in the Fangyan, further demonstrated substrate influences, but there are competing hypotheses on their genealogical affiliation. Aberrant early Chinese dialect, originally from the North Austroasiatic (Norman & Mei 1976, Boltz 1999) Hmong-Mien (Erkes 1930, Long & Ma 1983, Brooks 2001, Sagart et al. 2005) Kra-Dai (Liu Xingge 1988, Zhengzhang Shangfang 2005) Tibeto-Burman (Zhang Yongyan 1992, Zhou Jixu 2001) Mixture of Austroasiatic, Hmong-Mien and Tibeto-Burman (Pullyblank 1983, Schuessler 2004 & 2007) Unknown Noticing that both 荆 Jīng and 楚 Chǔ refer to the thorny chaste tree (genus Vitex), Schuessler (2007) proposes two Austroasiatic comparanda: 楚 Chǔ < Old Chinese *tshraɁ is comparable to Proto-Monic *jrlaaɁ "thorn, thorny bamboo (added to names of thorny plants)", Khmu /cǝrlaɁ/, Semai /jǝrlaaɁ/, all descending from Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɟlaʔ "thorn"; 荆 Jīng < Old Chinese *kreŋ is comparable to Khmer ជ្រាំង crĕəng “to bristle” and ប្រែង praeng “bristle”, with Chinese initial *k- possibly being a noun-forming reffix. Bureaucracy The Mo'ao () and the Lingyin () were the top government officials of Chu. Sima was the military commander of Chu's army. Lingyin, Mo'ao and Sima were the San Gong () of Chu. In the Spring and Autumn period, Zuoyin () and Youyin () were added as the undersecretaries of Lingyin. Likewise, Sima () was assisted by Zuosima () and Yousima () respectively. Mo'ao's status was gradually lowered while Lingyin and Sima became more powerful posts in the Chu court. Ministers whose functions vary according to their titles were called Yin (). For example: Lingyin (Prime minister), Gongyin (Minister of works), and Zhenyin were all suffixed by the word "Yin". Shenyin () was the minister of religious duties or the high priest of Chu, multiple entries in Zuo Zhuan indicated their role as oracles. Other Yins recorded by history were: Yuyin, Lianyin, Jiaoyin, Gongjiyin, Lingyin, Huanlie Zhi Yin (Commander of Palace guards) and Yueyin (Minister of Music). In counties and commanderies, Gong (), also known as Xianyin (minister of county) was the chief administrator. In many cases, positions in Chu's bureaucracy were hereditarily held by members of a cadet branch of Chu's royal house of Mi. Mo'ao, one of the three chancellors of Chu, was exclusively chosen from Qu () clan. During the early spring and autumn period and before the Ruo'ao rebellion, Lingyin was a position held by Ruo'aos, namely Dou () and Cheng (). Geography Progenitors of Chu such as viscount Xiong Yi were said to originate