九卿
In the Warring States period, the chief administrative officers of the areas were known as jun administrators (, , literally "defender of the "jun""). In the Han dynasty, the position of "junshou" was renamed grand administrator (, . "Grand Defender"). Both terms are also translated as "governor". A grand administrator drew an annual salary of 2,000 "dan" () of grain according to the "pinzhi" (, "pǐnzhì") system of administrative rank. Many former grand administrators were promoted to the posts of the Three Ducal Ministers or Nine Ministers later in their careers.