Situ (office)

Situ was one of the highest ranking government offices in ancient China. Established in the Western Zhou dynasty, it was originally written as 司土 (pinyin: Sītǔ), meaning Administrator of Land.^[1][2]

During the Han dynasty, the title became written with the different characters 司徒 (pinyin: Sītú; lit. 'Administrator of people'), which is translated variously as Minister over the Masses^[3] or Excellency over the Masses.^[4] It was one of the three most important official posts during the Han dynasty, called the Three Excellencies. The nominal salary for the post was 20,000 dàn (石) of grain.^[5]

The title is the origin of the surname Situ.