He was the first cabinet assistant of the Ming Dynasty, assisting 4 emperors of the 5 dynasties, of which as the first assistant of the cabinet, he served the father and son emperors, and was deeply trusted, and the emperor basically obeyed him to the point of obedience.
He was none other than Li Xian—a sage of the Ming Dynasty's DengZhou governor Lelin Lizhai (now Xiaoliying Village, Linbao Town, Dengzhou City), with the character YuanDe, the name Huan Zhai, and the courtesy name Wenda. He was born on December 16, 1409 (January 13, 1409) in the 6th year of Ming Chengle and died on December 14, 11, 1467, at the age of 59. For a long time, the locals have called him Li Gelao.
1. The first assistant of the Cabinet of the Ming Dynasty
On the ninth day of the second lunar month (March 5, 1457) of the first lunar month of the first lunar year of Tianshun (the second year used by Emperor Mingyingzong Zhu Qizhen), Due to the recommendation of the Taiping Marquis Zhang Qi (yuè) and others, Li Xian was appointed by Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy and joined the cabinet to participate in the maintenance of the aircraft. On the ninth day of the first month of July (July 28) of that year, Li Xianjin was promoted to the rank of Shangshu of the Bureaucracy, and was also a Hanlin scholar, holding a part-time job as before, in charge of wenyuan cabinet affairs. Li Xian thus began a decade-long career as the first assistant to the cabinet.
The first assistant of the cabinet, that is, the first assistant in the cabinet. Most experts, scholars, and researchers believe that the first assistant cabinet of the Ming Dynasty began with Li Xian during the Tianshun period of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty.
The biography of Ming Shi Li Xian reads: "In the life of the whole heaven, Xian is the first assistant, Lü Yuan, Peng Shizuozhi, and Ran Xian are the most specialized." Regarding the "first auxiliary", the first explicit appearance in the history books is this record in the "Biography of Ming Shi Li Xian".
According to Wang Qiqu's "History of the Cabinet System in the Ming Dynasty", historians generally believe that the explicit stipulation of "controlling the affairs of the Wenyuan Cabinet" is a sign of the formation of the first auxiliary system of the Cabinet of the Ming Dynasty.
Shi Jiangling said in the "Study of the Cabinet First Auxiliary System from Jiajing to Wanli in the Ming Dynasty": "After Li Xian took charge of the Wenyuan Pavilion during the Tianshun period, the first auxiliary system began to be clearly implemented in the cabinet. ”
2. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Dengzhou was the highest official
Dengzhou has produced talents since ancient times, and Li Xian has refreshed the record of the highest official position in Dengzhou since the Ming and Qing dynasties.
In the eighth year (1433) of Li Xianxuande's examination, he entered the career path. In the five dynasties of Xuande, Zhengtong, Jingtai, Tianshun, and Chenghua, he successively served as the chief of the official examination, the examination of Gong Langzhong, the Wenxuan Langzhong, the right shilang of the Bingbu, the right shilang of the Hubu, the right shilang of the official department and the Hanlin bachelor, entered the cabinet, the official, and later promoted to the official Shangshu, Shangshu, the prince Shaobao, shaobao, the official Shangshu and the Scholar of Huagaidian University. He served as an official in the dynasty for 34 years, served as the first assistant of the cabinet for 10 years, served 4 emperors of 5 dynasties, and won the trust of the emperors of 3 dynasties.
He was active in the power center of the Ming Dynasty, with outstanding political achievements and a good reputation. The History of the Ming Dynasty states that "since the Three Yangs (Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, Yang Pu, Xuande and Zhengtong Dynasties), there has been no sage like (Li)". He was a rare ruler in the history of the Ming Dynasty, and the highest official in Dengzhou during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
3. The fourth generation of the cabinet is the only one
The four generations of Li Xian's family, namely: Li Xian's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, were all awarded the same position as him by the emperor of the dynasty, that is, the four generations of the family were all cabinet elders, which is the first and only in Chinese history since ancient times.
Peng Shi's "Ming Dynasty Shaobao Official's Shangshu and Huagaidian University Scholar's Gift of Special Entry Guanglu Doctor Zuozhu Guotaishi Yuwen Da Li Gong Shinto Inscription" records that Li Xian's title after his death was Shaobao, the official Shangshu and The Huagaidian University Scholar Gift special jin Guanglu Dafu, Zuozhu Guotaishi, and Wenda as the title.
Chen Wen's "Mingzhu Guo Shaobao Jia Te Jin Official's Shangshu and Huagaidian University Scholar's Gift to Taishi Yuwen Da Li Cemetery Inscription and Preface" records that Li Xian's great-grandfather KuanFu and grandfather Wei were all gifted to Guanglu Dafu, Zhu Guo, Shaobao, And Shangshu of the Official' Department and a scholar of Huagaidian University.
Li Xian's father, Li Sheng, was given the titles of Guanglu Dafu, Zhu Guo, Shaobao, Shangshu of the Bureaucracy, and Scholar of Huagaidian University. Li Sheng was ordered five times and entered the capital four times. In the hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the father of the chancellor, li sheng, was the only one who had been honored.
It can be seen from this that after Li Xian's death, he was given three generations according to the system, and he was honored as the elder of the cabinet, plus four generations of Li Xian himself, so he was known as the governor of Deng Prefecture, Lelin, and the four elders of the Li clan.
The original (or successor) of the Four Pavilions was also given as the Lady of the Commandments according to the system.
In this case, since ancient times, only the family of Li Xian in Dengzhou has been extremely prosperous.
4. The cemetery regulation is the highest, and the tombstone is best preserved
The tombs of Li Xian and his ancestors are all in Dengzhou, and the tombs of his great-grandfather and grandfather are in the Zhao Miao Group of Xiaoliying Village in the ancestral hometown of Changlelin, in present-day Linpu Town; the tomb of his father Li Sheng is in the Liberation Residents Group of the Liberation Neighborhood Committee of the Present-Day Ancient City Office (formerly known as Ge Lao Tomb); Li Xian's tomb is in the Ge Old Tomb Group of Yaoying Village in present-day Longyan Township, and the three tombs of these four people are called "Ge Lao Tombs". The natural village where Li Xian and his father Li Sheng's cemetery is located is known as the village name "Ge Lao Tomb", which is unique in Dengzhou City. Among them, Li Wei's tomb, Li Sheng's tomb and Li Xian's tomb are the key cultural relics protection units of Dengzhou City. Although these tombs were destroyed, the artifacts left behind are:
Li Sheng Shinto Monument and Mantra Monument, these two stele are still standing in the same place, preserved basically intact, the head of the turtle, the head of the body is one. Located on the east side of the southern tip of Shinto, the Monument is bluestone, with a height of 4.77 meters, a width of 1.2 meters, a thickness of 0.26 meters, and a height of 2.97 meters. The inscription is carved with a dragon, and the forehead seal book "Fengtian Commandment" has 2 lines and 4 characters; the stele body has 15 lines, 45 characters in the foot line, counting 561 words, the inscription is clearly visible, and the stele body is engraved with dragon patterns around the stele.
Located on the west side of the southern end of Shinto, the Shinto monument is of white jade, with a height of 4.9 meters, a width of 1.04 meters, a thickness of 0.4 meters, and a height of 2.85 meters. The inscription on the head of the stele is a panlong, and the forehead seal book "Ming Gu Feng Guanglu Dafu Pillar Guo Shao Bao Official's Shangshu and HuagaiDian University Scholar Li Gong Shinto Inscription" 7 lines and 28 characters. The stele has 32 lines and 90 full lines, a total of more than 2400 words.
In front of Li Xian's tomb, there are "Ming Dynasty Shaobao Official's Shangshu and Huagaidian University Scholar Gift Special Entrance Guanglu Doctor Zuozhu Guotaishi Tan Wenda Li Gong Shinto Inscription" and "Li Xian's Commandment Monument" stone stele twice.
Shinto stele: 280 cm high, 113 cm wide, 30 cm thick. Inscribed on the inscription of Li Xian's Shinto and the official position and name of the author. Vertical row, 29 lines, full line of 96 words, excluding spaces, counting 1786 words, mainly recounts Li Xian's life and praises his great contributions. Monument: 290 cm high, 111 cm wide, 27 cm thick. There are 20 lines of inscriptions on the stele, 64 characters on the full line, excluding spaces, a total of 668 words, and the diameter of the words is 3 centimeters. The handwriting is clear, like the first moment. The content is two commandments given to Li Xian by Emperor Xianzong. Li Xian's two-way monument was first used as a bridge slab to lay on the Liuying Stone Bridge on the Diao River, and later moved to the monument gallery of Huazhou Academy.
The cemetery of Li Xian's great-grandfather Li Kuanfu and grandfather Li Wei is located in Changlelin, 60 miles southwest of Dengzhou City, on the west bank of the West Changle River in the Zhao Miao Group of Xiaoliying Village, Linpu Town. According to historical records and local people's introductions, the cemetery was set up in accordance with the regulations of the Ming Yipin officials to set up a Shinto monument and a mantra monument, and arranged stone people and stone horses in front of the tomb. The original White Jade Stele of The Han Dynasty, during the Cultural Revolution, was smashed into stone as medicine, and it no longer exists.
According to relevant historical records, Li Xian and the previous three generations of cemeteries were built according to the regulations of Yipin officials. According to the Ming system, "Ninety steps around the land of one pin, the height of the tomb is eight feet, the height of the grave wall is nine feet, the height of the one pin is two pins, the two stones of the stone man, the two of the wenwu, the two of the tiger, the sheep, the horse, and the pillar of the hope; its inscription is inscribed with a pint of a mantis head, a two pin of Lin Feng cover, and a three pin of Tianlu to ward off evil ..."
Although the tomb was destroyed, the scale of the three old tombs can be known through well-preserved tombstones, which is the only one in Dengzhou.
5. The attendants in the temples of the emperors of the past
The Imperial Temple, commonly known as the Imperial Temple, is located at No. 131, Fuchengmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing. In the temple of the emperors, a total of 188 emperors and 79 famous courtiers were sacrificed. The heroes of each dynasty who deserve to enjoy the temple of the emperors of the past are 40 civilian ministers and 39 military generals, a total of 79 people. Among the 79 heroes of the various dynasties who accompanied the ceremony were the Ming Dynasty Guanglu Dafu, Zhu Guo, Shao Bao, the official Shangshu and The Scholar Li Xian of the Huagaidian University; and the two Dengzhou people of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Tour. The time of entering the temple was forty-five years after the (Qing) Yunqi wrote the "Qing Dynasty Great Qing Huidian" volume 45 years, which was the second day of the first month of July in the 49th year of Qianlong (August 17, 1784).
The "History of Ming" praised Li Xian: When Emperor Yingzong was restored, it was after the army was starving, the people's morale had not yet recovered, the traitors in power were infighting, the pillars of the country were tilted and shifted, the government and the opposition were changeable, and current affairs were also very difficult. Li Xian supported it alone, full of momentum and ease. Reward talents and straighten out discipline. In the life of Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Xiaozong, the famous courtiers were connected, and most of them were found and promoted by Li Xian.
Being able to enter the temples of the emperors of previous dynasties to accompany the worship is the glory of Li Xian, and it is also the glory of Dengzhou, and it is also a full affirmation of the contributions made by Li Xian in his life.
6. Honored by the Emperor as "Sir"
The word "sir", according to the Chinese Dictionary, is a title for an elderly learned person or a teacher. Ming Tao Zongyi's "Record of Quitting Cultivation and Duan Ben Tang" says: "The prince has completed his teachings, and Xu Ling's left and right precepts are known: This place of study, Mr. Elder is in front, and Ru Generation An dares to be so." It can be seen that the word mr. is mostly an honorific title for the teacher.
In the history of Dengzhou, it has always been rumored that Qing Pengshi was the emperor's master, but it has not been clearly stated in the history books. And Ming Wang Shizhen's "Huangming Different Classics" volume 6: "Emperor Yingzong from Li Wenda's unique view is called Mr. Wang Zhongsu, who is called Wang Zhongsu 'Old King'. As for Emperor Yingzong's title of Mr. Wenda, there are similar expressions in Li Dongyang's "Records of Yan" and Li Xian's "Records of Tianshun Day". It is also recorded in Ming Wang Shizhen's "Collection of The Collected Works of The Mountain Hall", Volume XI.
This showed how much Emperor Yingzong respected Li Xian, so the emperor also entrusted him with the heavy responsibility of educating the prince.
Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen went out of the cabinet to study, Emperor Yingzong asked Li Xian to choose academically good people to prepare tutors, and Li Xian recommended Liu Jue and several others to be Chunfang officials (the names of the officials belonging to the Crown Palace). Emperor Yingzong still ordered Li Xian to write the book in the Mandarin Hall.
Li Xian's "Records of The Heavenly Shun": "The Rebbe invited the crown prince (later Emperor Mingxianzong Zhu Jianshen) to go out of the cabinet to study, and summoned Xian, saying: 'When the Eastern Palace is to study in the Wenhua Hall, if you want to avoid this, go to the Wuying Hall.' However, it was inconvenient for the empress dowager in the morning and evening, and the princess took the left corridor to live as the prince. The secretary of state may decide to speak and read the officials, and the secretary should take care of it from time to time. And he said, 'What book to read first?' 'Sages:'Four Books,' 'Jing', 'History', the Second Reading, the University's And the Book of Shang'. Shang Yue: "The Book of Books is difficult for readers, and it took a lot of effort to read the "Yu Gong" and "Pan Geng" and "Zhou Xuan" in the past. Xian yue: "If you read the Shujing Fa before you can change it, such as the Erdian (二典), the Three Mo (三谟), the Taijia (太甲), the Yixun (伊訓), and the Saying of Destiny (言命), you can read it first. Shang: "Yes." Writing must also be done with care. When I first learned to write, the waiter did not open his fingers and write at will. And after writing, make it look at it, but do not correct it, so that the writing is not good. "You don't have to be good at writing, but you don't have to be good at point painting and easy to do." Shang: "Yes." And it is decided that twenty officials will be read, and the last one will be high and low, and all of them should be their talents, and their wisdom is so. ”
7. Attach importance to talent training, and propose to expand the Guozijian
Li Xian's eldest son-in-law, Cheng Minzheng, recorded in the "Guanglu Dafu Zhu Guo Shao Bao Official's Shangshu and Huagaidian University Scholar Gift Special Entry Guanglu Dafu Zuo Zhu Guo Taishi Yu Wenda Li Gongxing(hereinafter referred to as "Wenda Li Gong Xing Zhi"), "The public talents are Taixue, and Taixue is ugly because of the ugliness of the Yuan, and Shang Shu said: 'Since the establishment of the capital of the country in Beijing, there have been no more people who have been abolished than Taixue, and no more innovators have been than Buddhist temples. If you re-cultivate Taixue, although it is extremely magnificent, but the cost of a Buddhist temple, please cultivate it in time, so as to cultivate the meritocracy and the people. In the next few years, zhaoxin taixue was promulgated from the public. ”
Beijing Guozijian is located at No. 15, Guozijian Street (formerly known as Chengxian Street) in Andingmen, Dongcheng District, Beijing, adjacent to the Confucius Temple. It is the only existing ancient central public university building in China.
Guozijian was the highest institution of learning and educational institution in ancient China. Emperor Sima Yan of the Jin Dynasty first established the Guozi Academy, and by the time of the Sui Emperor, it was changed to Guozijian (国子監). In the Ming Dynasty, the Guozijian had the dual nature of a national education management institution and a supreme institution of learning.
Li Xian is very concerned about the cultivation of talents and leads the expansion of the Guozijian. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the Guozijian of the Yuan Dynasty was used, which was very small in scale and rudimentary in equipment. In the first year of orthodoxy (1436), Li Xiansong, the first assistant of the Ming cabinet, asked Emperor Yingzong to expand the Guozijian on a large scale, and it was completed by March of the ninth year of orthodoxy.
Li Xian repeatedly invited to accompany the emperor to Guozi to monitor and inspect, often to Guozijian to give lectures, work overtime, happy and tired; presided over the guozijian examination, discovered talents, and used talents. He also sacrificed Confucius on behalf of the emperor many times, and successively reviewed the scrolls of the court examination four times, inscribed the inscription of jinshi, and trained and selected a large number of talents for the country.
The expanded Guozijian formed today's architectural scale and pattern, which played an important role in higher education in the Ming and Qing dynasties. This ancient university is still well preserved, and was announced by the State Council in 1961 as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
8. The only Dengzhou person who won the first place in the Henan Township Examination
Li Xian, intelligent since childhood, loves to read. At the age of 7, he knew how to read and learn, and at the age of 8, he began to read poetry with his mother, and later attended a private school for a period of time.
In February 1426, the 19-year-old Li Xian took the examination for Xiucai and entered Dengzhou Prefecture for further study, and in August 1432, the 25-year-old Li Xian took the Henan Township Examination and won the first place, thus becoming the only Xie Yuan recorded in the history of Dengzhou.
Cheng Minzheng's "Wenda Li Gongxing": "Raise Xuande Nongzi Henan Township to test the first." Fang feasted deer singing, and there were dozens of cranes swirling around the hall. The envoy Li Changqi held up a wine and said, "Will there be a famous talent?" Li Changqi in a language. In March of the following year, Li Xian took the national imperial examination, and was ranked as the twenty-first officer in the second class of the temple examination, and from then on embarked on the road of becoming an official for 34 years, and finally became a generation of outstanding ming courtiers, which was admired by future generations.
What other old Stories of Dengzhou do you know?