Mobile Barracks of High Command

Mobile Barracks of High Command (Xing Yuan, Chinese: 行轅) is a Chinese term primarily referring to a ROC government regional special office opened on behalf of the military supreme commander in a particular region, where there is a high-ranking government or military official as the regional representative of the supreme commander in chief.

This term can trace its beginning back to ancient China.

Generally speaking, a Mobile Barracks of High Command would have the operational authority over the affairs of military, civilians, and Nationalist Party within its area of responsibility, if it is military-related.

For example, Ying-chin Ho (zh:何應欽), a four-star army general of ROC, was once the director of Mobile Barracks of High Command at Chungking. His official title was, in fact, "Director of Mobile Barracks of the Chairman of the National Government Office at Chungking." Simply put: Ho spoke for the Chairman of the National Government of Republic of China in the great area of Chungking. He was, de facto and de juro, the military governor over several provinces west of Sichuan (included).

Hence, the director of Mobile Barracks of High Command functioned as a provincial governor in the Qing Dynasty. In wartime, due to military considerations, the Director of Mobile Barracks would take over the administrative power of civil affairs and therefore also known as military general governor. Similarly, there were others Mobile Barracks of High Command at Manchuria, Sifeng (zh:息烽), Xichang (zh:西昌), and Canton, and so on.

Equivalently, another kind of regional special office, "Forward Command Camp of the Chief of the National Military Council" (zh:行營) would be in charge of the operational planning and command functions in its administrative district.