According to the records in ancient books such as Dai and Notes on Huai Nan Zi, when Yao was in power, he set up "kind words" in front of the court to listen to the suggestions of the people all over the world, and then set up "slandering trees" to "make the world have to attack them"; Shun "set up the drum of dare to remonstrate" and "make the world do". Shun, the first dragon, ran away. The source of China's petition system is the drum of kindness, and it can be described as the earliest petition office in China.

Road Drum and Lung Stone in Western Zhou Dynasty

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the system of Lugu and Longshi was established. "Zhou Li Shimonoseki Servant" records: "The avenue is built outside the big bed, and (the servant) is in charge of its administration and waits for the poor order. As soon as I heard the drums, I quickly got up and rebelled against the courtiers. " In addition, the Zhou dynasty also set up "lung stones" to make the people feel wronged and get three stones to express their grievances. "Zhou Li Qiu Guan Dasikou" records: "It takes a lung stone to reach the poor people. Anyone who wants to be alone with the old and the young, far and near, has complicated desires, while those who live for a long time stand on the lung stone. For three days, scholars listen to their words to tell them and blame them." The "scholars" here are full-time letters and visits officials.

Buses Sima Yi and Bian Que wrote a letter in the Qin and Han Dynasties.

During the Qin and Han dynasties, there was a post of company Ma Ling outside Miyagi, and the deputy was Gong Sima Cheng. One of their duties is to receive and arrange officials who write letters or ask to meet with Chen Yan. They are also officials in charge of letters and visits. "Han Guan Yi" says: "The bus Sima Zhangdian Sima Men, the Night Palace, everything in the world and the recruiting general manager under the Quexia, rank 600 stone." In the Han dynasty, the system of "changing things on drums" was implemented, requiring officials to provide convenience and not to hinder difficulties at will. If they don't communicate in time, they will be punished for more than half a month. During the Western Han Dynasty, there was also a system of writing letters by default. It is a way of filing a lawsuit in the Han Dynasty, which means that the victim or other infringed person goes to Beijing to file a lawsuit with the central judicial organ, which is a typical leapfrog lawsuit. In addition, the forms of letters and visits by officials and people in the Han Dynasty also include "writing to the imperial court" and "writing because of winning the people". And "writing in front of the imperial army" is the source of such letters and visits in future generations.

Deng Wengu and Huabiao Wood in Wei and Jin Dynasties

Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the system of "listening to drums" has been established, which has become an important way of direct appeal in past dynasties and has been used until the Qing Dynasty. It is an important system in letters and visits. According to Shu Wei's Criminal Records, "Shizuque hangs on Zuowen Drum to achieve injustice." In the Jin Dynasty, while singing drums, they continued to set up "Slander Wood" and renamed it "Hua Biao Mu" and "Biao Mu". Bao's Interpretation of Questions and Answers on Ancient and Modern Notes reads: "Cheng Ya asked: What's wrong with Yao's slander on trees?" Answer: Today's Chinese dining table is also made of wood. "This is the earliest ancient book record of Hua Biao Mu. Because "slandering wood" was ordered by Shun, who was also named Zhong Hua, it was also called "Hua Biao Mu" or "Biao Mu". This was probably renamed by later generations to commemorate Shun.

In the northern and southern dynasties, drums were used to slander wood, and cars were invited to drive.

In the Southern Dynasties, there were drums and slanderers to listen to the opinions of people all over the world. In Liang Wudi, it was changed to "put a wooden letter next to the libel wood". "Liang Shu" Volume II: "Shan Jia wants to discuss it horizontally and cast slanders." When Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty was in the Northern Dynasty, he heard drums hanging on the left side of the palace. When the people have grievances, they beat gongs and drums, and the competent officials beat their watches in the car. During the Northern Qi Dynasty, the form of "inviting drivers" appeared formally, that is, when the emperor went out, he stopped the emperor's chariots and horses to show his attraction. "History of the North" records: "Later, I wanted to invite the driver to discuss the crime of repairing righteousness, and the left servant shot Bao Xiao and ordered him to stop it." This form of letters and visits continued until the Qing Dynasty.

The Fall of Taiwan and the Courtyard of Envoys in Sui and Tang Dynasties

In the Sui Dynasty, Yang Di set up a recruiting desk, recruiting doctors as the main officials, and always recruiting officials as subordinate officials, responsible for handling the grievances of officials and people. According to Sui Shu, Chen Zhetai "was asked by the imperial edict, sent comfort, kept a festival, and was wronged and applied for it. Drive out and lead the history of the empire. " Its main duty is to understand the folk customs and political situation in the process of appeasement and correct the unjust, false and wrong cases. At the same time, the Sui Dynasty continued to retain the admonition drum system.

In the Tang dynasty, the practice of the previous generation was inherited, and there were still lung stone drums. Huang Benji, an official list of the Qing Dynasty, said: "In the Tang Dynasty, dragons and stone drums were set up in both the East and the West. Those who can't stretch themselves because of dissatisfaction stand on the lung stones or install drums. Those who set up stones have doorman supervision on the left, and those who beat drums have doorman supervision on the right. " The most famous petition agency is the embassy founded by Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian hung on the arch for two years (686), and placed four letters in the east, west, north and south of Tang Chao, namely green letters, white letters and black letters, which were divided into four categories: helping people to persuade farmers, discussing current politics, complaining and telling astronomical secrets. The establishment of the embassy opened a channel for a large number of folk information to reach the central government, set off the climax of petition activities in history, and established a relatively formal petition system. In addition, a very important form of letters and visits in the Tang Dynasty was "inviting drivers". "Tang Law" stipulates: "I am invited to drive and I smell the drums. If I go to the table, I will take it myself. If it is not true, I will call 80."

Drum, Procuratorate and Supervision Institute in Song Dynasty

The establishment of letters and visits institutions in Song Dynasty inherited the two systems of Gu and Tang Dynasty, but its institutional setup and operation mechanism were more rigorous and perfect. Dengwen Gulou College has become a department that officially accepts people's letters and visits. "The first hospital began or began in this dynasty." In the early Song Dynasty, this institution was called Drum Division, which was renamed Deng Wenyuan in the ninth year of Taiping Xingguo (984). In the fourth year of Jingdezhen (1007), "the drum company is the drum house, and the drum house is the drum house." In the third year of Chunhua (992), the inspection department was added. The petition procedure in Song Dynasty was also very strict. The people's petition was first accepted by Deng Wen Gulou College. If it was not accepted by Gulou College, the procuratorate would not accept it. If the Drum Academy doesn't accept it, you can go to the procuratorate. If it doesn't accept it, it is "hand in the judgment and ask the driver." If you don't give a judgment, listen to the advice of the court. " After the establishment of the inspection department, if the drum and inspection department do not accept or accept the delay, they can appeal to the inspection department. In the seventh year of Tiansheng (1029), another letter was sent to handle the confidential letters and visits that had been complained but not explained.

Deng Wengu and Inviting Cars in Yuan and Ming Dynasties

In the Yuan Dynasty, there were some ways to petition, such as beating drums and asking drivers to drive. At the same time, the Yuan Dynasty took appealing to the local government as the premise of petitioning the higher authorities. "The Chronicle of the Ancestors of the Yuan Dynasty" records: "If you go to Taiwan to save your grievances, Xu Yi will never be fair, and you must learn to listen to drums."

In the Ming Dynasty, the petition system continued to retain the methods of listening to drums and inviting drivers. Put Deng Wengu outside the noon gate first. "Unless it is a big grievance and confidentiality, you can't fight. Hit it and hit it. " Later, it was moved to the right gate of Chang 'an, and six Royal Guards took turns to be on duty, accepting complaints of drumming and playing music, and could not stop it. In addition, the Ming Dynasty also set up an important petition agency, namely the General Political Department. In the third year of Hongwu (1370), Zhu Yuanzhang set up an inspection office to accept memorials and appeals from all over the world. , soon revoked. In the tenth year of Hongwu (1377), Zhu Yuanzhang established the General Political Department, ranking first in the Qing Dynasty. The General Political Department is the general receiving organ of the central organs.

Beating and Control in Qing Dynasty

In the petition system of Qing dynasty, there was a knocking system. Records of Criminal Law in the History of Qing Dynasty: "Those who throw drums in the hall or go out to meet the driver are called' knocking'." There are two ways to "knock", namely drum shape and imperial shape. When the officials and people who petitioned were wronged and ignored by the yamen in the original trial, or were unfairly tried, they could go to the General Political Department to complain about their grievances with drums, and the General Political Department would make a confession first. If they are really wronged, they will report to the emperor and submit them to the punishments for investigation. This system of letters and visits was used until the late Qing Dynasty. The complaint is a petition form of "driving by car" that was continued from the previous generation. In addition, the petition system in Qing Dynasty also had a certain degree of control, which was divided into local control and Beijing control. Local control is a system of appealing to higher authorities when the county government refuses to accept the trial. The people "have grievances and go to Duchayuan, the General Political Department or the step army to command the yamen, which is called Beijing Control." In Qing dynasty, there were strict procedural regulations on control, and it was not allowed to overstep control, that is, it was not allowed to overstep the lawsuit. "If you go beyond the jurisdiction of litigation and go to the boss to sue, it will be fifty."

Influenced by the highly centralized political system, the system of letters and visits, the system of official administration, the system of litigation and the system of supervision in ancient China are homogeneous and overlapping to a great extent, but they are different from each other. The ancient petition system generally required people to petition step by step, and strictly controlled the behavior of appealing and overstepping the level. For example, during the Song, Yuan and Qing Dynasties, strict procedural provisions were made for petitioning step by step, and violators were punished and punished. However, leapfrog petition is also allowed, such as "listening to drums", "inviting cars to drive" and "making hospitals" in terms of institutional setup and petition procedures. The ancient petition system has become more and more complete and strict, opening up an important channel for people's feelings to reach. This system of letters and visits has played an important role in maintaining social order and national stability, but it is essentially a tool and means used by feudal rulers to maintain their feudal rule, which is also determined by its historical limitations.