Information,Power And Political Networks:the Ground Council Clerks Named Chu Hsueh-Chin In Xianfeng And Tongzhi

The Ground Council has gradually replaced the Grand Secretariat as the most important central institution in the Qing Dynasty.The "secret leakage" of the Ground Council was a common phenomenon in the late Qing Dynasty.,which to be further study.This paper selects Chu Hsueh-ch’in as a case,which pays attention to the impact of "secret leakage" and analyzes the role of the Ground Council clerks by interpreting his secret letters with other officials.In addition,we can get many details of the military,diplomacy,and local governance in these letters.Chu Hsueh-ch’in（1823-1875）,courtesy name Xiubo and Qufu,which Born in Tangqi Town,Renhe prefecture,Zhejiang Province.He was admitted to the Ground Council clerks in Xianfeng eighth years,and promotion to the leader of Ground Council clerks in Tongzhi four years.He was one of the key figures in Xin You’s coup,which earned him gain the trust of Yixin and Wenxiang.He served in Ground Council for seventeen years,which consistent with the political,military and diplomatic of the Tongzhi.Although his position is not high,he has the core scarce information resources.Therefore,many officials came to curry favor,which creats his huge social circle and information network.As a talented and senior clerks,Chu Hsueh-ch’in not only drafts rescripts,but also accepts inquiries from grand councillors,which gives him informations that are difficult knowed by officials’ reports.The influence of the Ground Council clerks is achieved by this internal and external information communication,but as the emperor’s private secretary,he still relies on the grand councillors to play a rol e,which means once the Ground Council clerks leave Ground Council,his value will be lost.