The origin of the Prime Minister

Cheng: "Shuowen Jiezi" explains: "Cheng, Yi, from Congcong, Congshan. The mountain is high, which means flattery." Duan Yucai commented: "Yi, as a wing. ...Anyone who is superior must be able to carry it with his hands. "In ancient times, "Cheng" and "Cheng" both had the same pronunciation as the sixth part of the ancient pronunciation, so Duan Yucai used "Cheng" to explain the combination of "Cheng". Nothing wrong. "Zuo Zhuan·Eighteenth Year of Ai Gong": "Let the commander-in-chief go. Please accept." Inheritance means Cheng. Yang Shuda's "Jiwei Ju Primary School Shu Lin·Shi Cheng Zheng": "The character Cheng resembles the shape of a rein and is lifted up, which is the first character of Zheng. However, Xu Jun didn't know it, so he trained it as Yi; the training of lifting up is for those who come later. "Jia Xing Pang Zhi Zheng possesses it." In fact, there is still a problem with Yang Shuda's statement. According to the oracle bone inscriptions, the sign of "Cheng" is "when one person is in a trap, save him from the left and right to get out." That is to say, "Cheng" The "one" below is not a mountain or water, but a "mortar"-shaped trap. The original meaning of Cheng is "help, auxiliary", and it is a verb. Later, when used in official positions, it became a noun, usually placed at the end, meaning "a person who assists...". For example, a county magistrate is a person who assists a county magistrate; a county magistrate is a person who assists a county magistrate. If the prime minister is not placed behind the prime minister, then he is not an auxiliary prime minister, but an auxiliary to the emperor.

Xiang: "Shuowen Jiezi" explains: "Xiang means to look carefully." In today's terms, it means "look carefully". This is the original meaning of the word "Xiang", as in "The Book of Songs" "Xianfeng" in "Xiang Mian" means "look carefully at the face" in our daily language. Later, this word was also used as the "xiang" of "xiang blind". Blind means a blind person. A blind person can't see things and needs someone to help him see. The person who helps him see is called "xiang". Therefore, the word "xiang" has the meaning of "help" in addition to "examine", but it still does not break away from the category of "examine". In the Zhou Dynasty, this "phase" had a new extension in use. The Zhou Dynasty frequently held court appointments, alliance gatherings, banquets, sacrifices and other activities. These emperors and princes may not all be adept at etiquette, but they must not make jokes. In this case, there must be someone familiar with etiquette to help guide them. This person is It is called "Xiangli", such as "Chun Qiu Zuo Zhuan·Xuan Gong Sixteenth Year": "In winter, the envoys of the Marquis of Jin met with the royal family and appointed the king to enjoy it. It was the original Xianggong Xiangli." "Xiangli" is also shortened to "Xiang", such as "Zuo Zhuan of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Eighteenth Year of Duke Huan": "In the autumn, the troops of the Marquis of Qi came to an end, and Zi Qi met with them, and the high canal was full of appearances." There is also a legacy of this meaning in our daily language today, and all married comrades know it. , when you get married, there is a "groomsman", which is the "face" of this "blessing ceremony". In the Spring and Autumn Period, the person who "offered gifts" was usually an important minister or assistant of the person officiating. Therefore, "Xiang" completely broke away from the original meaning of "examine" and became the meaning of "senior assistant of the upper class". This gave rise to the prototype of the later "Prime Minister".