Palace Attendant
Palace Attendant, also known by its Chinese name as Shizhong, was a title in Imperial China comparable to that of the Grand Chancellor, the chief policy maker of the central government.
History
The status and functions of the Palace Attendants underwent great changes. It designated a minister serving closely with the Emperor, comparable to the Grand Chancellor.The Grand Chancellor was the head of the central government during the Qin and Han dynasties and during the Three Kingdoms period, the "highest official advisor to the Emperor." Under the Western Han, the Grand Chancellor's lieutenantsalso reckoned as chancellorswere the censor general, the, the commander-in-chief, and the defender-in-chief. Under the Eastern Han, they included chancellors, the censor general, and the defender-in-chief.
By the Six Dynasties period, the status of chancellor was shared by several top administrators. Among them were the Inspector General of the Secretariat, the President of the Secretariat, the President and Vice-President of the Department of State Affairs, and the Palace Attendant. The Palace Attendants' status as chancellors by default continued through the Sui and Tang.
Notable Palace Attendants
- Lu Wan , Western Han dynasty
- Wei Qing, Western Han dynasty
- Lü Pi, Northern Wei dynasty
- Yuan Xie, Northern Wei dynasty
- Chen Qian, Chen dynasty
- Chen Shubao, Chen dynasty