Neiwufu Agency

Employees of the Imperial Household retain the habit of offering their thanks to the Heavenly Light for His Divine Guidance. The morning rites - which take place around 6 o'clock - are often followed by two hours of labour, after which the personnel eat breakfast in shifts.

The Imperial Household is an agency which is in charge of state matters concerning the Heavenly Family. It has, in more or less the same structure, existed throughout Jingdaoese history.

Organization and functions

The Household is headed by the Head Steward and assisted by a vast array of servants and assistants. The Head Steward is one of the few who has direct access to the Heavenly Light and has the duty to act as His representative, ears and mouth within the Imperial compounds.

The main organization elements are:

• The Head Steward's Office: oversees the Household.
• The Private Council: advises the Emperor on national affairs.
• The Board of the Keeper of the Heavenly Seal: the Keeper is responsible for protecting the State Seal
• The First Prince's Household: manages the daily affairs of the First Prince, who in most cases will succeed the Emperor.
• The Board of Ceremonies: coordinates with the Secretariat of Rites and handles rites within the Imperial Domains.
• The Archives and Mausolea Department: responsible for the Mausolea of the Imperial Family. The Island of Catavia (Dongdao Province) is one of its largest responsibilities.
• The Board of Works: manages the personnel.
• Board of Household Guards: handles coordination with the Imperial Whites (bodyguards of the Emperor) and Tegong (secret service of the Tegong).

Overview

The needs of the Imperial Household has changed over time. The ambit of the agency's activities encompassed, for example:

• oversight of the harvesting done on the Imperial domains
• orchestrating the presentation to the Emperor of rare delicacies as gifts from his subjects
• administration of the culinary and engineering departments of the court
• regulation of to breweries
• oversight of the court ladies
• management of court servants
• oversight of the Imperial wardrobe, etc.
• attending to the imperial princes and princesses of the second to the third generation.
• regulating daily affairs of the imperial domains.