User:R2huang/The Yamen Runner in Ming Dynasty

General
Yamen Runner (Chinese: 衙役) is an occupation which served for Yamen (Chinese: 衙门), the law enforcement department in ancient China. There are three kinds of Yamen Runner, zao(皂), zhuang(壮), kuai(快). But in fact, there were more different kinds in specific. They worked as the lowest class in the government department which made them a bridge between the common people and the government.

Classification
Zao usually serves around the court. Zhuang provides physical labor and Kuai is in charge of inspection, investigation, and arrest.

Zao
Zao is like the officials' bodyguards. They usually followed behind the officials. During the trial, they would stand on both sides of the court to maintain order. They also perform the duty of escorting the prisoner. Questioning the suspect and applying minor punishment are also their jobs. They have their own black uniform.

Zhuang
Zhuang is like security guards today. Their main job is to guard the critical areas such as castle gates, the court, prison, and warehouse. They also patrol on the streets. Most of them are picked among strong civilians.

Kuai
Kuais' job includes summoning defendants and witnesses to the court. They are usually asked to do the trips for the court, sometimes they have to travel long distance if necessary. During the tax season, they would be sent to remote areas to collect for the government. Therefore, Kuai had more chances to contact with civilians than Zao and Zhuang. They didn't have their own uniform, but they were required to hang a card on the waist belt to identify themselves.

social status
In Ming Dynasty, Yamen Runners were considered as a debased class(jianmin, Chinese: 贱民), which is even lower than good commoners(liangmin, Chinese: 良民) such as farmers. It is the lowest stratum in society.

Income
The salary provided by the court for the Yamen Runner is pretty low comparing to other jobs. The average daily salary is just enough for only one meal. Obviously, the salary is not enough for a living, not to mention to raise a family. However, working for the law enforcement department gives them some power that can be taken advantage of. The Yamen Runners would charge a little amount of fee from the litigants to cover the spendings. The prefects and magistrates acquiesce such a charging system as long as the amount is in a reasonable range. The Kuai, however, couldn't contact the litigants in the lawsuit cases. They would ask for money from the other debased classes like butchers and prostitutes. Such unwritten rule is called dirty regulation (Chinese: 陋规). Therefore, the actual income of the Kuai depends on the place they are working, the Kuai in large cities can easily collect quite a lot money and the one in the rural areas can be as poor as homeless. Such corruption and extortion were rampant during Xuande Emperor reign. The prefects and magistrates just turn a deaf ear on their clerks blackmailing the lower classes. Xuande Emperor described them "licentious, greedy, and insatiably exploitative, or are degenerate and worthless."

Path into the occupation
Since the social status is low and the income is unstable (usually is low). The Yamen Runners are mostly formed by vagrants, especially among Kuai. They are usually strong but uneducated.