Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms, Volume 8: Human Affairs Part Two

A diagram illustrates the arrangement of guards and military supervisors during a ceremonial audience. The text labels are arranged symmetrically. This layout represents the formation of personnel flanking the central axis of the palace courtyard, ensuring the security of the Emperor and the orderly conduct of the foreign visitors.

Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard
original: 護衛 (Huwei). These were elite soldiers responsible for the personal protection of the Emperor and the security of the palace grounds.

Coordinator, Garrison Commander, Defense Officer, Night Guard

Coordinator (Fu): Likely referring to the Grand Coordinator or a supervisor who managed the interactions between civil and military branches during the event.
Garrison Commander (Zhen): A high ranking military officer responsible for a specific region or strategic point.
Defense Officer (Wei): An officer from the "Wei-suo" system, the primary military organization of the Ming dynasty.
Night Guard (Su): Guards assigned to stay overnight within the palace precincts to ensure constant protection.

The following text is printed upside down in the original woodblock diagram to represent the opposite side of the formation, mirroring the ranks listed above.

Night Guard, Defense Officer, Garrison Commander, Coordinator

Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard