KEYWORDS LIST
Home  > China Keywords

Ancient Oversight System

The Academy of Contemporary China and World StudiesUpdated:  August 30, 2024

Ancient Oversight System

The oversight system in ancient China was established as part of the feudal state system to oversee government officials, maintain social order, and ensure the orderly functioning of the state. The oversight institutions and officials were responsible for monitoring the implementation of laws and regulations, maintaining the coherence of state laws and regulations, and participating in and supervising the handling of major cases by central and local judicial authorities.

The origins of the ancient Chinese oversight system can be traced back to the pre-Qin period (770-221 B.C.). The system was formally established during the Qin and Han dynasties (221B.C. - A.D. 220), and it provided a model for later dynasties to follow with necessary adjustments. It became a well-structured system in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), underwent further improvements in the Song and Yuan dynasties (960-1368), and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). The Ming rulers centralized the power of oversight by establishing the Censorate. The Qing court enacted the Qin Ding tai Gui, the most complete ancient Chinese oversight code. The system played an important role in the governance of ancient China, and can serve as an important reference framework for modern oversight theories and practices.

古代监察制

中国古代监察制度是中国古代封建国家为监督政府官员,维护统治秩序,保证国家机器正常运转而设立的国家监督制度。中国古代监察机构和官员的主要职责包括监督法律、法令的实施,维护国家法律、法令的统一,参与、监督中央和地方司法机关对重大案件的审理等。

BACK