Hello, I'm Qiu Ping. I am still in Shanxi. There is a saying that the court looks at the Forbidden City. The county government office looks at Yuci Today we come to the old city of Yuci in Shanxi. Here you can see the largest in the country. One of the best-preserved county government offices The former county government office, we Basically, it can only be seen in movies and TV plays. Inside, you can see the county master. A place for office and living As well as his trial Someone else has something to do at the county gate. Beat that drum We can see it here today. Especially in this county. There is also a special prison for women. This is the Yuci county government office. A county government office built in the Song Dynasty Of course, the buildings we see now are definitely not from the Song Dynasty. It was built later. There are two lions at the gate of the county government office. The mighty and domineering guard is here. Remind strangers not to approach. It also shows the solemnity and solemnity of the county government. Yuci county government office Before entering the county government. There is a huge drum here. It's called Dengwen Drum. We can often see it in movies and TV plays. What the common people call beating the drum and crying out for injustice It is actually called Dengwen Drum. At the emergency door of the petitioner. It was too late to report back to the magistrate. Generally, the magistrate is alarmed by the sound of this drum. Let the magistrate come out immediately to hear the case. But there will be a special place here. If you beat the drum of Dengwen Whether it's a matter of redress or something else. When you get to the lobby, the magistrate will hit you three times first. This is the embodiment of the feudal social hierarchy. It is also a very bad thing. So the common people were not helpless at that time. I won't beat the drum of Dengwen. Because there was such a saying in ancient times. Tianxia Yamen opens to the south Don't come in without money. Now I have come to the county government office. It was built in the Song Dynasty. It has the name of the capital of the Jin clan. It's axial symmetry, six in and six out. Architecture of the Song Dynasty with front hall and back bedroom There are 5 halls and 26 courtyards in the government office. It covers an area of about 20000 square meters. There are more than 400 rooms in total. The scale is grand and the momentum is not grand. According to historical records, Most of the county government offices are placed in four halls and three halls. But Yuci county government office is six into five hall. This is also its enduring popularity. One of the reasons why it is widely praised Put it in a more popular way. This county government office deserves to be the largest in the country. It is because there are so many records. Things that are different can be preserved. Yuci county government office It is the epitome of ancient Chinese architectural art. Inside the county government office There are buildings such as buildings, archways, halls and pavilions. Beautiful Bricks, wood, stone carvings and other decorations are exquisite and beautiful. A place in which people work and live. It can be said that there is a clear distinction This is the first courtyard. Let's take a look at the buildings inside. For example, the west side is called the tax and service room. It is an institution set up by all Dynasties in the traditional county government. Affairs in charge It was to collect land tax and Ding Yin from the people at that time. Land tax is according to Grain collected from the number of acres of land planted by each household Ding is an adult man. Taxpayers, so to speak. Ding Yin is the silver collected according to the number of Ding. I have to say one more thing here. Everyone should share Ding into Mu. Fire consumption should be very familiar to the public. That was a very important reform in the Yongzheng period. That is to say, in the feudal society for thousands of years. Ding Yin was cancelled by Yongzheng. At that time, the way to spread Ding into Mu was to put Ding Yin. Be apportioned among the fields First of all, it was tried out in Shanxi during the Yongzheng period. This is a great reform. Continue to go ahead is the second gate of the county government. This is also the highest level gate in the whole county. His name is Yimen A lot of people heard the instrument door. You might think it's the door of etiquette. And it is His size is basically the same as the main entrance of the county government. Let's take a look at this instrument door. It stands on several high steps. Green walls and grey tiles Wu Liang Zhu Men Attached with brass spike Extremely dignified and dignified But this gate is not open at ordinary times. Only the imperial examination is open A new official takes office It is the time to celebrate major events such as welcoming superior officials. Just opened to show solemnity. At the same time, there is a salute when it is opened. So these officials Including the staff in the county government office. Where did it come in and out? So they usually It's through the doors on the left and right sides. There is also a saying about these two doors. The East Gate is also called the People's Gate. Is the county too master and This is also where the staff come in and out. And this west gate is usually closed. Only the one arraigned or remanded on death row. Open it when you go in and out. At that time, prisoners on death row had to go through this gate, which was also called the gate of death. So in feudal society, Who wears what clothes? Who lives in what house? Who takes what path? There are explicit provisions, that is, the hierarchy is strictly according to law. This place also reflects. There is also a carriage in front of this gate. Could it be that the county magistrate still took this kind of carriage when he went out? I don't believe it. Because at that time, they usually took a sedan chair. Now we're going in through the east gate. Look, there are these exquisite carvings everywhere. So say This county government office It is a collection of ancient Chinese. The pinnacle of architecture and art It's very big inside. This should also be a core place. There is a memorial archway and a lobby in front of it. It is equivalent to the place where the county magistrate also tried the case. Then there are many rooms on both sides. This is it Many functional departments of the county government are here. This is actually the second courtyard. Broad and solemn. There is a memorial arch in the middle. This is called Jieshifang. It is also called Shengyujie Stone Square. It is the emperor's warning to the officials. Generally in the traditional county government. Have set up this Jieshifang. To put it more popularly, you should be incorruptible as an official. Be fair and just That's probably what it means. There is a row of wing rooms on each side of the compound. This is commonly known as the six rooms. In the imperial court, it corresponds to the six departments. The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works, the Department of Punishment, the Department of Personnel, etc. It is equivalent to six functional departments. Because there are these agencies on it. Next, if he wants to manage the whole county. These sectors are also essential. The order of the six rooms is very interesting. To the east of him is Li Li Hu. And to the west are soldiers and torturers. Correspondingly, Wen is in the east and Wu is in the west. In ancient times, the east was the top. So this also reflects the ubiquity of the feudal order. We often say seven grades of county magistrate and nine grades of sesame officer. Now that we have come to this county government office. Then you have to learn about ancient China. The official system of feudal society Feudal society in ancient China The Evolution of the System of Selecting Officials There have been repeated changes Especially in the Zhou and Qin Dynasties, he learned to be a hereditary minister in the government. At that time, there was a so-called hereditary aristocracy. And in the Warring States Period More emphasis on military merit, like Shang Yang's political reform. There is a military merit system that seems to be 24 ranks of military merit. The selection of filial piety and honesty in the Han Dynasty is equivalent to recommendation. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was a nine-grade system. The nine-grade system gave birth to a large number of people at that time. The aristocratic family So there is such a saying. The thousand-year-old family. A Dynasty of running water You look like the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. Including the emperors of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It was the aristocratic families who took turns to sit on the throne. Sometimes it changes In fact, the essence has not changed. We are probably most familiar with the imperial examination system. He began in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Because the emperors of the Sui and Tang Dynasties He's from the powerful clan, too. After he has secured his position in the country He wants to fight these powerful clans. At that time, many officials were from the aristocratic families. So he wanted to use the imperial examination. Choose a group of people who were not born as soldiers of the law. The imperial examination system was abolished in the Qing Dynasty. Over 1,300 years It was the main official selection system in the middle and late feudal society. In fact, it is equivalent to The Longest System of Selecting Officials Let's take a look at the ancient official uniform. You look like this is the general's. Typical style of a Qing Dynasty general. The front is the core and the most important in the county government office. It is also the largest single building. It's the lobby. The lobby is for the county magistrate to deal with government affairs. As well as holding various A place of ceremonial ceremonies and court proceedings. In this place, it's called Shepherd's Hall. You see, it's built on a high platform. Pastoral is the meaning of management, contains the magistrate. Show love to the people during the meeting in the lobby Judgement of love It's the same as the Jieshifang we just saw. Fair and just Diligence and so on Because this represents that. The majesty of the imperial court in ancient feudal society So this place is very important. Let's take a look at this lobby. It's really different. Very majestic, very big. He is five rooms wide. Three rooms deep It is a very large county government office. This is the inside of the lobby. At that time, the county magistrate was trying the case here. Let's take a look. There is a fair and aboveboard at the top. It is said that this is the relic of Zhao Kuangyin. Because Zhao Kuangyin came to this place. I don't know if it's true or not And let's look at that screen. This is different Above is a beast. Like a mythical beast Guess what? His mythical beast does not exist in the original version. But after Zhu yuanzhang became emperor. He created a beast called Greed. The meaning of this greedy beast here is that He will eat anything. Including gold and silver And then eat a round belly. Then he saw the sun in the sky and he wanted to eat, too. The result is on the way to eat the sun. Fall into the abyss Zhu yuanzhang's purpose was to warn these officials. Don't be greedy After I found out about greed. Or you're greedy. You'll probably die or I'll drop you. So this was created by Zhu yuanzhang alone. One word, one animal. Let's take a look here. Did you see that? There is a drum And then there are a lot of shelves next to it. Put some wood. This has a great effect. We just saw Dengwen Drum outside. So in ancient times Feudal society You beat the Dengwen drum, good or bad. Is it a grievance or a complaint? Play three big boards first. These three big boards. You can see that the top is square and the bottom is round. This is also meaningful. That is to say, you can prove it with a square beat. It's okay to hit you lightly. But if you use the round one below If I spank you. Then you may be lying at home for the rest of your life. This is a kind of darkness in ancient feudal society. So is there a solution? Because it says so. Tianxia Yamen opens to the south If you have no money, you can't enter even if you have no reason. That is to say, if it is a rich family, If he wants to file a complaint, he will do the preparatory work. That is to say, prevent others from changing or being deducted by others. He uses money. Take care of it first and then beat the drum. After taking care of the money first. To hit you with that big board is to hit you lightly. But if ordinary people come, If you complain, use this round one. If you hit it round, you will hit it very hard. In all the county government offices After the lobby is basically the second hall. This is no exception. This second hall is also the place where the county magistrate handles cases. It's just that the second court is trying some small cases. For example, civil disputes At the same time, sometimes The county magistrate summoned his subordinates in the evening. Also in this second hall. The second hall looks much smaller than the lobby. He is three rooms wide. However, although the sparrow is small, it has all the internal organs. The equipment of the second hall is compared with that of the lobby. It's just as delicate There are two sculptures in the second hall. This shows more than 100 years ago. What happened here. One is Zhang Zhidong. One is Yan Jingming. Guangxu eight years Invited by Zhang Zhidong from Jiezhou Yan Jingming, who has just been added to the post of Minister of Hubu Talk at night with a candle The matter of checking the treasury This is very realistic. Which one do you think is? Which one of Yan Jingming is Zhang Zhidong? There is an interesting courtyard in the second hall. We often talk about the nine-grade sesame official. The person who works here is the nine-grade sesame officer. He is called the main book yard. It is equivalent to the secretary of the county magistrate. It is also commonly known as the third in command. He mainly manages the tax revenue of farmland. The nine-grade sesame official described it as him. He also has a separate courtyard to work here. Because the management of a county government office is That's a lot He is also in charge of the household registration. This used to be his office space. If you look at these courtyards, they are all linked together. A courtyard covers a courtyard. In fact, with the Shanxi merchants' compound in Shanxi. It has the same effect. It's just that the shape of the building is a little different. There is also a weapons storehouse here. Is the county government to store instruments of torture. And some weapons. They are by that. History management I don't know if it's a garden or something. It's too big It really could be. You see, there are many of these corridors and pavilions. It should be the back garden of the magistrate. The front may be the inner house. The place where he lives. Because the whole county government office is the front hall and the back bed. Basically, the layout of the county government is like this. Now go to the third hall to have a look. We started talking about his county. There are many courtyards From here, one hall, two halls, three halls and four halls. It can also be reflected. The building ahead is the three halls. The third hall is the magistrate of the county to discuss the daily work with the master. The same as the place where official documents are printed and signed on weekdays. Shiye is actually the confidant of the county magistrate. In this place, it is commonly known as the signing room. This third class is better than the second class we saw just now. It's much smaller. It is also three rooms wide. It should be relatively simple inside. There is also a couplet here in the third hall. It is written that we should do things without making trouble, and we should not complain. Then the second line of the couplet reads, "You can promote profits but not instant profits, and you can be eager for success but not eager for success." Warn the magistrate to be alert to himself all the time. Lead by example Work hard without complaint and do practical things for the people Be a qualified parent official Let's go inside and have a look now. General county magistrate In addition to being promoted to the board of directors every morning, They usually deal with daily affairs in the third hall. It's a place to study and work with subordinates. There are too many houses. Basically, every house has its function. This is the east and west distribution room. It was the county magistrate and the squire who took part in helping the magistrate. A place for sorting out government affairs This is the third class we just saw. Next to him is Shiye. It can also be seen from here. The relationship between Shiye and the county magistrate is quite close. That's what we just said. Shiye was hired by the magistrate himself. So, naturally, it's his confidant's confidant. And then a little further away is the money depot. Money and grain is the medium weight of a county. Then the county magistrate must send core personnel. Confidant management That's what this is. Did you see that? There is a big wall ahead. Then this wall is the dividing line. The dividing line between the front hall and the back bedroom Maybe they were the county magistrate in the past. Where the family lives. What we commonly call the inner house So you see, the whole piece is connected. It's blocked After the three halls is the gate of the inner house. To put it bluntly, the inner door It is the dividing line between the front hall and the back bedroom of the county government office. The inner house is not as solemn as the front hall. Because after all, here is the place where people live. It is equivalent to giving people a pleasant feeling of busywork. There are two little lions in front of this one. Petite, lovely and pitiful. The carving in front of this is also very exquisite. Because the place of life and the place of office After all, it's still different. So it's naturally decorated. It is relatively magnificent Or is it more delicate? We just came from the third hall. Then there is a pass here. This is actually the guard's. It's the door room or the cook's room. It can also be seen in other county offices. Doorkeepers used to be called doormen. In the old days, the status of the door was not high. But he is a confidant of the magistrate. There are many people who have something to ask for. If you want to see the magistrate of the county, you must have a way to report it. Many suitors are convenient for introductions. I often do something to the door. So we often talk about going through the door. This is such a statement. Through this inner door We're going into The living place of the magistrate's family Very sweet Let's take a look This is a typical quadrangle. There are east and west wing rooms in front of the main room. There are also some side rooms It has a very secluded space. As the saying goes, How deep is the courtyard? That's what it looks like. The deeper the courtyard is, the more mysterious it is. The main room in front is very special. It is the study and temporary bedroom of the magistrate. So this place has been visited by the emperor before. It was when Kangxi came to tour Shanxi. I came to live here at that time. So we can see that there is a The statue of Kangxi It should be Kangxi who came to Shanxi in his later years. This is also three bays. The middle is equivalent to the living room. On the left and right sides are the study and bedroom. So when Kangxi came, he didn't know that he was living in the palace. Or live in this county government office? The overall layout and architecture of this Yuci county government office We're done. Now let's take a look. Visit one of the most important places in Yuci County Government Office It's a cell What we call a prison. In fact, in the county government. This kind of cell is essential. The prefectural and county government offices as well as the governor's office all have this. I hear there are many instruments of torture inside. Very scary There are also special instruments of torture for women. Now let's go and have a look. Prison is actually this kind of cell. He's in a separate compound. Basically, it is the first courtyard to enter the county government office. He won't be in the innermost. Because after all, this is for prisoners. So just set it up a little outside. The role of the cell is known. It's a place where prisoners are kept. It is divided into the male prison, the female prison, the death row prison and the Royal Shrine. We saw this in front of us, which is Yushentang. There is a God worshipped in this. This is the same as the temple. The youngest God is worshipped in it. He is the youngest God among the Chinese miscellaneous gods. It is said that in the old days, when prisoners entered the prison, As a rule, we should worship the Royal God for blessing. In order to mitigate the crime and get out of prison as soon as possible in the future Now let's go to the men's prison and have a look. It's a place where male prisoners are held. See? It's all made of this brick. It's all one small room, one small room. There are not too many rooms here. Let's go see what's going on inside. The prison in the county government. We've seen it before. It's pitch black inside. I think this is a late repair. You see, the area inside is very large. Actually, I guess Previous cells were definitely not this big. Probably about the same length. Then the width may be about 1.5 meters. Two meters at the most. And this is very spacious. I think there used to be one here. We're talking about separation. Only later, for the convenience of visiting. Got it through here. The guess may be so. Because basically a window It represents a room. Do you think so? One thing you may have to understand. A cell in an ancient prison like this. His space is very small. We just said he had a window. Could represent a cell. So he's actually in a cell. There are a lot of possibilities for people who live here. Five or six square meters to live several people. So sometimes they live. Basically, you can't sleep lying down. Sit and lean. Squat to sleep You see, his door is also very small. In fact, it proves that the space inside is very small and dark. There is basically no sunshine all the year round. Now go to death row and take a look. Death row is obviously different. You see, there is a special channel. And it's two doors. Because the prisoners on death row Very unusual So he's just trying to be safe. Multiple defensive measures There is a tiger-headed prison. It is a separate courtyard. Is to prevent the prisoner from escaping. Death row is also indispensable in ancient prisons. You see, there is no light inside. In fact, the death row in many prisons He doesn't even have a window. It's pitch black The prisoner still has to carry the flail inside. Just some instruments of torture. If the prisoner sleeps here, It's basically impossible to lie down. Because he carries that kind of Ga. The neck and hands are all tied up. Then he can only rest against the wall. Now go to the women's prison to have a look. I guess the structure and layout are almost the same. That's true It's all the same. I think these cells should be restored. See a more unique thing here. Looks like a donkey. The name here is wooden donkey. It's an instrument of torture. This is an ancient instrument of torture specifically for women. When we look at this wooden donkey now, we feel that it is very ordinary. Actually, the original wooden donkey. There are a lot of nails on this. We saw wooden donkeys in the ancient city of Pingyao before. It shows that there are many nails on it. That looks very scary. So what exactly is this wooden donkey for? We all know that in feudal society, etiquette and law are relatively strict. The status of women is not too high. Let's say a woman After making the mistake of betraying her husband. She will be punished. We often see it in movies and TV plays. Soak the pig cage and so on Then this wooden donkey It has a lot of nails on it. Its punishment for women is Let the women who made the mistake Sit on this wooden donkey. And then paraded through the streets. Any part of the human body. If you get stuck in a nail, you will bleed. At that time, they were parading wooden donkeys through the streets. It sounds frightening and chilling. So it can also be imagined. Those punishments in feudal society are very terrible. Here are some instruments of torture. Like this, everyone knows. The head is here Here's the hand This is very heavy. It is very difficult for you to walk with it. It is often seen in movies and TV plays. Some felons or death row prisoners have to carry this. Then you will be sent to the frontier. You have to take this with you wherever you are sent. Here's a picture. This is the wooden donkey we were talking about. Look up there There are a lot of nails on it. The woman sat on it in great pain. I really didn't know before. I didn't know there was such a torture device until I came to Shanxi. They all look horrible. Because in movies and TV plays, You should not have seen it. This Yuci county government office And the prison, we're almost done. At the beginning, we said that the county government office was built in the Song Dynasty. But then I looked it up again. Basically, the buildings he left behind are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. So we see this county government office. And the prison inside. It should be more than 600 years of history. In fact, there are many county government offices in Shanxi. In Yuncheng The ancient city of Pingyao also has We saw it again in Yuci today. Anyway, you come to Shanxi. Historic sites can be seen everywhere. That's all for today's video. Thank you very much See you in the next video.
