Right and Left
The Shangshu Sheng (尚書省), also known as the Imperial Secretariat or Department of State Affairs, was one department in the Three Departments and Six Ministries government structure officially established since the Sui dynasty in the history of China. As one of the three departments, it was the highest executive institution of the imperial government since the Sui dynasty. Developing from the "Shangshu Tai" (尚書臺) in the Eastern Han dynasty, the name "Sheng" (省) was inherited even though the institution was now removed from the Imperial Court. The head of the Department is "Shangshu Ling" (尚書令). The Director was known as chancellor but was often absent. The Right and Left Deputy Directors (尚書左僕射、尚書右僕射) actually shouldered the duties. Beneath the Deputy Directors were the Right and Left Assistant Clerks (尚書左丞、尚書右丞) who had the Right and Left Excellency (左、右司郎中) to assist with their daily work and were in charge of the Six Ministries. The general office of the Department of State Affairs was called the "Dou Sheng" (都省).