If the Prefectural Academy Professor of the rank of 7b was the principal, and the Academician Ma of the rank of 8b in charge of personnel and discipline was the vice principal, then the "dean of students" was the Mentor Tong of the rank of 9b.
Zhao An, a Prefecture School Instructor of the junior 9b rank, was nominally the mentor's assistant and one of the academic officials of the prefectural academy, but in reality, he was simply a salaried teacher with a stable government position.
It was an iron rice bowl that was difficult to dismiss because the dismissal procedures were quite complex, requiring reports to be submitted to the provincial Director of Education Yamen.
Chapter 54