Six Criteria for Official Evaluation

Overview

The six criteria were six criteria used in the Qing Dynasty to identify incompetent officials during performance evaluations. Volume 111 of the *Draft History of the Qing Dynasty*, under the section on "Elections and Performance Evaluation," records that officials in the capital underwent the *Beijing Inspection*, while officials in the provinces underwent the *Grand Assessment*. The evaluation considered factors such as talent, conduct, governance, and seniority. The "Six Methods" for impeaching officials were "carelessness, weakness, frivolity, incompetence, old age, and illness." The original text explicitly stated that the first two categories could lead to dismissal, frivolity or incompetence to demotion, and old age or illness to retirement. Retirement was a form of leaving office and should not be confused with criminal sentencing; "carelessness" and "weakness" should not be directly equated with corruption without considering the specific case. The agencies, cycles, and exceptions for the *Beijing Inspection* and *Grand Assessment* underwent adjustments throughout different periods of the Qing Dynasty; therefore, a single unfavorable evaluation cannot be generalized into a lifelong punishment. The original text also states that "those who are corrupt and cruel can be impeached separately," indicating that serious violations of laws and regulations could be impeached individually, without waiting for the routine performance evaluation. When interpreting the resume of a specific official, one should find out which law was violated, which department reviewed the case, and whether the official was ultimately dismissed, demoted, or retired. "Being punished under the six laws" only indicates the assessment process and is not sufficient to deduce all the reasons and results.