漢代少府的下屬機構有尚方，又有中尚方，前人多以中尚方為尚方的分 支機構之一。其實，中尚方即尚方，尚方因位於禁中，故而又稱為中尚方。 文獻所見禁中之外的尚方，當為中尚方領導下的作室。與尚方類似的還有御 府、藏府、車府等機構。它們同樣因為位於禁中，故而又可稱為中御府、中 藏府、中車府。史書或稱秦丞相趙高為「中丞相」，從文獻將給事於禁中的郎 稱為中郎的情況看，則趙高中丞相之稱的由來，也應是由於他在禁中任事之 故。漢代的中少府與中太僕，是隸屬於太后的職官。太后所居之處也可稱中， 這個中大概是宮中之意。

During the Han dynasty, both the Shangfang and the Zhong shangfang 尚 方/中尚方 (Directorate of Imperial Manufactories) were subordinate to the Shaofu 少府 (Chamberlain for the Palace Revenues). Many past scholars believed the Zhong shangfang to be a branch office of the Shangfang, where in fact they were one and the same department: owing to its location in the jinzhong 禁中 (imperial residence), the Shangfang was also known as the Zhong shangfang 中尚方. The Shangfang located outside the imperial residence referred to in some historical documents were in fact workshops operating under the direction of the Zhong shangfang. Similarly, institutions such as the Yufu 御府 (Palace Wardrobe), Cangfu 藏府 (Storehouse) and Chefu 車府 (Livery Office), all had alternative names prefixed by zhong 中 because they were based in the imperial palace. Lang 郎 (Court Gentlemen) who worked in the palace are referred to in historical documents as Zhonglang 中郎 (Inner Court Gentlemen), so we can infer that Qin dynasty Chengxiang 丞相 (Counselor-in-Chief) Zhao Gao 趙高 is sometimes referred to as Zhong chengxiang 中丞相also because he worked in the imperial residence. The Zhong shaofu 中少府 (Chamberlain for the Palace Revenues) and Zhong taipu 中太僕 (Chamberlain for the Palace Stables) were officials under the command of the empress dowager in the Han dynasty, meaning that zhong could also therefore refer to the empress dowager’s residence.