Their duties ranged from the management of literary and military affairs to tax collection and the transport of government property as well as duties which were the responsibility of other officials and 'xuli' (petty officials), and they occupied the top two ranks of the five-tier system of household ranks (hudengzhi).
その範囲は現任の文武官をはじめ徴税や官物輸送その他の職役を負担する戸や胥吏にまで及び彼らは5段階の戸等制で1、2等の上等戸であった。