侯), "Secretary for Treasuries" (諸府), and "Left Secretary for Envoys" (左客) are three titles attested in an edict of 544, the second year of [[Emperor Wŏn of Chŏllo|Emperor Ngjon]]'s reign; judging by his unfamiliarity with Themiclesian politcs and lack of influence elsewhere, historians disfavour the possibility that he introduced these positions, instead consigning them to the period before his rule.
 
Historical treatises from the 7th century, with some discrepancies from 6th-century materials, say that the first dealt with the Chancellor's jurisdiction, which was the demesne land of the former Tsjinh area, the second, the barons and their feudal lands, and the third, the affairs of the palatine princes.  Scholars infer the existence of a complementary "Right Secretary for Envoys" that dealt with truly-foreign statesThis division of duties, once regarded as anomalous, is now regarded as firm support to the mediative function of the original CouncilWhatever the original division of duties within it, the first Mrangh monarchs sought to reshape it in the image of Chŏllo's institutions that enabled much more centralized ruleEmperor Ngjon portrayed existing institutions as backwards but met limited success in aggregating power to himself.
 
===Departmentalization===
The Council of Correspondence underwent some changes at the end of the 6th century, reflecting the Mrangh monarchy's progress towards increased authority.  Historians note that the secretaryships for "subjects" (民曹) and "appropriations" (度支) appeared in annals in 587.  These positions are interpreted as imports from Chŏllo rule, since their portfolios were covered by the Chancellor up to this point.  Some writers start using the term "secretary of state" for members of the Council in the Mrangh dynasty to indicate their increased responsibilities, but other hold the Council did not enjoy primacy in policy-making, and thus its members should not be called "secretaries of state"In the post-restoration political scene, much power rested with the barons.  They made known their political will in the celebration of the new administrative year, for which they travelled to the royal capital city.


===President of Correspondence===
During the early 7th century, the throne wished to dispense with the barons, who up to this point had been supporting him in exchange for baronial autonomy and some control over his royal courtThe theme of centralization continues in the Tsjinh area but is reversed under the first handful of Mrangh emperors for the palatine states, where he sought to strenghthen the barons there relative to their rulersThis led to the re-emergence of a politics not unlike the end of the Rjang, where distant allies are sought at the expense of nearby enemies, with the hope the former outnumbered the latterThe cultural import of the Mrangh ruler is canonically thought to explain its success at this time, rather than during the Rjang period; however, modern historians have proposed other theories to explain this development.
The head of government of Themiclesia is the President of Correspondence (尚書令), though in Tyrannian media this title almost universally is rendered as "Prime Minister"As a Tyrannian analogy, the translation is hardly inappropriate.  As the senior member of the Council, he is expected to lead the discussion in interdepartmental matters and to settle disputes between other Council membersCustom dictates that he cannot unilaterally formulate new policies and introduce edict drafts to the Protonotaries without the consensus of his colleages.  A President unable to maintain a united Council and the confidence of the Protonotaries is vulnerable to intrigue from within the Council and dissatisfaction in the parliamentary partyIf most of the Council chooses to endorse another person as President, they may introduce bills to compel the President to switch places with someone else.  This last happened in 1896, and its constitutionality has been challenged in view of the consensus requirement.  Most jurists recognized the right for any protonotary, including members of the Council, to introduce bills as long as they do not alter public policy or increase taxation.


The style and conduct of each President varies considerably.  The President is conventionally permitted to make the first and last speech on any topic relating to public policy.  Some leaders, such as the reviled Ga Trjed (presided 1778–1785), regularly argued with colleagues and interrupted them while they spoke; this issue was serious enough that multiple ministers complained of it in their diaries and other publicationsGa's immediate predecessor, Mru' (1771–1778), in contrast, rarely spoke.  One of the President's main prerogatives was the supervision of the Council's secretariat, which was responsible for drafting policy papers and bills for the Protonotaries; he could influence these documents substantially, even after a consensus has been reached over the issue in questionHis colleagues are free to refuse to countersign the drafts if they considered the President's emendations grossly repugnant to the original agreementSuch objections may create lasting fissures in the Council, and it seems acceptable for the head of government to make minor changes if he can cite an overlooked or emergent factBecause originally the Council met in the early morning and reported to the emperor after the meeting, the President has the implied power to constrain time on each debateAs a political weapon, the President could deploy it against an initiative he did not like, though prolonged reliance on this prerogative generates acrimony and casts a negative light on his ability to matintain unity in the Council.
In order to establish control over the Council, the ruler began to merge into it some functions of the ChanceryThus, in 642, the Treasuries secretaryship was merged into that of Appropriations, which unified royal finances with that of the demesne landThe appearance of the Subjects secretaryship heralded the fraying of the Chancellor's power, since the Council then oversaw judicial and census recordsIn 694, the secretaryship for Forces appeared, which duplicated or subsumed the functions of two departments of the Chancery—the Command Department and Marshal DepartmentAt the same time, the secretaryships also appeared on official bureaucratic ranks, a process of harmonization with the accustomed governance structure of the demesne landIn turn, it meant the emperor now sided with the bureaucracy and tried to extend its influence over baronial sub-polities.


By statutory description, all members of the council have the same set of powers and responsibilities; this is the source of the fluidity in portfolio-switching.
At the end of the Mrangh dynasty, the familiar septimal configuration began to take shape.  The Barons secretaryship was renamed Cults, since the chief role of barons during peacetime was contribution to cultic activities.  Additionally, the maintenance of the royal ancestral cult was used as a device to control barons' incomes and lands, whose products were permanently assigned to sacrificial ends after rebellion.  This deprived them of much of their disposable income but avoided harsh treatment that could have provoked other barons into a unified revolt.  In 752, the Cults secretaryship was retro-named Barons, but its role was unchanged.


===Left & Right Minister===
==Structure==
[[File:Vice President Yen Chia-kan hosts the Chief of the US Military Assistance Advisory Group, Major General Ciccolella 嚴家淦副總統宴請美軍顧問團團長戚烈拉將軍.png|thumbnail|President of Correspondence visiting an unidentified Columbian c. 1953]]
All ministers on the Cabinet, as all members of the broader Ministry, are appointed by the [[Monarchy of Themiclesia|sovereign]] with the confidence of the [[House of Commons (Themiclesia)|House of Commons]], which can also withdraw confidenceThe confidence of the House is effective as far ministerial rank is concerned; the specific portfolios each minister is, legally speaking, not subject to the approval of the House of Commons, though conflicts rarely arise over this discrepancyLikewise, it is custom that a minister also be a member of either house of Parliament.  The leader of the parliamentary party will almost always be the President of the Council, though exceptions have occurredIf party leader has made a commitment to one policy area, he may take that portfolio himself to ensure the implementation of the policy.
Both the Left Minister and Right Minister are titled "Archery Assistant" (僕射), a title rendered as ''Deputy Prime Minister'', though this can be misleading interpreted literallyThis office has nothing to do with archery as a martial skill, but as an important recreational activity in Themiclesia, and the monarch's assistants in archery practice were usually his more trusted advisorsThe Left Minister is the responsible minister over foreign affairs, and he does regularly act as President when the latter is absent from regular meetings, which happens frequently.  The Right Minister almost always simultaneously holds the title of Rite Secretary.  The phonetic similarity exists only in Tyrannian.  Though historically this position had more oversight in the maintenance of royal mausolea, state-sponsored temples, and local shrines, these institutions often accumulated large stores of literature and functioned as studies for aspiring scholarsJurisdiction over them evolved into jurisdiction over education, and today that has become the Right Secretary's function.  


===Other members===
===President of Correspondence===
The most senior member less the three above is the Civil Secretary, who is responsible for maintaining the civil service through recruitment, regulation, compensation, and honours.  He has the final say in filling positions of the Seventh Class (county magistrate) and lower, which represent more than 99% of all positionsFor those higher, he is also expected to nominate competent candidates, and it is not unknown for holders of this position to resign after particularly poor appointments have been madeIt should be noted that the Civil Secretary must still abide by statutory restrictions in filling positions in the civil service, and a considerable portion of them do require prior experience in related fields or qualifying through competitive examinations; within these bounds and subject to conscientious practice, the Civil Secretary can generally act according to his own will.   
{{main|Prime Minister of Themiclesia}}
[[File:Vice President Yen Chia-kan hosts the Chief of the US Military Assistance Advisory Group, Major General Ciccolella 嚴家淦副總統宴請美軍顧問團團長戚烈拉將軍.png|thumbnail|Rui L′jam, prime minister, with a Hallian military officer, 1960]]
The head of government is the President of Correspondence (尚書令), though in Tyrannian media this title is universally rendered as "Prime Minister"As the senior member of the Cabinet, he is expected to lead the discussion in interdepartmental matters and to settle disputes between other Cabinet membersPolitics prevents him from making new policies and introducing bills without the consensus of his colleages.  A prime minister unable to maintain a united Council or Parliamentary confidence is vulnerable to intrigue from within the Council and dissatisfaction in the parliamentary party.  If most of the Council chooses to endorse another person as President, they may introduce bills to compel the President to switch places with someone else.   


==Practices==
It should be noted that the prime minister does not always carry the title of President of Correspondence.  In the 19th century, it was customary for prime ministers to be peers, but [[Lord Tl'jang-mjen]] (governed 1872 – 1878) and [[Lord L'ong-mjen]] (1880 – 85 and 88 – 90) thought they would be politically weakened if elevated to the [[Peerage of Themiclesia|peerage]] and removed from the House of Commons; thus, they used the title Minister of Correspondence (尚書僕射) or Deputy Prime Minister to circumvent this dilemma. The title of the President remained vacant during their respective tenuresThe first non-peer to become President of Correspondence was Go Mjanh-kre, in 1910.
[[File:Hau Pei-tsun from VOA (1).jpg|thumbnail|Gen. Hak Prak-snjon addressing the press corps during the Council's press conference]]The Council of Correspondence generally meets every day in the early morning, a custom held over when the Council met the emperor later the same morning to report their conclusions and ask for sanction.  Since [[Court (Themiclesia)|morning court]] historically begins at the first instant of dawn (eight ticks or 115.2 minutes before sunrise), Council meetings generally occur in the two hours before that timeThus, in winter the Council meets 4-5 in the morning and 2-3 in the summer, the actual hours observed have drifted late steadily, sometimes as late as 5-6 in summer and 6-7 in winter, to be better synchronized with modern habits.  The canonical hours for Council meetings is still observed a few times a year, ahead of major ceremonies.


===Reading bills===
The style and conduct of each prime minister varies considerably.  The prime minister is conventionally permitted to make the first and last speeches on any topic, but individual ministers are expected to lead the discussion within their respective portfoliosThe prime minister supervises the Council's secretariat, which supports Cabinet deliberation and handles issues not assigned to any specific departmentBecause originally the Council met in the early morning and reported to the emperor after the meeting, the prime minister has the implied power to constrain time on each debateAs a political weapon, the President could deploy it against an initiative he did not like, though prolonged reliance on this tactic generates acrimony and casts a negative light on his ability to lead the Ministry.
Most former-members of the Council agree in their accounts that meetings invariably begin with reading of bills passed the day before, and an open floor to any member who has since developed new opinions or received new information about them.  The Left Secretary reads bills relating to finance and foreign policy, while the Right Secretary reads all other bills.  If a bill that has been agreed to was not co-signed in the previous day, it will now be before filing with the ProtonotariesFor the most part, only bills' titles are read, to conserve timeSpecific sections may be read in more detail at members' request.  If new information has emerged, the bill may be adjourned to a later time for further discussionCo-signed bills are then dispatched to the legislature.


===Policy discussions===
===Left and Right Minister===
Discussions of policy questions then follow.  New policies are tabled after existing policies, though sources contradict what the definition or boundary of what a policy is, in this contextSome analyses provide that, on average, questions that suggest revisions are considered existing, while the cancellation of some policy that is already in statute is considered a new policy.  Other sources instead state that existing policies are discussed first, since these tend to take less time and generate fewer disagreements, and what a member think may require a new policy might, after all, be resolved by revising an existing one.  A policy question needs only be supported by a simply majority to be adopted as a legitimate subject for drafting a formal bill.  It is not unprecedented for a Council member to forward the policy question, obtain its approval, and on the same day reveal (see below) that he has already taken the liberty of drafting a bill on that basis.  This is unusual and frowned upon by some Council members as coercive, but for urgent matters it is not esteemed as negatively.
Both the Left Minister and Right Minister are titled "Assistant" (僕射), a title rendered as "Deputy Prime Minister", though this can be misleading interpreted literallyThe title of Left Minister is customarily granted to the Secretary of State for Aliens, who regularly presides over the Cabinet when the prime minister is absentThe Right Minister almost always simultaneously holds the title Secretary of State for BaronsThough historically this position had more oversight in the maintenance of mausolea, temples, and shrines, these institutions often accumulated large stores of literature and functioned as studies for aspiring scholarsJurisdiction over them evolved into that over education, and today that has become the holder's function.
{{Ambox
| name = A case of the Council's secrecy
| subst = <includeonly>{{subst:substcheck}}</includeonly>
| small = right
| text  = In the 5th c., Emperor Mrjang arrived at the Council of Correspondence while it was deliberating, to be stopped by the enforcement of martial law around the premisesThe President of Correspondences was notified and came to greet the Emperor, asking what he wanted to do.  The Emperor replied that he wanted to send letters (probably of a political nature).  The President said, "Writing Your Majesty's letters is what I, your servant, am paid for by the state's coffers to do.  Your Majesty may remove me if I am inadequate, but Your Majesty may not prevent me from discharging my office while I still receive compensationMoreover, how can Your Majesty be certain that none of Your Majesty's retinue will compromise the most stringent secrecy of government policy?"  The Emperor was greatly humbled and ordered his procession to turn and return to his private complex.
| image = none
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}}
Individuals adjudged capable of giving valuable information may be invited by any two or more members of the Council.  This restriction ensures a Council member could not, on account of misjudgment or malice, allow its secrets to be revealed to a stranger invited to listen and speak.  Violation of the Council's secrecy (which applies unless lifted specifically) is illegal and, at one point, treasonable.  As state policies originate here, the Council historically enforced martial law (臺省戒嚴) around its premises to prevent any unauthorized personnel from spying on its proceedings; anyone without rank could be killed on sight if found within the lines of exclusion, though such instances were very infrequent.


===New bills===
===Other members===
New bills are then read, in the same wise as previous bills, before the Council.  Junior ministers are typically entrusted with this task when it is within their portfolioThe bill may or may not be read verbatim, according to the preference of the CouncilContents of this bill is considered privileged and will not be made public until all members have co-signed the bill; revelation before its official approval as a government bill could be interpreted as a political condemnation of all other Council members.  At least four general elections have been held as a result of such political tsunamisHere, the Council feels its policies have been seriously challenged, and only a general election will settle the matter in one direction or another.  If a bill is met with general approval, members will impress their seals on the official copy.
The most senior member less the three above is the Civil Secretary, who is responsible for maintaining the civil service through recruitment, regulation, compensation, and honoursHe has the final say in filling positions of the Seventh Class (county magistrate) and lower, which represent more than 99% of all positionsFor those higher, he is also expected to nominate competent candidates, and it is not unknown for holders of this position to resign after particularly poor appointments have been madeIt should be noted that the Civil Secretary must still abide by statutory restrictions in filling positions in the civil service, and a considerable portion of them do require prior experience in related fields or qualifying through competitive examinations; within these bounds and subject to conscientious practice, the Civil Secretary can generally act according to his own will.


==Seat==
==Seat==
{{main|Court Hall (Themiclesia)}}
The seat of the Council of Correspondence is the Court Hall in the [[Sk'ên'-ljang Palace]].  It is simply called the "court of audience" (朝廷) by most Themiclesian authors in both the geographic and political sense; by later ages, the seat has become synonymous to the government that occupies it.
==Council of Six==
For a long period after the [[Dzi dynasty|Dzi]], the formal membership of the Council and its connections with other parts of the medieval bureaucracy have become customary and resisted changes from multiple sources.  The eight customary positions are as follows:
*'''President''': appointed by the crown
*'''Left Minister, Secretary of State for Aliens''': foreign affairs
*'''Right Minister, Secretary of State for Barons''': judicial appeals and administrative submissions from baronies
*'''Secretary of State for Elections''': oversight of the civic election process, assessment of administrators
*'''Secretary of State for Appropriations''': state coffers
*'''Secretary of State for Military Forces''': military activities, both demesne and baronial


==See also==
*[[Themiclesia]]


==Notes==
<references />
[[Category:Septentrion]][[Category:Themiclesia]]
[[Category:Septentrion]][[Category:Themiclesia]]

Latest revision as of 15:27, 7 September 2021

Council of Correspondence
尚書臺
djang′-st′ja-le
Government overview
Formed1st century
JurisdictionThemiclesia
HeadquartersKien-k'ang
Employees322 (council proper)
Parent GovernmentPrivy Treasury (formally)

The Council of Correspondence (尚書臺, djang′-st′ja-le) is the executive branch of the Themiclesian government. The Council consists of a number of ministers, politically responsible to the Parliament of Themiclesia. The meeting of the prime minister and other senior ministers is referred to as the Cabinet, in the Hadaway system.

Names

The two Shinasthana terms that refer to this body differ in their emphasis. The first describes it as a public body and assembly of individuals, while the second technically refers to the place where the body sits. This second sense overlaps with the first readily when the body is described as an institution. Both phrases share the phrase ′djang′-st′ja, meaning "to manage correspondence".

The Council has several names in Hallian and Tyrannian, varying in fidelity to the literal meaning of its name or accuracy to its function. In Hallian, the terms Royal Court, Royal Council, Great Council, Council of Affairs, Council of Letters, and Council of State have all been applied to the body at some point. Some of them have also been applied to other institutions, even by the same authors, generating some confusion. In Tyrannian, the terms Council of State and High Council seem most common, but Privy Council has also been used, probably in analogy to Tyrannian political institutions. In the 19th century, the Tyrannian term Council of Correspondence has been settled as the standard translation of the Shinasthana original.

The Council of Correspondence includes only one part of the broader Ministry, which is the group of all government ministers appointed by the crown with the confidence of Parliament.

Current composition

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
President of Correspondence (尚書令)
Chancellor of Themiclesia (晉相邦)
 La Le*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (主客尚書)
Vice Chancellor (丞相)
Vice President of Correspondence (尚書僕射)
Comptroller of Embassies (典客)
 Sngā Gāi*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Finance (度支尚書)
Chancellor of Accounts (計相)
Inner Administrator of the Palace (中內史)
 Re Sklur*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Barons (侯曹尚書)
Vice Chancellor (丞相)
Vice President of Correspondence (尚書僕射)
 Mē Kwar*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Home Affairs (主民尚書) Sle-da Ntrang*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for the Environment (虞部尚書) Sng′ra′ Longs-ts′ra*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Health (紹曹尚書) Hwārh Pang*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Social Services (康曹尚書) Tu Kun*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Transport (起部尚書) Stang Ge-lra*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Defence (衛邦尚書) Smlem Tsots*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Trade (貿易尚書) Le Gwrings*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for Labour (百業尚書) Sun Te-tang*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal
Secretary of State for the East (東國尚書) Pe Mwa*Mar. 14, 2016IncumbentLiberal

History

Precursor

The Council has its origins in Warring-States Menghe (2nd c. BCE to 3rd c. CE), in which the Correspondence Manager is found in some states as an official responsible for registering and dispatching the ruler's correspondence. During that period, the ruler had a smaller role in governance, most policies made and implemented by officials of the Outer Court, upon an expected approval from the throne. This situation continues into the early Meng dynasty, but later a more assertive emperor began to issue edicts through the Correspondence Manager and sidelined the Outer Court. Becoming the centre of policy, the Correspondence Manager gradually became a department, and officials there specialized into specific portfolios. The department became a college of ministers that become the de facto government, even though the Outer Court still retained administrative function.

Domestic origins

The Correspondence Manager first appeared in Themiclesian history during the Hexarchy, not long after its attestation in Menghe. It is mentioned in the Ran-lang Collection, dating to the 1st century CE and describing the chief officials of the Tsjinh state; however, the Collection provides no description of the office's roles, and no contemporary literature mentions the office at all. Historians attribute this office and a number of others to imitation of the Menghean court, though no direct evidence supports this conclusion. The vessels of investiture, bearing inscriptions recording appointments, yield only a single reference to the Correspondence Manager and then on an ostracon rather than bronze, suggesting that such an appointment was barely worth recording.

During the final century of the Tsjinh dynasty, the Correspondence Manager entered historical narratives as an agent of the Patriarch of N.rang (唐伯), who became the guardian for the entire royal family and made decisions in its name. The Correspondence Manager was important in this case as he controlled the flow of information to and from the throne, whose duties the Patriarch assumed. In order to circumvent the bureaucracy controlled by the magnates of the demesne land and communicate with nobles beyond it, he appointed a confidant to the position.  In 397, N.rang's regency was overthrow by the Patriarch of Sungh (宋伯), who relied on a different mechanism to secure power at court, so the Correspondence Manager again faded into anonymity.

In the middle of the 5th century, the Sungh ruler was compelled by battlefield logistics to reform his army, which hitherto was composed of royal, ducal, and baronial forces, each organizing its supplies. Prolonged warfare necessitated a central distribution of refurbishments and victuals; however, the barons were fearful that the nobles of the demesne land, free of military duty, would exempt themselves from supporting the war effort. Not willing to lose his barons' trust, the Sungh king promised to regulate the distribution of warfare burdens personally. He could not actually do this, so the barons selected a group amongst themselves to act as the Correspondence Manager, which had access to the papers of the Chancellor, the head of the bureaucracy dominated by the demesne nobles. But when the war ended, the demesne nobles forced the king to dissolve the new administration.

The Correspondence Manager, after the 450s, became a standard wartime council on which internal political borders were broken on the pretext of war. Many historians believe the council's purpose during the Sungh era was mediative—resolving the difference between groups of nobles that had divergent expectations or motives. The real operation of the council is difficult to ascertain, as it did not leave many records of itself. It thus followed that the council was not above the Chancellor in authority, and in some instances he dominated the barons appointed to it due to their inexperience, disunity, or his own charisma. In 497, a renewed round of warfare began under the Rjang king, who deposed the Sunghs in 492. The Council appears to have been transformed into a permanent chancery at this point with the power over all correspondence between the king and his subjects. Appointments to the council also evolved from barons to a mixture of demesne nobles and barons.

Institutionalization

The Council of Correspondence emerged as a permanent institution during the reign of King Ngjon of Rjang. It is an emergent view amongst historians that the Council evolved towards a college of ministers that had peacetime administrative functions as much as wartime utility. While its precursors during the Tsjinh and Sungh consisted of one or several undifferentiated "Correspondence Managers", it seems they began to assume different roles during the Rjang. The date for this change cannot be firmly dated, though some tentatively assign it to the 510s. The "Secretary for Patriarch" (伯), "Secretary for Barons" (侯), "Secretary for Treasuries" (諸府), and "Left Secretary for Envoys" (左客) are three titles attested in an edict of 544, the second year of Emperor Ngjon's reign; judging by his unfamiliarity with Themiclesian politcs and lack of influence elsewhere, historians disfavour the possibility that he introduced these positions, instead consigning them to the period before his rule.

Historical treatises from the 7th century, with some discrepancies from 6th-century materials, say that the first dealt with the Chancellor's jurisdiction, which was the demesne land of the former Tsjinh area, the second, the barons and their feudal lands, and the third, the affairs of the palatine princes. Scholars infer the existence of a complementary "Right Secretary for Envoys" that dealt with truly-foreign states. This division of duties, once regarded as anomalous, is now regarded as firm support to the mediative function of the original Council. Whatever the original division of duties within it, the first Mrangh monarchs sought to reshape it in the image of Chŏllo's institutions that enabled much more centralized rule. Emperor Ngjon portrayed existing institutions as backwards but met limited success in aggregating power to himself.

Departmentalization

The Council of Correspondence underwent some changes at the end of the 6th century, reflecting the Mrangh monarchy's progress towards increased authority. Historians note that the secretaryships for "subjects" (民曹) and "appropriations" (度支) appeared in annals in 587. These positions are interpreted as imports from Chŏllo rule, since their portfolios were covered by the Chancellor up to this point.  Some writers start using the term "secretary of state" for members of the Council in the Mrangh dynasty to indicate their increased responsibilities, but other hold the Council did not enjoy primacy in policy-making, and thus its members should not be called "secretaries of state". In the post-restoration political scene, much power rested with the barons. They made known their political will in the celebration of the new administrative year, for which they travelled to the royal capital city.

During the early 7th century, the throne wished to dispense with the barons, who up to this point had been supporting him in exchange for baronial autonomy and some control over his royal court. The theme of centralization continues in the Tsjinh area but is reversed under the first handful of Mrangh emperors for the palatine states, where he sought to strenghthen the barons there relative to their rulers. This led to the re-emergence of a politics not unlike the end of the Rjang, where distant allies are sought at the expense of nearby enemies, with the hope the former outnumbered the latter. The cultural import of the Mrangh ruler is canonically thought to explain its success at this time, rather than during the Rjang period; however, modern historians have proposed other theories to explain this development.

In order to establish control over the Council, the ruler began to merge into it some functions of the Chancery. Thus, in 642, the Treasuries secretaryship was merged into that of Appropriations, which unified royal finances with that of the demesne land. The appearance of the Subjects secretaryship heralded the fraying of the Chancellor's power, since the Council then oversaw judicial and census records. In 694, the secretaryship for Forces appeared, which duplicated or subsumed the functions of two departments of the Chancery—the Command Department and Marshal Department. At the same time, the secretaryships also appeared on official bureaucratic ranks, a process of harmonization with the accustomed governance structure of the demesne land. In turn, it meant the emperor now sided with the bureaucracy and tried to extend its influence over baronial sub-polities.

At the end of the Mrangh dynasty, the familiar septimal configuration began to take shape. The Barons secretaryship was renamed Cults, since the chief role of barons during peacetime was contribution to cultic activities. Additionally, the maintenance of the royal ancestral cult was used as a device to control barons' incomes and lands, whose products were permanently assigned to sacrificial ends after rebellion. This deprived them of much of their disposable income but avoided harsh treatment that could have provoked other barons into a unified revolt. In 752, the Cults secretaryship was retro-named Barons, but its role was unchanged.

Structure

All ministers on the Cabinet, as all members of the broader Ministry, are appointed by the sovereign with the confidence of the House of Commons, which can also withdraw confidence. The confidence of the House is effective as far ministerial rank is concerned; the specific portfolios each minister is, legally speaking, not subject to the approval of the House of Commons, though conflicts rarely arise over this discrepancy. Likewise, it is custom that a minister also be a member of either house of Parliament. The leader of the parliamentary party will almost always be the President of the Council, though exceptions have occurred. If party leader has made a commitment to one policy area, he may take that portfolio himself to ensure the implementation of the policy.

President of Correspondence

Rui L′jam, prime minister, with a Hallian military officer, 1960

The head of government is the President of Correspondence (尚書令), though in Tyrannian media this title is universally rendered as "Prime Minister". As the senior member of the Cabinet, he is expected to lead the discussion in interdepartmental matters and to settle disputes between other Cabinet members. Politics prevents him from making new policies and introducing bills without the consensus of his colleages. A prime minister unable to maintain a united Council or Parliamentary confidence is vulnerable to intrigue from within the Council and dissatisfaction in the parliamentary party. If most of the Council chooses to endorse another person as President, they may introduce bills to compel the President to switch places with someone else.

It should be noted that the prime minister does not always carry the title of President of Correspondence. In the 19th century, it was customary for prime ministers to be peers, but Lord Tl'jang-mjen (governed 1872 – 1878) and Lord L'ong-mjen (1880 – 85 and 88 – 90) thought they would be politically weakened if elevated to the peerage and removed from the House of Commons; thus, they used the title Minister of Correspondence (尚書僕射) or Deputy Prime Minister to circumvent this dilemma. The title of the President remained vacant during their respective tenures. The first non-peer to become President of Correspondence was Go Mjanh-kre, in 1910.

The style and conduct of each prime minister varies considerably. The prime minister is conventionally permitted to make the first and last speeches on any topic, but individual ministers are expected to lead the discussion within their respective portfolios. The prime minister supervises the Council's secretariat, which supports Cabinet deliberation and handles issues not assigned to any specific department. Because originally the Council met in the early morning and reported to the emperor after the meeting, the prime minister has the implied power to constrain time on each debate. As a political weapon, the President could deploy it against an initiative he did not like, though prolonged reliance on this tactic generates acrimony and casts a negative light on his ability to lead the Ministry.

Left and Right Minister

Both the Left Minister and Right Minister are titled "Assistant" (僕射), a title rendered as "Deputy Prime Minister", though this can be misleading interpreted literally. The title of Left Minister is customarily granted to the Secretary of State for Aliens, who regularly presides over the Cabinet when the prime minister is absent. The Right Minister almost always simultaneously holds the title Secretary of State for Barons. Though historically this position had more oversight in the maintenance of mausolea, temples, and shrines, these institutions often accumulated large stores of literature and functioned as studies for aspiring scholars. Jurisdiction over them evolved into that over education, and today that has become the holder's function.

Other members

The most senior member less the three above is the Civil Secretary, who is responsible for maintaining the civil service through recruitment, regulation, compensation, and honours. He has the final say in filling positions of the Seventh Class (county magistrate) and lower, which represent more than 99% of all positions. For those higher, he is also expected to nominate competent candidates, and it is not unknown for holders of this position to resign after particularly poor appointments have been made. It should be noted that the Civil Secretary must still abide by statutory restrictions in filling positions in the civil service, and a considerable portion of them do require prior experience in related fields or qualifying through competitive examinations; within these bounds and subject to conscientious practice, the Civil Secretary can generally act according to his own will.

Seat

The seat of the Council of Correspondence is the Court Hall in the Sk'ên'-ljang Palace. It is simply called the "court of audience" (朝廷) by most Themiclesian authors in both the geographic and political sense; by later ages, the seat has become synonymous to the government that occupies it.

Council of Six

For a long period after the Dzi, the formal membership of the Council and its connections with other parts of the medieval bureaucracy have become customary and resisted changes from multiple sources. The eight customary positions are as follows:

  • President: appointed by the crown
  • Left Minister, Secretary of State for Aliens: foreign affairs
  • Right Minister, Secretary of State for Barons: judicial appeals and administrative submissions from baronies
  • Secretary of State for Elections: oversight of the civic election process, assessment of administrators
  • Secretary of State for Appropriations: state coffers
  • Secretary of State for Military Forces: military activities, both demesne and baronial

See also

Notes