Early Yuan Administrative Reforms

Timeline

1. 1271–1272Yuan capital Dadu · North ChinaAfter adopting the name Great Yuan, Kublai further consolidated a division of power among the Central Secretariat (general administration), the Bureau of Military Affairs (military affairs), and the Censorate (impeachment of officials), and set up specialized bodies such as the Grand Agricultural Agency, forming a dual Mongol-Chinese central administrative system.
2. 1271–1275Jurisdictions of the Yuan branch secretariats · ChinaDuring the Zhongtong and Zhiyuan eras, the Yuan frequently established branch secretariats to oversee key military and civil affairs, such as those of Shaanxi-Sichuan, Yunnan, Jing-Hu, and Jiang-Huai. Initially temporary central field agencies handling money, grain, arms, military farming, and grain transport, they gradually evolved into permanent highest local authorities.
3. 1273–1275Circuits of the Chinese heartland · ChinaIn Chinese regions the Yuan retained the four-level division of circuit, prefecture, subprefecture, and county, with pacification and propaganda commissions governing the circuits, forming a hierarchy of branch secretariat - pacification commission - circuit/prefecture/county. The metropolitan region was under the Central Secretariat directly, while special agencies were set up on the frontiers, strengthening vertical central control over localities.