Military Affairs Bureau

China's highest political institution from the mid-Qing dynasty onwards. In 1729, during the conquest of the Dzungars in the Qinghai region, a military quarters office was established inside the Longzong Gate near the emperor's residence in the Forbidden City in order to ensure rapid military operations and maintain military discipline. This office was later called the Military Affairs Office, or simply the Military Affairs Office. When Emperor Qianlong ascended to the throne in 1735, the Military Affairs Office was abolished and its duties were taken over by the Prime Minister Wang Xiao, but it was revived in 1737 and continued to exist until 1911, just before the fall of the Qing dynasty. Originally a temporary institution, the Military Affairs Office eventually became a permanent institution that handled not only military affairs but also important general government affairs, so that the real power of the Cabinet, the highest political institution, was transferred to this office, and the Prime Minister Wang Xiao became a mere name only. The Office of Military Affairs was staffed by several Ministers of Military Affairs, selected from among the Cabinet Daishi, the Secretaries of the Six Ministries, and the Sirou, who essentially played the role of Prime Ministers, and under them, the Military Affairs Ministers, selected from among the Cabinet Ministers and others, were responsible for handling documents.

[Nobuo Kanda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、清(しん)代中期以後の最高政治機関。1729年、青海地方のジュンガル征討の際、用兵の迅速と軍機の保持を図るため、紫禁城(しきんじょう)内の皇帝の居所に近い隆宗門の内側に軍需房が設けられた。これはその後、辦理(べんり)軍機処と称するようになり、略して軍機処といった。35年乾隆帝(けんりゅうてい)が即位すると、軍機処を廃し、その事務を総理事務王大臣が兼務したが、37年復活され、清朝滅亡直前の1911年まで存続した。もともと臨時に設けられたものにすぎなかった軍機処は、やがて常設の機関として軍事ばかりでなく重要な一般政務をも扱うようになったので、最高政治機関である内閣の実権はここに移り、議政王大臣は有名無実化した。軍機処には内閣大学士、六部(りくぶ)の尚書、侍郎(じろう)などのなかから選ばれた数名の軍機大臣が出仕して、実質的に宰相の役割を果たし、そのもとで内閣舎人(しゃじん)などのなかから選ばれた軍機章京(ジャンギン)が文書の処理にあたった。

［神田信夫］

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