In ancient times, the yamen of Sanfa Division was collectively called six doors, which was equivalent to the modern police station. However, the name Six Doors always sounds like a novel. In fact, it is also called in the official history. Then why is it called six doors? If you have been to Yamen, you will find that it is actually very big. In addition to going to class, there are many doors with different functions in the back. This time, I will introduce the origin of the six doors in detail and the matters needing attention in the yamen. These six roads were built after careful consideration.

Why is the ancient yamen also called "Six Doors"? Are there really six doors? Which six doors?

In ancient times, we also called yamen six doors. So, how did the name Six Doors come from?

The ancient yamen, majestic and neat, is different from today's simply decorated police station. At that time, the yamen consisted of six gates. Although there are six doors, not every door can be used.

There is only one entrance to the whole yamen, which is located south of the central axis. This gate is not the door panel we imagined, it has a roof. This kind of gate can't be built by ordinary people. It represents a strict hierarchy.

All government gates are unified. Whether in Beijing or a remote town, the gate must be a three-bay room, and each gate must be equipped with two black painted doors, a total of six doors. Therefore, the government government is called six doors.

The decoration of the gate is very delicate. Usually, there is a zhaobi in front of the gate, with eight-character walls on both sides, and two majestic stone lions stand at the gate.

Walk into the gate, cross the aisle, bypass the screen wall, and you will reach the second door, which is called "Instrument Gate". Inside the "Yimen" is the lobby used by the yamen to handle government affairs. The reason why this gate is called "Yimen" is because it is a serious law enforcement place, and it must be dignified to enter the place, so it is called "Yimen".

"Yimen" is also a three-bay room, but the door of "Yimen" is closed on weekdays. Only when senior officials come to inspect will they open the "righteous door" to show their attention. Therefore, if you want to go in and out of the "Instrument Gate" for official business on weekdays, you must go in and out through a specially opened side door.

This side door is a small doorway, one on each side of things. Entering from the east gate and exiting from the west gate conforms to our right-hand traffic principle today and looks very orderly.

Officials usually live in the yamen, at the northernmost part of the yamen, which is the residence of officials. The entrance of the official residence is located in the northernmost part of the complex, which is called the "house door".

Inside the "house door" is the official's private house. So this door is heavily guarded at ordinary times and closed all the year round. After all, no one wants their home to be accessed by others at will. The key to the home gate is usually kept by the officials themselves to prevent the maids from stealing it. Other officials in the yamen are also forbidden to go in and out of the house, and all business needs to be handled in the yamen to prevent officials from giving and receiving in private. If there is an emergency, officials need to put letters and other things in the drum at the door, and the servant will turn the drum in and take it out and present it to the officials.

This is the source of the back door that we often say. Because the official's inner residence is located at the northernmost end of the yamen, the "house door" is opposite to the north and south of the gate, so it becomes the back door. Going to the official's home to give gifts and trust relationships naturally becomes a back door.