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are to collect taxes and reasonably to preserve peace and prevent crimes. These two considerations control the entire policy of the government with regard to the villages: so long as the two requirements are met the government is satisfied to allow the villages to manage themselves. For their part the villages remain almost oblivious to the central government, happy, indeed to know nothing of it, since relations between the two are seldom if ever in favor of the people.
A survey of the government offices of the Ti-pao gives a good insight to the relations between the government and the village, and it is here that it is possible to find most exact information. One of the first duties of the Ti-pao is to keep the census record. In former times this record had a significance in determining the corvée, but at present the record seems to be mostly for police and census purposes, and to aid the Ti-pao in his official duty of knowing everything about everyone. At the door of each dwelling there ought to be posted a tablet or men-p’ai (門牌) on which are inscribed the names of all the individuals who live under the common roof. Details to be noted are as follows: The name and surname of the Chia-chang, his profession and age; the names and ages of his wife, his sons and his daughters; the names, surnames, ages and first homes of his servants or people in his employ; the total number of people who live with him. The Ti-pao, himself a member of the village, is supposed to check and correct his report from his own knowledge. When the verification has taken place the men-p'ai are transcribed onto a public register, Hu Chi (戶籍).
The system of corvée which depends upon this register of families is under the direction of the Ti-pao. Every individual over the age of sixteen is supposed to be liable for a certain amount of personal service to the state, and in olden times this seems to have been a burden. Carts, animals and porters were supposed to be put at the service of officials travelling through the district. To some extent these levies are still made, according to Jamieson, but the principal calls in modern times are for work in case of emergency as in the
1 Bazin; "Recherches sur les Institutions Administrative et Municipales de la Chine", II, p. 249 f.
2 Ibid., p. 252. On the matter of census see also Boulais, Guy; Manuel du Code Chinois, p. 160-166.
VILLAGE GOVERNMENT IN CHINA, 1933
147
are to collect taxes and reasonably to preserve peace and prevent crimes. These two considerations control the entire policy of the government with regard to the villages: so long as the two require- ments are met the government is satisfied to allow the villages to manage themselves. For their part the villages remain almost obli- vious to the central government, happy, indeed to know nothing of it, since relations between the two are seldom if ever in favor of the people.
A survey of the government offices of the Ti-pao gives a good insight to the relations between the government and the village, and it is here that it is possible to find most exact information. One of the first duties of the Ti-pao is to keep the census record. In former times this record had a significance in determing the corvée, but at present the record seems to be mostly for police and census purposes, and to aid the Ti-pao in his official duty of know- ing everything about everyone. At the door of each dwelling there ought to be posted a tablet or men-p’ai ( P¶M) on which are inscrib- ed the names of all the individuals who live under the common roof. Details to be noted are as follows: The name and surname of the Chia-chang, his profession and age; the names and ages of his wife, his sons and his daughters; the names, surnames, ages and first homes of his servants or people in his employ; the total number of people who live with him. The Ti-pao, himself a member of the village, is supposed to check and correct his report from his own knowledge. When the verification has taken place the men-p'ai are transcribed onto a public register, Hu Chi († †) 2
The system of corvée which depends upon this register of families is under the direction of the Ti-pao. Every individual over the age of sixteen is supposed to be liable for a certain amount of personal service to the state, and in olden times this seems to have been a burden. Carts, animals and porters were supposed to be put at the service of officials travelling through the district. To some extent these levies are still made, according to Jamieson, but the principal calls in modern times are for work in case of emergency as in the
1 Bazin; "Recherches sur les Institutions Administrative et Municipales de la Chine", II, p. 249 f.
2 Ibid., p. 252. On the matter of census see also Boulais, Guy; Manuel du Code Chinois, p. 160-166.
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