The Battle of Jingnan was a civil war that changed the history of the Ming Dynasty. After the end of the Battle of Jingnan, the Ming Dynasty's imperial throne underwent a great shift from the original crown prince Zhu Biaoyi to the Yan king Zhu Diyi, and the descendants of Zhu Di, the King of Yan, controlled the Ming Dynasty until the fall of the Ming Empire. Of course, it is precisely because the descendants of Zhu Di became emperors of the Ming Dynasty, from Yongle to Longqing Dynasty, the Ming Empire's rehabilitation of Emperor Jianwen and his ministers has always been a "political forbidden area" of the Ming Dynasty, except for emperor Akihito Zhu Gaozi released the family members of the ministers of the Jianwen period, and the Ming Imperial government has not completely rehabilitated the ministers of the Jianwen Dynasty who were killed by Zhu Di after the Battle of Jingnan. After all, to completely rehabilitate the Jianwen dynasty is to deny the legitimacy of Zhu Di's ascension to the throne.
However, during the reign of the Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, 200 years after the end of the Battle of Jingnan, the Wanli Emperor suddenly rehabilitated the ministers of the Jianwen Dynasty. The Wanli Emperor's actions included ordering the release of all the more than 1,300 descendants of Fang Xiaoru who had been deposed to the frontier for his crimes and granted normal citizenship rights. And restore the era name of the Jianwen Dynasty. At this point, the Wanli Emperor completed the rehabilitation of Jianwen Junchen, a "forbidden political forbidden area of the Ming Dynasty", and the folk discussion of the Jianwen Dynasty was no longer a political taboo.
So, why did the Wanli Emperor rehabilitate the Jianwen Emperor, a "forbidden political zone of the Ming Dynasty"?
Above_ The Battle of Jingnan
First, the first time the Wanli Emperor rehabilitated The Jianwen Emperor was shortly after the Wanli Emperor ascended the throne, under the advice of Zhang Juzheng, the head of the cabinet, to sacrifice the ministers who were martyred by the Jianwen Emperor, which had the effect of consolidating Zhang Juzheng's rights and stabilizing people's hearts.
Referring to Zhang Juzheng's suggestion that the Wanli Emperor sacrifice Jianwen Junchen, we have to pay attention to the "main theme" of the Central Administrative System of the Ming Dynasty from the middle and late Jiajing Emperor to the early Wanli Emperor - party struggle.
Yan Song opened the Pandora's box of "party struggle" in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. Yan Song defeated potential political rivals Xia Yan and others, and Xu Jie, the second assistant of the cabinet, tried everything to defeat Yan Song and Yan Shifan. After the Longqing Emperor ascended the throne, Gao Gong defeated Xu Jie. At the beginning of the reign of the Wanli Emperor, Zhang Juzheng and the eunuch Feng Bao defeated Gao Gong.
From Yan Song's overthrow of Xia Yan and Zeng Qiao in the middle and late Jiajing period, to Zhang Juzheng's overthrow of the powerful anti-corruption cabinet chief Gao Gong in the early days of the Wanli Emperor, the ming party struggle lasted for many years. In a positive sense, the party struggle has consolidated the power of the cabinet chief assistant himself, eliminated political enemies, and removed obstacles for the cabinet chief assistant to govern. However, from a negative point of view, frequent party struggles seriously depleted the administrative efficiency of the imperial court, so that the Manchu Dynasty Wenwu only paid attention to personal power and did not pay attention to the Jiangshan Society.
Gao Gong (19 January 1513 – 4 August 1578), courtesy name Suqing, zhongxuan
With Zhang Juzheng defeating Gao Gong, he became the de facto ruler of the Ming Dynasty. In order to consolidate his own rights, stabilize people's hearts, and win more support for Zhang Juzheng's reforms, Zhang Juzheng suggested that the Wanli Emperor sacrifice Jianwen Junchen, and in the name of the Wanli Emperor, he issued an edict to sacrifice Jianwen Junchen.
What are the "good qualities" of the ministers of the Jianwen Dynasty— Fang Xiaoru, Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and others? From the perspective of Cheng Zhu Lixue advocated by the Ming Dynasty, Fang Xiaoru and other ministers swore loyalty to Emperor Jianwen and belonged to those who "martyred for the country", which is very much in line with Cheng Zhu Lixue's thought. Therefore, the significance of Zhang Juzheng giving the Jianwen Junchen a flat hair and sacrificing the Jianwen Junchen is obvious: Zhang Juzheng hopes that the Manchu Dynasty Wenwu will be loyal to Zhang Juzheng and the Wanli Emperor like Fang Xiaoru, and then support Zhang Juzheng's reforms. In other words, Zhang Juzheng wants to unite people's hearts and minds by rehabilitating Jianwen Junchen, and thus eliminate the political opposition to reform.
Above_ Zhang Juzheng reformed
Of course, from a historical point of view, although Fang Xiaoru's integrity has been praised by future generations, his practice is debatable. Fang Xiaoru was loyal to the emperor personally rather than the state, and if Fang Xiaoru could turn to Zhu Di, he was likely to be reused by Ming Chengzu. Many of Zhu Di's former Jianwen courtiers, such as Xia Yuanji, Yang Pu, Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, and others, were all reused by Ming Chengzu during the Yongle period. If Fang Xiaoru could have had a flexible mind like Wei Zheng and displayed his talents on the new political stage during the Yongle years, Fang Xiaoru's life might have been very different.
All in all, Fang Xiaoru is a university scholar, not a big politician.
Above_ Zhang Juzheng calligraphy
Second, after Zhang Juzheng's death, the Wanli Emperor took the initiative to release Fang Xiaoru's descendants and restore the era name of the Jianwen Dynasty, and the Wanli Emperor won the hearts of the people, consolidated the imperial power, called on the ministers to "learn from Fang Juzheng" to be loyal to the king and love the country, and condensed the hearts of the courtiers who were once separated after the liquidation of Zhang Juzheng.
In 1582, Zhang Juzheng died. Because Zhang Juzheng almost completely emptied the imperial power of the Wanli Emperor before his death, he rejected dissidents and gave orders, and he was the only one who respected himself. After Zhang Juzheng's death, the Wanli Emperor and his ministers who opposed Zhang Juzheng soon set off a wave of liquidation of Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng was almost flogged and his family was exiled.
The Wanli Emperor's liquidation of Zhang Juzheng was much criticized by historians, believing that this move was a major precursor to the Ming Dynasty's loss of the opportunity for final reform and its transformation from prosperity to decline. However, from the perspective of the Wanli Emperor in this article, in order to establish the imperial power of the Wanli Emperor, Wanli must liquidate the power of the subjects, which is the practice adopted by most emperors of successive dynasties.
Zhang Juzheng (1525 – July 9, 1582)
By liquidating Zhang Juzheng, the Wanli Emperor consolidated his power. After Zhang Juzheng, the imperial court no longer had the first assistant cabinet like Zhang Juzheng who could empty the imperial power and issue orders alone. Cabinet chiefs like Shin Shixing were cautious for fear of offending the emperor.
In order to avoid the appearance of "Zhang Juzheng Second" among the courtiers and call on the ministers to "be loyal to the king and love the country", the Wanli Emperor restored the Jianwen Nian number by releasing Fang Xiaoru's descendants, so that more and more courtiers united around the Wanli Emperor. On the whole, the Wanli Emperor's liquidation of Zhang Juzheng triggered criticism in the court that supported Zhang Juzheng's ministers, and once caused the hearts of the courtiers to be scattered, but the Wanli Emperor's move to restore the Jianwen Nian by releasing Fang Xiaoru's descendants won the support of the vast majority of the ministers of the imperial court. Establish the "positive image" of the Wanli Emperor himself, and take this opportunity to comprehensively consolidate the imperial power and establish the supremacy of the Wanli Imperial Power.
Above_ Wanli Emperor, Zhu Yijun (1563-1620), also known as Emperor Mingshenzong
Since the Wanli Emperor fully consolidated the imperial power by releasing Fang Xiaoru's descendants and restoring the Jianwen era name, in the middle and late period of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the imperial court no longer had the monopoly of the first assistant of the cabinet and the monopoly of eunuchs.
Even though the Wanli Emperor did not leave the deep palace in the later period and rarely went to the court to govern, Wanli still firmly held the imperial power in his own hands. This is closely related to the wanli emperor's release of Fang Xiaoru and his call on his ministers to be as loyal to the Wanli Emperor himself as Fang Xiaoru was loyal to Emperor Jianwen.
Above_ Ming Dynasty officials during the Wanli Dynasty
Third, the Wanli Emperor rehabilitated Fang Xiaoru and other Jianwen ministers and restored the Jianwen era name, which was 200 years after the Battle of Jingnan, and Zhu Diyi had also held the imperial power of the Ming Dynasty for 200 years, and his imperial succession was impregnable. Even if the Wanli Emperor rehabilitated Jianwen, the so-called "Jianwen Yu Party" could not have appeared in the Ming Dynasty to raise troops to rebel and overthrow Wanli.
After the End of the Battle of Jingnan, the Ming Dynasty completely rehabilitated Fang Xiaoru and other ministers, and restoring the Jianwen era name went through a long process. Ming Chengzu himself stepped on the dragon chair with the corpses and blood of Fang Xiaoru and other former Ming Dynasty Jianwen ministers, and Ming Chengzu naturally could not rehabilitate Fang Xiaoru. Emperor Akihito was gracious and sympathetic to Fang Xiaoru's plight.
However, since the legitimacy of his throne came from Ming Chengzu's Battle of Jingnan, Akihito could only release some of Fang Xiaoru's family members and privately praise Fang Xiaoru as a loyal subject, and Akihito could not publicly order Xuanfang Xiaoru to completely rehabilitate and restore the Jianwen era name.
Zhu Qizhen (1427-1464), also known as Ming Yingzong
During the reign of Emperor Akihito's grandson, Emperor Mingyingzong, Emperor Mingying released Emperor Jianwen's son Zhu Wengui, who had been imprisoned for many years. However, the Ming Emperor, out of the consideration of acknowledging the legitimacy of the Battle of Jingnan, was never able to openly and completely rehabilitate the others, such as Xiaoru, and restore the Jianwen era name. The Ming Dynasty's practice of "openly denying and secretly making adjustments" to Jianwen Junchen continued for many years.
After the Jiajing Emperor ascended the throne, the Ming Dynasty was constantly worried about internal and external troubles, coupled with the continuous party struggle in the Ming Cabinet, the Jiajing Emperor was unable to take care of the matter of rehabilitating Fang Xiaoru and restoring the Jianwen Nian. During the Longqing period, the Ming Cabinet party strife continued, and the Attention of the Longqing Emperor was on eliminating the maladministration of Jiajing in his later years, and naturally he was unable to take care of Fang Xiaoru's rehabilitation and restoration of the Jianwen Nian. It was not until the Wanli Emperor ascended the throne and comprehensively consolidated the imperial power by liquidating Zhang Juzheng that the Wanli Emperor dared to rehabilitate The Jianwen courtiers such as Xiaoru, released his family, and restored the Jianwen era name to recognize the legitimate status of Emperor Jianwen.
Zhu Di (1360-1424), also known as Ming Chengzu, Yongle Emperor
From the perspective of the Wanli Emperor, from the Yongle to the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial throne has been passed down from The Ming Dynasty to Zhu Di for 200 years. Zhu Di's grasp of the Ming dynasty throne is an indisputable fait accompli. In addition, after emperor Jianwen had long since died, it was impossible for the so-called "Jianwen Yu Party" to raise troops to rebel and overthrow Wanli, and even if there was a "Jianwen Yu Party" to unite with courtiers to overthrow Wanli, Wanli, who had eliminated Zhang Juzheng's influence, could easily suppress the rebellion of the so-called "Jianwen Yu Party".
Under the political background that the imperial power was fully consolidated and Zhu Di had grasped the imperial power for more than 200 years, which had become a fait accompli, the Wanli Emperor was able to take the initiative to release Fang Xiaoru's descendants and restore the Jianwen era name.
Fang Xiaoru (1357 – July 25, 1402), a native of Ninghai, was a Chinese poet
Fourth, the Ming dynasty minister wrote a letter recommending that Wanli give Fang Xiaoru and Jianwen rehabilitation, implying that the Wanli Emperor passed the throne to his eldest son Zhu Changluo.
The Wanli Emperor issued an edict to rehabilitate Fang Xiaoru and Emperor Jianwen, which was inseparable from the efforts of the Ming ministers. The reason why the Ming chancellor suggested that Wanli rehabilitate Jianwen was very important: he hoped that the Wanli Emperor would make the eldest son Zhu Changluo the prince like Zhu Yuanzhang, the ming emperor, instead of the third son Zhu Changxun as the crown prince.
The Wanli Emperor had 8 sons, of whom he liked his third son, Zhu Changxun, and alienated his eldest son, Zhu Changluo. At one point, Wan Li wanted to make Zhu Changxun crown prince.
However, in the eyes of the Confucian ministers, the succession to the throne must continue the tradition of "establishing the eldest son", and without a concubine, the firstborn must be established. The emperor must appoint his eldest son, Zhu Changluo. This triggered the famous dispute over the foundation of the country in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
Above_ Zhu Yunjiao (5 December 1377 – ?) That is, Emperor Jianwen
In order to get Wanli to agree to the proposal to make his eldest son Zhu Changluo crown prince, the Ming dynasty ministers made suggestions to Emperor Wanli and completely rehabilitate Emperor Jianwen and Fang Xiaoru, because Emperor Jianwen was Zhu Biao's son, Ming Taizu made Zhu Biao crown prince in his early years, and after Zhu Biao's death, Zhu Biao's son was made the emperor's grandson.
By rehabilitating Emperor Jianwen and recognizing the legitimacy of Emperor Jianwen, the ministers of the Wanli period hoped that emperor Wanli would make zhu Biao and Zhu Yunjiao like Zhu Yuanzhang, the ming emperor, and make his eldest son Zhu Changluo the crown prince. The wanli emperor's rehabilitation of emperor Jianwen also reflected wanli's suggestion that wanli gradually recognize the chancellor and make the eldest son the crown prince from the perspective of imperial succession. In the end, the Wanli Emperor officially decreed that Zhu Changluo would be crown prince.
Above_ The Holy Will of the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli Dynasty
All in all, the Wanli Emperor rehabilitated Fang Xiaoru and Emperor Jianwen and restored the Jianwen era name was a long process. It is not only the reason why Zhang Juzheng consolidated his power and implemented reforms, but also the reason why the Wanli Emperor united people's hearts and minds after liquidating Zhang Juzheng, consolidated the imperial power, and established the "positive image" of Wanli, as well as the reason why Wanli recognized the eldest son as the crown prince.
But whatever the reason, the Wanli Emperor rehabilitated Jianwen Junchen and recognized the legitimacy of Emperor Jianwen as emperor in the Ming Dynasty.
Author: Zhenguan Correction/Editor: Lilith
References: History of the Ming Dynasty
The text was created by the History University Hall team, and the picture originated from the Internet and the copyright belongs to the original author