Can a cabinet chief be equal to a prime minister? Why?
In the Ming Dynasty, the chief assistant of the cabinet was not the same as the prime minister. In the Ming Dynasty, the system of cabinet chief assistant was completely different from that of prime minister in terms of system setting, organization operation, responsibility orientation and power nature. In the Ming Dynasty, the chief of the cabinet was the emperor's consultant body, helping the emperor to review memorials and put forward opinions and suggestions. The prime minister was the head of the civil officials and had the power to supervise the country on behalf of the emperor. Although some people called the chief assistant of the cabinet prime minister, this title was just a habitual statement and had no practical significance. In the Ming Dynasty, the chief of the cabinet did not have the power and status of the prime minister. Therefore, the chief assistant of the cabinet could not be equated to the prime minister.
What is the difference between a cabinet chief and a prime minister?
The difference between a cabinet chief and a prime minister lay in the actual size of their power and the difference in their duties. The prime minister was responsible to the monarch and was in charge of government affairs. He had actual power and was in charge of government affairs. The chief assistant of the cabinet was the number one assistant minister in the cabinet. He provided suggestions to the emperor on government affairs. He did not have actual power, but only held the power of voting. The cabinet chief assistant was equivalent to a secretary, mainly providing suggestions on government affairs, while the prime minister was the highest administrative chief who was actually responsible for handling government affairs.
The similarities and differences between the cabinet chief and the prime minister
The position and authority of the cabinet chief and the prime minister in the Ming Dynasty were different. The prime minister was the general term for the highest administrative officer under the ancient Chinese monarch. He had actual power and was responsible for overseeing government affairs. The chief assistant of the cabinet was the first assistant minister in the cabinet. He usually did not have any actual power and only provided some suggestions to the emperor on government affairs. The cabinet chief was equivalent to a secretary. He had no actual power and only held the power of voting. In general, the prime minister had real power and was responsible for handling government affairs, while the chief assistant of the cabinet was the role of giving advice and support to the emperor.
The Prime Minister of the Cabinet
The Prime Minister of the Qing Ci Cabinet referred to Yan Song of the Ming Dynasty. He was favored by the Emperor for writing Qing Ci (a Taoist memorial) and became the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. Yan Song was lucky during his reign and successfully overthrew Yan Song's rule and won praise. His success had earned him the nickname of 'Prime Minister Qingci'.
Cabinet and Prime Minister
There were some differences between the cabinet system and the prime minister system in terms of status, power, and influence. Under the prime minister system, the prime minister was given the power to make decisions by the system. His position was very stable. It could be said that he was "below one person and above ten thousand people". The cabinet members were only the Yellow Emperor's advisors and had no real power. In addition, under the prime minister system, the prime minister led all officials to pledge loyalty to the emperor, but at the same time, there were certain restrictions on the imperial power, and the cabinet could not have such great authority and influence. However, the prime minister system and the cabinet system were both loyal to governing the country and were controlled by the emperor. They were basically there to assist the emperor in managing state affairs.
The Chief Minister of the Cabinet of the Jiajing Dynasty
The cabinet chiefs of the Jiajing Dynasty were Zhang Cong, Xia Yan, Yan Song, Xu Jie, Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, Mao Ji, Fei Hong, Yang Yiqing, Hu Guang, Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, Yang Pu, Cao Nai, Chen Xun, Zhang Juzheng, etc.
Can a chief assistant be called a prime minister?
Sure. The prime minister was a general term or a common name for the highest administrative officer under the ancient Chinese monarch. It was not a specific official name. In the Ming Dynasty, the chief of the cabinet was called the prime minister on some occasions. Although they generally did not use this title in their official name, their roles and responsibilities were similar to those of the prime minister. Therefore, it could be said that the chief assistant could be called the prime minister.
The chief minister of the cabinet in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty
During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the cabinet ministers included Ye Xianggao, Zhang Juzheng, Shen Yiguan, Wen Tiren, Zhou Yanru, and others.
The Prime Minister and the Prime Minister
The position and authority of the cabinet chief and the prime minister in the Ming Dynasty were different. The prime minister was the general term for the highest administrative officer under the ancient Chinese monarch. He had actual power and was responsible for overseeing government affairs. The chief assistant of the cabinet was the first assistant minister in the cabinet. He usually did not have any actual power and only provided some suggestions to the emperor on government affairs. Although the chief assistant of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet was not as famous as the prime minister, he had already become the prime minister in reality. The more powerful cabinet chiefs, such as Yang Tinghe, Yan Song, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng, and others, had the power to command the officials. Whether it was prestige or power, they were even more powerful than the prime ministers of the Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties. But no matter what, the Prime Minister was still not the Prime Minister. This was because the prime minister of the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties had the right to rule the country. The power of the cabinet chief was somewhat unjustified. Yan Song was able to monopolize the government because Emperor Jiajing was superstitious about Taoism and neglected government affairs. Zhang Juzheng was able to monopolize power because Emperor Wanli was young and lacked ruling experience. This kind of power could be taken back by the emperor at any moment, or suppressed by the eunuchs. It would be difficult to do anything. From the point of view of procedure, there was only one eunuch between the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister.
The Chief of the Cabinet of the Wanli Dynasty
The cabinet chiefs of the Wanli Dynasty included Shen Shixing, Wang Jiaping, Zhao Zhigao, Wang Xijue, Shen Yiguan, Zhu Geng, Li Tingji, etc. Among them, Shen Shixing was an important figure in the era of Zhang Juzheng after the Wanli Dynasty. He did not show any commendable achievements during his time as the chief assistant of the cabinet. Wang Jiaping became the chief assistant in the 19th year of Wanli. He placed great importance on the great cause of the ancestral temple and won the trust and respect of the government and the people. Other chiefs such as Zhao Zhigao, Wang Xijue, Shen Yiguan, Zhu Geng, and Li Tingji also served as cabinet chiefs at different times. In general, there were many cabinet ministers in the Wanli Dynasty, and they played an important role in the country's government affairs and reforms.
When will the cabinet chief appear?
The cabinet chief appeared in August of the fourth year of Jianwen (1402) in the Ming Dynasty.