釋鑑稽古略續集 2.9

2.9

The Seals Office: Its duties lay within the forbidden court. Of imperial seals there were fourteen: the 'Seal for Serving Heaven', used to pacify the myriad states and sacrifice to Heaven and Earth; the 'Emperor's Seal', used for investitures and bestowing commendations; the 'Emperor's Trust Seal', used for summoning the military; the 'Son of Heaven's Seal', used for sacrificing to ghosts and spirits; the 'Son of Heaven's Travel Seal', used for conferring enfeoffments on barbarian tribes; the 'Son of Heaven's Trust Seal', used for mobilizing foreign troops; the 'Seal for Imperial Decrees', used to stamp imperial edicts of appointment; the 'Seal for Imperial Mandates', used to stamp imperial charters; the 'Seal of Broad Fortune', used to stamp palace registers and audited records; the 'Seal for Imperial Presence', used for the imperial throne and accompanying the imperial carriage; the 'Emperor's Seal for Honoring the Worthy', used for responding and giving gifts to clansmen; and the 'Seal for Revering Heaven and Diligently Caring for the People', used for instructing and guiding the administrative offices. For the tallies of the escort and bodyguard guardsmen, there were six designations: shen, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, used to alert night patrols. For gold tallies there were five designations: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, used to maintain strict security. For split-character bronze tallies there were four designations: receiving, east, west, and north; the left half was held by the patroller, and the right half by the guard, acting upon matching the tallies. For bronze badges there was one designation: courage, used to inspect guards on duty. For ivory tablets there were five designations: meritorious ministers, imperial kin, civil officials, military officers, and musicians, used to inspect attendance at court audiences. For sacrificial badges there were three designations: assisting, performing, and executing, used to handle sacrificial rituals attentively. For double-fish bronze badges there were two designations: strictness, used to maintain solemnity among guards on duty; and goodness, used to purify the sacrificial altars. For verification tallies there were five designations: horse, water, express, communication, and trust, used to supply the postal relay and convey imperial commands. The 'Dengwen Drum' was established, supervised by censors; when there were injustices, grievances, or matters of grave secrecy, permission was given to strike the drum and the censor would present the petition. In the third month, Liu Ji was appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief, concurrently serving as Prince's Mentor of the Right. He once discussed military affairs and strategies for conquering enemies with His Majesty. His Majesty said: 'Opening and closing, the unorthodox and orthodox tactics, change in an instant, just like the unpredictable movement of wind and clouds. The essence lies entirely in understanding their transformations.'