The Military Inspector (监军 jiānjūn) was a supervisor sent by the central government to oversee military commanders. They reported directly to the emperor, serving as a check on the power of field generals. In the Three Kingdoms, Military Inspectors were used by all three kingdoms. The tension between field commanders and their inspectors was a recurring theme, as inspectors sometimes interfered with military operations.
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Fan Ye, Book of the Later Han (后汉书)