It is said that "the state has the national law, and the family has the family rules." The Imperial Zhu family of the Ming Dynasty, as the first in the world, also had its own "family training". In the summer of the second year of Hongwu' reign, in order to achieve the long-term goal of succession to the Zhu clan, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang began to compile the "Ancestral Records" to build a system of feudal states and official subordinates of the Ming Dynasty, so as to restrain his descendants and courtiers. In May of the sixth year of Hongwu, the "Records of the Ancestral Teachings" was drafted. The Records of the Ancestral Precepts are the prototype of the Imperial Ancestral Precepts. After many revisions, the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor Ming" came out.
The Ariake generation, from the Son of Heaven to the courtiers and people, all enshrined the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor Ming" as a guideline. What is the charm of this "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training"?
Above_ The first chapter of the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor ming"
I. "Huangming Ancestral Precepts": "After repeated changes, it is written into a book"
As the predecessor of the "Ancestral Training of the Emperor and Ming", the "Records of Ancestral Training" was originally Zhu Yuanzhang's exhortation to the basic political system of the Ming Dynasty. In Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, the "Ancestral Training" is an "old chapter" derived from summarizing his difficult entrepreneurial experience. If future generations do not violate this book, they can "forever protect the heavens", and if they violate this book, they are violating the ancestral precepts. Undoubtedly, the "Records of the Ancestral Teachings" is a very important book for Zhu Yuanzhang.
Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang has been revising this book all his life, and has repeatedly changed it, which eventually prompted the "Imperial Ming Ancestral Training" to be written. The "Imperial Ancestral Precepts" mainly involves the following.
1. Political system
Abolition of corporal punishment. Zhu Yuanzhang is a long-timer among the people, familiar with human feelings, good and evil, and will give extra punishment to those who are treacherous and deceitful, which is fearful of the law. However, he believed that the shoucheng king was long in the court, did not know the good and evil of human feelings, and used corporal punishment such as thorns, phi, sword, and castration, and could be injured by mistake.
Abolish the Prime Minister. Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the Qin Dynasty began to put the chancellor in place and "died without heeling." The Han, Tang, Song and other dynasties set up ministers, and there were many villains who "chaotic government" as ministers. The Ming Dynasty deposed the chancellor, set up five governments and six ministries to check and balance each other, divided the affairs of the world, and concentrated power on the emperor, "so it is stable." Therefore, future generations are not allowed to make ministers.
Above_ Zhu Yunjiao (5 December 1377 – ?) That is, Emperor Jianwen
2. Clan matters
During the Hongwu period, the kings of the feudal domain gradually began to show threats to the imperial family, and in order to establish the authority of his successor Zhu Yunjiao over his uncles, Zhu Yuanzhang had to revise the Ancestral Records with the intention of taking over the power of the Ming princes.
For example, in the use of troops, it is stipulated that the town guards of the kingdom are always selected to command and control, and the princes must put forward reasonable reasons before they can dispatch the town guards. In the administration of justice in the kingdom, the princes were deprived of the right to deal with lawbreakers independently, and the princes were required to send suspects to the capital for interrogation and punishment. In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang also stipulated that princes and ministers could not enter the banquet together, and restricted the kings from building "places to leave the palace, other halls, and taixie".
(3) A state that is not conscripted is prescribed
Zhu Yuanzhang was not interested in the Yi kingdom, which was limited to the mountains and the sea and lived in a secluded corner, believing that their land was insufficiently supplied, the people were not easy to manage, and he was afraid that his descendants would raise troops for no reason by virtue of their wealth and strength, so he stipulated a number of countries that did not conquer, namely, Korea, Japan, Ryukyu, Siam, Champa, Java, Baihua, Boni and other fifteen countries. In general, Zhu Yuanzhang established a peaceful foreign policy of guarding the border and being prepared and not recruiting neighboring countries.
Above_ The unconquerable country of the Emperor Ming Ancestral Precepts
4. Requirements for the emperor
In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang also put forward some detailed requirements for the Ming emperor. Here are a few examples.
The first is reverence. Zhu Yuanzhang believed that if the monarch was sluggish and entertained the world, there would be disasters. Rulers in particular need to pay attention to whether there are natural disasters when the seeds are sown and harvested from spring to autumn. If there is a natural disaster, timely relief will allow the people to survive. If there is no natural disaster, we must also give some preferential treatment to the peasants to make the people's lives better.
The second is to require the emperor to have the ability to distinguish between loyalty and adultery. Zhu Yuanzhang pointed out that to give a person an official position, it is necessary to "try it on the spot" and carefully observe how this person behaves. If the courtiers are opportunistic and deceive the lord, then what should they do? Zhu Yuanzhang also thought of countermeasures. In the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor and Ming", Zhu Yuanzhang bluntly asked the lord of the people to be "wide-eyed and not biased.". Institutionally, Zhu Yuanzhang stipulated that if there were "things to speak of" at the lower levels, whether he was a Nine Pin Sesame Official or a good person, he could go directly to the imperial court to complain, and in this process, if the various yamen obstructed the lower levels, they would be regarded as traitors.
The third is to make clear rewards and punishments. In terms of "rewards", Zhu Yuanzhang believes that rewards are a university question, and if "rewards are improper" and difficult to convince, then in the long run there will definitely be disasters. In terms of "punishment", Zhu Yuanzhang believes that "sin plus kindness" will cause anger in heaven, and when heaven is angry, people will definitely not have a good life.
Above_ Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang seated statue collected by the National Museum of China
II. The Ming Emperor's Observance of the Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor ming
It can be seen from the above that the "Ancestral Training of the Emperor Ming" not only established the political system and diplomatic tactics of the Ming Dynasty, but also put forward many meticulous requirements for the emperor. If the Ming Emperor could follow the "Ancestral Precepts" one by one, he might be able to realize the endless wishes of Zhu Yuanzhang's descendants. But in fact, it was difficult for the Ming emperor to consistently follow the requirements of the "Imperial Ming Ancestral Training".
So how did the Ming Emperor follow the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor Ming"? It can be summarized as the following two cases.
1. Honestly follow the Ancestral Precepts
The "Ancestral Training of the Emperor Ming" is the "family letter" of the Zhu family, and there are still many descendants of the Zhu family who are willing to work hard to follow the "Ancestral Precepts". Here are a few examples. In accordance with the requirement of the "Ancestral Precepts" not to use the punishment of "ink, sword, blade, and palace", Zhu Di ordered officials to use punishment "must be qin and must be cautious" to achieve reasonable punishment and not to wrongfully accuse good people. Emperor Xuanzong of Ming even showed his determination to inherit the "Ancestral Training" in all aspects, and worked hard to get closer to the requirements of the "Ancestral Training" in terms of major affairs of the imperial court, palace concubines, and personal words and deeds. After Emperor Xuan of Ming, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty faithfully followed the Ancestral Precepts in the selection of heirs.
The Imperial Ancestral Precepts stipulate some matters concerning the ascension of the king of the domain to the throne. If the emperor has no children, he will be the heir of the imperial brother, and the imperial brother will be even older and will not be eligible to take the throne. For example, the Emperor of The Apocalypse died, and his younger brother Emperor Chongzhen took the throne. Emperor Tianqi originally had three sons, but all of them died prematurely, and according to the rules of the "Ancestral Training" brother and brother, the Emperor of Heavenly Revelation should choose the elder brother to pass the throne. At that time, the Emperor of the Apocalypse only had one brother- zhu Youjian, the fifth brother of the emperor, so of course Zhu Youjian took the throne.
Above: Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Youjian (1611–1644)
2. Act in accordance with the Ancestral Precepts at the advice of courtiers
But the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was an emperor after all, and he had the capital to be "willful". There are so many rules in the Ancestral Precepts that not everyone wants to follow them all. However, the hundred officials of the imperial court would often exhort the emperor with the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training", so the emperor was forced to act more or less in accordance with the "Ancestral Training". Here are a few examples.
During the reign of Emperor Mingyingzong, Emperor Yingzong planned to sacrifice the altar of mountains and rivers, but did not want to preside over it himself, so he asked the cabinet minister Li Xian if he could let the meritorious servant do the work. Li Xian immediately moved out the "Ancestral Training" to indicate that it was impossible, saying that the former dynasty could find meritorious heroes to replace the abbot, but the "Ancestral Training" said that the sacrifice must be presided over by the emperor himself. In desperation, Emperor Ming Yingzong had no choice but to personally go out on horseback and order the Ministry of Works to build a palace to solve the accommodation problem.
Zhu Qizhen (1427-1464), also known as Ming Yingzong
The Zhengde Emperor was a famous emperor of games, and at the beginning of his reign, he paid attention to riding and shooting, touring the garden, indulging in pleasure, and a style of fainting. The British Gongzhang Mao and others immediately advised Zhengde in the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor Ming", saying that the monarch who keeps the success should have a reverential heart, and if he is sluggish, there will be disasters. Zhengde saw that the "Ancestral Precepts" immediately became obedient, and immediately replied: "What Qing Qing said is good, and everything is done in a good way." ”
Emperor Mingxian was keen on alchemy, and the courtier Li Xian was well aware of this, pointing out that the Imperial Ming Ancestral Training stipulates that all temples in the temple "burn incense and lower incense, pray for the stars, and there is already a forbidden law." Violators and those who receive incense and gifts are punished with death", which made Ming Xianzong temporarily restrain.
The emperor in these examples looks obedient, right? In fact, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty generally respected the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training" very much at the beginning of his reign, at least verbally did not dare to directly violate the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training". But when the emperors came to power, they were more inclined to do as they pleased.
Above_ The Holy Will of Emperor Ming Zhengde
The Zhengde Emperor, who was still willing to perfunctory courtiers at the beginning of his reign, did whatever he wanted in the later period and did all kinds of absurd things. The courtiers used the "Ancestral Precepts of the Emperor Ming" to advise, and Zhengde did not look at it or ignore it, and strived to be pure from seeing and hearing from ear to ear. Of course, in the extreme case of the Ming emperors during the Zhengde Emperor's time, most of the Ming emperors saw the courtiers put up the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training" advice, or they would restrain some of their bad behavior.
In terms of personal life, it is difficult for the Ming Emperor to follow the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training" in everything, but in terms of political system and national affairs, the Ming Emperor generally does not violate the "Emperor Ming Ancestral Training". Why? This is because the emperor is also a human being, with his own habits and human weaknesses, and it is impossible to do everything in line with the perfect image of the emperor created in the "Ancestral Training of the Emperor". But the Zhu family is the royal family, and the emperor really violates the law of the ancestors in major matters, which is not good for the country and the family. In a feudal society that pays attention to ethics, it is notched to violate the ancestral precepts and harm the world, which is unwilling.
Author: Xia Zhen Correction/Editor: Lilith
References: Ancestral Training of the Emperor and Ming Dynasty Politics, Zhu Weiming, Northeast Normal University, 2014
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