Sum, sumu, sumon, and somon (Plural: sumd) are the lowest level of administrative division used in China, Mongolia, and Russia. The word sumu is a direct translation of a Manchu word niru, meaning ‘arrow’ Countries such as China and Mongolia, have employed the sumu administrative processes in order to fulfil their nations economic, social and political goals. This system was acted in the 1980s after the Chinese Communist Party gained power in conjunction with their growing internal and external problems. The decentralisation of government included restructuring of organisational methods, reduction of roles in rural government and creation of sumu’s.