Entry

A proclamation was promulgated to all under Heaven: "....In respect of the inheritance of posts by native officials in Yun-nan, Gui-zhou and Guang-xi, the ministry (該部) usually sends officials from the three offices to conduct a personal investigation. It often occurs that the officials sent seek private gain and are thus not fair in their assessment. This leads to squabbling over the post and the wrangling goes on for years. From now on, whenever an inheritance is to be announced, the officials sent must be fair in their examination. They are to decide who is the appropriate heir and memorialize advice. The ministry (該部) will then send headwear and robes there for the inheritance of the post. There is no need for the [provincial] officials to participate in the transfer. If, in this process, there is any attempt to seek private gain or any unfairness, the regional inspector is permitted to investigate and report crimes against the original examining officials...."