After the death of Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli Period, interest groups led by eunuchs and magnates began to control the government. The greed and corruption of such groups created a constant revolt of the masses of the people and the gradual decline of the national strength of the Ming Dynasty. Faced with this grim situation, a group of scholars and doctors with the slogan of saving the country came into being, which was the famous Donglin Party at the end of the Ming Dynasty.
The early Donglin Party was only a group of officials who had been dismissed by Emperor Myeongshin at the time, and Gu Xiancheng was a group of lecturers. Because Gu Xiancheng had a high reputation in the circle of scholars, the governor of Changzhou at that time was very supportive of him, so he funded the restoration of a place called Donglin Academy in Wuxi for Gu Xiancheng to use to teach.
As more and more people came to listen to the lectures, Gu Xiancheng began to publicize his political views in the lectures. In his lectures to his students, he often touched on how to change the political corruption of the dynasty. Gu Xiancheng believed that the dictatorship of eunuchs and the control of the government by the powerful elites were the main reasons for the decline of the country, and that the six ministries should be allowed to preside over the government and let the officials of speech and official opinions be allowed to advise; resolutely opposed the imperial court's dispatch of mining supervisors and tax envoys to various places to frantically collect money; and advocated empty talk to mislead the country and work hard to rejuvenate the country.
Gu Xiancheng's ideas attracted many court officials who shared his ideas, and they often gathered to talk about it, slowly evolving from a lectured academic group into a political group. Because their meeting places were all at Donglin Academy, their opponents called them the Donglin Party.
Regarding the Donglin Party, there are two different theories in later generations:
Proponents believe that the Donglin Party made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty at that time in terms of politics, economy, ideology and culture. Most of the Donglin Party members were upright, honest and upright, with iron bones, and dared to face eunuchs and magnates. Obviously, they are all literati, but they are willing to give up their literary talents and instead study how to develop the local economy and how to benefit the country and the people. In particular, the Donglin Party's concept of misleading the country and rejuvenating the country through hard work has been applied to society until now.
Opponents believe that although the Donglin Party started with a good style, it later fell into party strife, which accelerated the demise of the Ming Dynasty. In particular, at that time, they cancelled or reduced the tax burden of overseas trade taxes, mineral taxes, salt taxes, tea taxes and other taxes, so that the financial revenue of the imperial court basically came from the peasants who cultivated the land, and most of the peasants were overwhelmed and became displaced, which led to a large-scale peasant uprising at the end of the Ming Dynasty.
Lao Ye believes that the Donglin Party is good or bad should not be generalized. As far as the economic situation of the Ming Dynasty at that time was concerned, the Donglin Party members must have overdoed their achievements, after all, it was precisely because the policies they implemented accelerated the demise of the Ming Dynasty. However, most of the starting points of the Donglin Party were for the country and the people, but they did not combine the actual situation at that time, which caused the subsequent tragedy.
At that time, the left deputy capital of the Ming Dynasty, Yushi Wang Shaohui, saw that the Donglin Party was powerful, so he wrote a record of the Donglin Dian generals in the form of the 108 generals of Liangshan in the "Water Margin", which read as follows:
Kaishan Marshal Tota Tianwang Nanjing Hubu Shangshu Li Sancai
The two leaders of the general soldiers were: Tiankui Xing and Timely Rain University Scholar Ye Xianggao Tiangang Star Jade Qilin Officials Shangshu Zhao Nanxing
The second member in charge of the secret military division: Tianji Xingzhi Duoxing Zuo Shu De Miao Chang Period Tianxian Star Into the Cloud Dragon Zuo Du Yushi Gao Panlong
A member of the Military Chief of the Coordinating Counsellor:
Gu Dazhang, a member of the Ceremonial Department of the Earth Kui Star Divine Machine Division
Pioneer Member:
The Heavenly Killing Star Black Whirlwind Official Ke was all given to Wei Dazhong
Left and right pioneer two members:
The Heavenly Dark Star Blue-faced Beast Zhejiang Dao Yushi Fang could be strong
Earth Zhou Xing Jumping Tiger Fujian Dao Yushi Zhou Zongjian
Five members of the Five Tigers of the Ma Army:
Tianyong Star Great Sword Master Left Deputy Capital Yushi Yang Lian
Tianxiong Star Leopard Head Left Yu Du Yushi Left Light Dou
Heavenly Star Thunderbolt Fire Dali Temple Shaoqing Hui Shiyang
Tianwei Xing Double Whip will be Taibu Temple Shaoqing Zhou Chaorui
Tianlixing double-gun transformed the Imperial History of Henan Province into Yuan Zhong
Eight horsemen and eight horsemen:
Tianying Star Little Li Guang Fujian Province Yushi Li Yingsheng
Tianjie Star did not have a feather arrow Shaanxi Province Yushi Jiang Yunyi
Sky Star Pioneer Shandong Province Yushi Huang Zunsu
Heavenly Retreat Star Insert Wing tiger Zhejiang Dao Yushi Xia Order
Tianqi Xing did not cover the official Ke to give Ruan Dacheng in the matter
The Celestial Star Beauty Hair Public Punishment Section gave The Matter to Xie Xuelong
The Earth Rampant Star Hairy Star Punishment Section gave mao Shilong in the matter
Di Zhen Xing xiao obstructed the engineering department to Liu Mao in the matter
The chief detective reported the two members of the secret leader:
Tiansu Star Divine Line Taibao ShangBao Si Yu Wu Ercheng
Ding Yuanjian, the young secretary of the Guanglu Temple in the Earth Speed Star
Dispatch a general leader:
Hell Prisoner Star Dryland Kulu Guangxi Province Imperial History Youshi Ren
The two leaders in charge of money and grain:
Tianfu Xing Flutter Heavenly Sculpture Ceremony Department Chief He Xuan
Ground Dog Star Golden Retriever Shang BaoSi Shaoqing Huang Zhengbin
Reward and punish the two leaders of the Military and Political Department for meritorious service:
Di ZhengXing Iron Face Zuo Yu Du Yu Shi Cheng Zhengji
Di Nu Xing urged the judge Zuo Tong Zheng Tu Yizhen
The two chief executioners in charge of executioners:
Earth Damage Star One Branch Flower Ceremony Department Shangshu Sun Shenxing
The Iron Arm of the Horizon Star is the Head of the Shangshu King
A member of the school who holds the flag of the Shuai Zi Banner:
Earth Thief Star Drum On the Flea Cabinet Zhongshu Wang Wenyan
Twelve members of the Defending Chinese Army:
Tianshou Star Mixed Jiang Long University Scholar Liu Yiyi
Tianwei Xing Nine Dragon University Scholar Han Ye
The short star of the earth is out of Lin Long University ShiSun Chengzong
Heavenly Sword Star Standing Ground Tai Nian Official Shangshu Zhou Jiamu
Earth Horn Star One-Horned Dragon Official Shangshu Zhang Qingda
Heavenly Wound Star Martial Walker Zuo Du Yushi Zou Yuanbiao
Tiangui Star Small Whirlwind Right Capital YuShi Cao Yu Bian
Earth Axis Star Thunder Ceremony Department Shangshu Wang Tu
Heavenly Prison Star Disease Guansuo Punishment Department Shangshu Qiao Yunsheng
Earth Strength Star Jinmao Tiger Works Department Shangshu Feng Congwu
Jizo Star Smiley Tiger Official Left Attendant Chen Yuting
Tianqiao Xing Prodigal Son Zuo Chunfang Zuo Shu De Qian Qian Yi
The four parties inquired and invited twelve members of the guest leader:
The star of the earth, Iron Flute Sendobu Left Attendant Zheng Sanjun
Di Zhuang Star Mother Night Fork Ceremony Department Right Attendant Zhang Nai
The Demon Star touched the History of the Heavenly Light Lu Temple Shaoqing History
Di QuanXing Grimace Guanglu Temple Temple Chu Li Binggong
Diwen Xing Sacred Hand Scholar Hanlin Academy cultivation wen Zhen Meng
DiKuo Xing Moyun Golden Wing Hanlin Courtyard Jane Yao Ximeng
The Earth Yin Star Mother Great Worm Hanlin Courtyard Jian begged Gu Xi Domain
Earth Alien White-Faced Lang Junhanlin Yuan Shu Ji Shi Zheng Yan
Di Man Xing Yu Wan Pole Officer Wai Lang Zhou Shunchang
Earth Beast Star Purple Haired Bo Official Wai Lang Zhang Guangqian
Di Huixing Yizhang Qingjun's foreign lang Sun Bixian
The head of the Earth Dark Star Jin Leopard Ceremony Department jing yang Qiao
Forty-six leaders of the Three Armies of the Horse Infantry:
Tianhui Xing ordered Sanlang to punish Shang Shu Wang Ji
Heavenly Lone Star Flower Monk Soldier Left Attendant Li Jin
The two-headed snake soldier of the Heavenly Storm Star was Sun Juxiang, the right attendant of the Serpent Army
Li Banghua, the right attendant of the Chi Bing Department of the Sick Lieutenant of Di Yongxing
The Evil Star of the Earth has no face, Liu Ce, the right attendant of the Military Department
Di Zuo Xing Xiao Wen Marquis Bingbu Right Attendant He Shijin
Di Qi Xing Holy Water will be the right attendant of the Household Department Chen Suo learned
Heavenly Weeping Star Double-tailed Scorpion Left Vice Capital Yushi Sun Dingxiang
The Right Wing of the Golden Gunner of the Celestial Star is Yushi Xu Liangyan
The Right Wing of the Hell Star Vegetable Garden is yushi Zhou Yuan
The Right General of the Ugly Star Stone was Yushi Zhang Fengxiang
Earth Mad Star Alone Mars Right Wing Yu Shi Shou
Di Qiao Xing Jade Arm Craftsman Right Yu Shi Cheng Shao
Earth Storm Star Mourning Gate God Right Yu Du Yu Shi Wang Qia
Di Jian Xing Dangerous Dao God Right Yu Shi Li Ruoxing
Celestial Alien Red-haired Ghost Zuo Tong envoy Liu Zongzhou
Di Junxing Iron Fan Dali Temple Shaoqing Wei Fan
The Earth-Air Star Overlord Taichang Temple Shaoqing Han Jihei
Earth will star god operator Taichang Temple Shaoqing Zhao Shi use
Li Yingkui, the young secretary of the Taichang Temple
Earth Flame Eye Fox Taichang Temple Shaoqing Cheng Note
Di Ji Xing handled the sword ghost Taichang Temple Shaoqing Shen Yingkui
Earth Flying Star Eight-Armed Nezha Bureaucrat Lang Zhongxia Jiayu
Earth Walking Star Flying Heaven Great Saint Lang Zhong zou Weilian
Di Cha Xing Blue Eyed Tiger Official Ke gave Chen Liangxun in the matter
The Three Mountains Military Section of the Town of Di Xuan Xing gave Zhen Shu the matter
Ji xiong hoshii kijitoko gave hao soil ointment in the matter
Di Jie Xing Ugly County Horse Soldier Section gave Shen Wei Bing in the matter
The Earth Ghost Star Disease Great Worm Household Branch gave Xue Wenzhou the matter
The Lone Star Of the Earth Money Leopard Soldier Section gave Xiao Ji the matter
Celestial Sin Star Short-lived Erlang Lake Guangdao Yushi Liu Fang
Heavenly Defeat Star Live Yan Luo Jiangxi Dao Yushi Fang Zhenru
The Secluded Star Fight Tiger will Shandong Province Yushi Li Yuan
Di Wei Xing Dwarf Tiger Fujian Dao Yu Shi Wei Guangxu
Di jie xing hua xiang hu sichuan dao yushi practice state affairs
Di Wei Xing Yum will Henan Province Yushi Xie Wenjin
Di Shu Xing Xiao Wei Chi Yunnan Province Yushi Li Rixuan
The Earth Fierce Star Divine Fire will guizhou Dao Yushi Zhang Shenyan
Dile Star Iron called Zi Shandong Province Yushi Liu Sijie
Difu Xing Golden Eye Biao Hunan Province Imperial History Liu Qizhong
Hidden Star White Flower Snake Henan Province Yushi Yang New Period
Earth Consumption Star Day Rat Lake Guangdao Yushi Liu Dashou
Di Sui Xing Tong Armed Ape Shanxi Province Yushi Hou Gong
The Earth Spirit Star Divine Healer Yunnan Dao Yushi Hu was a good opportunity
Demon Nebula King Kong Sichuan Dao Yushi Song Shi Xiang
Geography Star Nine-tailed Turtle Henan Province Goshi Kumasaki
Zhen Shou Nanjing Zheng will be a member:
The Earth Star Chaos Demon King Cao Jiang Right Youdu Yushi Xiong Mingyu
Six leaders of the Nanjing flood area:
Tianping Star Ship Fire Nanking Guangdong Province Yushi Wang Yuncheng
Heavenly Damage Star Wave White Strip Nanjing Bureaucrat Lang Zhongwang Xiangchun
Di Ying Xing Tianmu will Nanjing Jiangxi Dao Yushi Chen Biqian
Earth into the stars out of the cave Jiao Nanjing Shanxi Province Yushi Huang Gongfu
The earth retreated to the river mirage Nanjing Sichuan Dao Yushi Yang
The inferior star live flash po Nanjing engineering department to Xu Xianqing in the matter
In the fourth year of the Apocalypse, Koshi winter returned to An Han Jingzao