The State Councilors at the Secretariat-Chancellery in the early Northern Song period generally started work during the Mao 卯 hour (at around 6:00) and did not finish until the Wei 未 hour (at around 14:00), resulting in a workday of about eight hours. According to where and how they did their work, their working schedule can be divided into five stages: waiting for the morning audience in the Dailou Hall, having an audience with the emperor, deliberating affairs in the Administration Chamber, handling work in respective agencies, and gathering again in the Administration Chamber. Everything was in order and the schedule was tight. This reflects a high standard of administrative management and institutional development, as well as the considerable work stress suffered by the State Councilors at the time.