Palace Library
A 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.
China and Inner Asia
| Department of the Palace Library | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 秘書省 or 祕書省 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 秘书省 or 祕书省 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Directorate of the Palace Library | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 秘書監 or 祕書監 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 秘书监 or 祕书监 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Court of the Palace Library | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 秘書寺 or 祕書寺 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 秘书寺 or 祕书寺 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The office was in existence for the most part from the mid-200s CE (Cao Wei) to 1380 (Ming dynasty). Over the millennia there were 5 names for this office:
- Directorate of the Palace Library (秘書監): during the Three Kingdoms period, as well as the Liao dynasty, Jin dynasty (1115–1234) and Yuan dynasty
- Court of the Palace Library (秘書寺): between c. 300 to c. 464 (Jin dynasty (265–420), Northern Wei, Liu Song dynasty, etc.)
- Department of the Palace Library (秘書省): during the Northern and Southern dynasties, Sui dynasty, most of the Tang dynasty, the Five Dynasties period, the Song dynasty and the Ming dynasty
- Orchid Pavilion (蘭臺; "Lantai"): used during the Tang dynasty between 662 and 670
- Unicorn Pavilion (麟臺; "Lintai"): used during the Tang dynasty between 684 and 712 (including Wu Zetian's reign)
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
| Department of the Palace Library | |
| Hangul | |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Biseo Seong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Pisŏ Sŏng |
| Directorate of the Palace Library | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Biseo Gam |
| McCune–Reischauer | Pisŏ Kam |
The office also existed during Goryeo under several names:
- As Department of the Inner Library (內書省; "Naeseo Seong"): from 918 to 995
- As Department of the Palace Library: from 995 to 1298
- As Directorate of the Palace Library: from 1298 to 1308 and from 1356 to 1362
- As Office of Proofreading Documents (典校署; "Jeongyo Seo"): from 1308 to 1356
- As Court of Proofreading Documents (典校寺; "Jeongyo Sa"): from 1362 to 1392
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).
References
- Hucker, Charles O. (1985). A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China. Stanford University Press. pp. 376–78.