ABSTRACT
Despite popular prejudice against the enterprise of war and the occupation of a warrior, and despite the weakness of its army, the Manchu Government had a separate department of war. "In order to assist his Majesty to defend his peoples, this department shall execute military policies, control army officers, attend to appointments, dismissals, rank and titles of military officers, relay communications, training of troops and the census of the Imperial Army." Besides, it had other duties, such as to present military officers to the court, to conduct examinations for military service on approximately the same competitive basis as the Department of Rites in the civil service, and to conduct all military ceremonies. As none of their superior officers had any direct command over them, as each of them had a few thousand troops at their own command, this served the central government as a perfect check against any ambitious desires of the provincial authorities.
