Chancellor of the Tang dynasty

The chancellor was a semi-formally designated office position for a number of high-level officials at one time during the Tang dynasty of China. This list also includes chancellors of the short-lived Wu Zhou dynasty, which is typically treated as an interregnum of the Tang dynasty by historians. Origins Ouyang Xiu, the author of the New Book of Tang, asserts that the Tang dynasty inherited its bureaucracy from its dynastic predecessor, the Sui dynasty, under which the founder Emperor Wen of Sui divided his government into five main bureaus: Shàngshūshěng (尚書省) – The Department of State Affairs Ménxiàshěng (門下省) – The Chancellery Nèishǐshěng (內史省) – The Legislative Bureau (note different tone than the eunuch bureau below) Mìshūshěng (秘書省) – The Palace Library Nèishìshěng (內侍省) – The Eunuch bureau (note different tone than the legislative bureau above), later changed by Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang of Sui to Diànnèishěng (殿內省) Under Emperor Wen, the executive bureau was regarded as the most important, and he had his most honored officials such as Gao Jiong, Yang Su, and Su Wei lead it at various points. Its heads were generally regarded as chancellors (as it always had two heads, known as the Shàngshūpúshè (尚書僕射)). Ouyang asserts, however, that the heads of the examination and legislative bureaus were also considered chancellors.