▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁R ites ▁also ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁imperial ▁exam ination ▁and ▁China ' s ▁foreign ▁relations . ▁ ▁A ▁Ministry ▁of ▁R ites ▁also ▁existed ▁in ▁imperial ▁Vietnam , ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁tasks ▁was ▁enfor cing ▁the ▁naming ▁tab oo . ▁ ▁History ▁Under ▁the ▁Han , ▁similar ▁functions ▁were ▁performed ▁by ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Cer emon ies . ▁In ▁early ▁medieval ▁China , ▁its ▁functions ▁were ▁performed ▁by ▁other ▁officials ▁including ▁the ▁Grand ▁Her ald . ▁Under ▁the ▁Song ▁( 1 0 th - 1 3 th ▁centuries ), ▁its ▁functions ▁were ▁tempor arily ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Zh ong sh u ▁Sh eng . ▁Its ▁administration ▁of ▁China ' s ▁foreign ▁relations ▁was ▁ended ▁by ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Z ong li ▁Y amen ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁ ▁Function s ▁Management ▁of ▁imperial ▁court ▁cer emon ies ▁and ▁rit ual ▁offer ings . ▁Reg istration ▁and ▁super vision ▁of ▁Buddh ist ▁and ▁T ao ist ▁pri ests ▁within ▁China . ▁Management ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁exam in ations . ▁Foreign ▁relations . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Cit ations ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁Book ▁of ▁R ites ▁ ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Cer emon ies ▁under ▁the ▁Han ▁ ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Buddh ist ▁and ▁Tib et an ▁Affairs ▁( Y uan ) ▁and ▁Board ▁for ▁the ▁Administration ▁of ▁Out lying ▁Reg ions ▁( Q ing ), ▁over see ing ▁Tib et an ▁Buddh ism ▁ ▁State ▁Administration ▁for ▁Relig ious ▁Affairs ▁under ▁the ▁P RC ▁State