Ming Dynasty Through The Chief Secretary System Research

The Bureau of Transmission takes charge of conveying the emperor's instructions to his people and people's petition to the emperor, which means to report to the court, especially the emperor himself, both the implementation of emperor's orders, laws, policies and citizen's conditions. Common people and low-ranked officials can communicate important issues and great grievances to the emperor. On the other hand, the bureau of transmission is the state supreme press department and key department for petition. The emperor roughly grasps gain and loss of his government and realization of his instructions and so it is helpful to stabilize and consolidate his dictatorship. The bureau of transmission system comes into being and functions typically in Ming dynasty. By studying the system of the bureau of transmission, petition system in Chinese late feudal society can be delved into further in the institutional function level and diversities in researches of ancient Chinese petitions system can be achieved.Although the petition system has been improved and reformed, its historical studies are scarcely read. The petition system exists in every dynasty with different forms and characteristics. The most representative one is produced in the Ming dynasty, the petition system of ancient china is very much like State Office for Letters and Calls. Although without much privileges, it is functionally important. In the studies of history of ancient Chinese legal system, the study of petition system is a blind area. Whether in terms of literature, or system itself, there are many problems to be tackled. The petition system of Ming dynasty is very representative and should draw more attention.Meanwhile, based on the Bureau of Transmission system in the Ming dynasty, lessons can be learnt and used to reform and develop our petition system and create a modern Chinese petition system which accords with the progress, of Chinese legal system. It contributes practical and heuristic significance to the formation of Chinese-style petition system.