Traditional Chinese 秘書省 or 祕書省 Traditional Chinese 秘書監 or 祕書監 | Simplified Chinese 秘书省 or 祕书省 Simplified Chinese 秘书监 or 祕书监 | |
Hanyu Pinyin Wade–Giles Mi-shu sheng / Pi-shu sheng | ||
Palace Library was a central government agency in imperial China and dynastic Korea, generally in charge of maintaining and archiving the collection of the monarch's documents.
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China & Inner Asia
The office was in existence for the most part from the mid-200s (Cao Wei) to 1380 (Ming dynasty). Over the millennia there were 5 names for this office:
In addition to preserving the emperor's official documents, the agency was sometimes also tasked to compile or edit historical records and state calendars. Before the Sui dynasty it also handled documents flowing into and out of the imperial palace, making it interchangeable with the Secretariat. During the late Tang dynasty (after early 700s) and Song dynasty the office was largely non-functional and staffed by eminent officials for sinecure purposes.
The office during the Tang dynasty was headed by 1 director (秘書監) and 2 vice directors (秘書少監), and during the Song dynasty by 1 director and 1 vice director. The office was also staffed with assistant directors (秘書丞) and assistants (秘書郎 or 秘書郎中). During the Yuan dynasty the office was headed by 4 chief ministers (秘書卿), 2 directors (秘書太監), 2 vice directors, and 2 assistant directors (秘書丞 or 秘書監丞), all eunuchs.
Korea
The office also existed during Goryeo under several names:
In general, the office was staffed by 1 supervisor (判事; "pansa"), 1 director (監 or 令), 1 vice director (少監 or 副令), 2 assistant directors (丞) and 1 assistant (郎).