Book VI 453“However, those who already have official rank and belong to category 1
should be promoted by skipping two grades, and those who belong to cate-
gories 2 and 3 should also be promoted one grade, respectively.
“The number of people to be selected for each category is as follows: In
the division of the Chinese language, category 1 selects one person; cate-
gory 2, three people; and category 3, eight people. In the division of the
Mongolian language, category 1 selects one person and category 2, two
people, but the total number of selected candidates should not exceed fifteen
people. If category 1 fails to have a successful candidate, only categories 2
and 3 should select qualified candidates, and if category 2 also fails to pro-
duce successful candidates, only category 3 should select qualified candi-
dates, but without being bound by any fixed number.
“1. When the government evaluates the job performance of officials every
year, it should recommend three candidates for each office, and those who
are proficient in the Chinese language should be placed at the top of the list.
However, one who is fluent in Chinese should be allowed more priority than
those who have more years of training. If the three candidates are all good
at speaking Chinese, however, the length of their training should be taken
into consideration.
“1. The students who fail to master the Chinese or Mongolian language
despite the fact that they spent three years in training should be driven out
and sent to serve in the military.
“1. Those who successfully pass the due examination should be issued
red certificates called h o ng p’a e , and on the certificates the following state-
ment inscribed: “Upholding the royal decree, the Court of Interpreters con-
fers this certificate on Interpreter So- and- so, who belongs to such and such
a category and passed the examination with such and such a grade.” Then
the date that the certificate is issued will be recorded and the official seal of
the Court of Interpreters stamped, along with the signatures of all the staff,
including the commissioner.”
The king sent the proposal to the Privy Council to be discussed and
implemented.
25th Day (Sinyu)
The king ordered the Privy Council to gather all officials and discuss again
moving the capital to Muak. As everyone said that the place was too small,
the king abandoned the idea.