Preface
In the history of the Ming Dynasty, there was a jaw-dropping figure, and that was the great eunuch Liu Jin. As a eunuch, it is rare for Liu Jin to have such huge power and influence the government.
However, his power was short-lived, and finally ended in Ling Chi's execution, which led to speculation about his life. So, what kind of identity and background did he have to be able to make such a name for himself in the Ming Dynasty, and what crimes did he commit that led to his tragic death?
1. The rise of the Jurchen descendants
The wind and sand in the north are blowing in the face, roaring about the rise and fall of a family. Liu Shun and Liu Tong, two descendants of the Jurchens from humble backgrounds, are destined to write an extraordinary life.
In the history of the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs have always played an important role. However, what really made the eunuchs "heroic" was the heyday of this dynasty. From the beginning of Emperor Yongle, eunuchs began to emerge in the government and became an indispensable member. Among these eunuchs, represented by the brothers Liu Shun and Liu Tong, their experiences are undoubtedly the most legendary.
Liu Shun and Liu Tong were born in a Jurchen family and showed extraordinary talent from an early age. They are not only proficient in civil and military affairs, but also have a brave and warlike heart. In the smoke of the Battle of Jingjing, the two won Zhu Di's appreciation by virtue of these advantages. The ambitious King Yan saw the shining light on them and was determined to train them to be his right-hand man.
So, Zhu Di broke Zhu Yuanzhang's ban of "not allowing the reuse of eunuchs", and personally adopted the brothers and let them learn literature and martial arts. Under his careful cultivation, Liu Shun and Liu Tong's talents have been fully developed.
Liu Shun was even named a general by virtue of his outstanding military talent, commanding tens of thousands of troops and horses, and quelling the rebellion of Zhu Gaoxu, the king of Han. Although Liu Tong's whereabouts are unknown, they were given the surname "Liu", which shows that their status in the court is not trivial.
The rise of the two brothers laid the foundation for the development of eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty. They not only broke Zhu Yuanzhang's ban, but also reached the pinnacle of power with their own talents and Zhu Di's appreciation. This successful experience will surely become an example for the eunuchs to follow in the future.
II. The fate of the son of the eunuch
Under the aura of the two brothers, a child named Liu Jin was born. His birth is destined to be extraordinary, because his godfather is the powerful Liu Shun.
At the age of 6, Liu Jin was adopted by Liu Shun and embarked on a road of no return to the pinnacle of power. Under Liu Shun's careful cultivation, this child grew up day by day, learned civil and martial arts, and exercised his skills. His talent and resourcefulness were undoubtedly inherited from this godfather.
And when Zhu Di's great-grandson Zhu Houzhao succeeded to the throne, Liu Jin was arranged to enter the harem and take care of the young emperor. This is undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As a eunuch, being able to enter the harem and get close to the emperor is a great trust and reuse.
Liu Jin naturally will not let go of such an opportunity. He began to consciously or unintentionally guide Zhu Houzhao away from the government and immersed himself in wine and wealth. He took the young emperor on a "private visit to Weifu" to have fun in the Qinglou, and he also asked the emperor to set up a "hook fence" in the harem and let the palace maids act as prostitutes.
All this is undoubtedly to let Zhu Houzhao completely sink into the sound of dogs and horses, so as to let himself and other eunuchs control the government. No one thought that this son of a eunuch would have such great ambition and courage.
3. The emperor was reduced to a plaything
Zhu Houzhao was only 15 years old when he ascended the throne, and he was in adolescence, and he had no interest in power at all. Instead, he preferred to have fun with the eunuchs and soak up the wine. This undoubtedly provides the best opportunity for the ambitions of Liu Jin and others.
Liu Jin saw this and began to guide the emperor away from the government, intentionally or unintentionally. He took Zhu Houzhao for a "private visit to Weifu" and had fun in the Qinglou, which made the young emperor sink into the sound of dogs and horses. Not only that, but he also asked the emperor to open a "hook bar" in the harem, and let the palace maids act as prostitutes to satisfy the emperor's desires.
The ministers saw it in their eyes and were anxious in their hearts. They wrote letters one after another to advise, hoping that Zhu Houzhao could cherish his life, stay away from the temptation of eunuchs, and concentrate on handling state affairs. However, the young emperor had been completely manipulated by Liu Jin and others, and he couldn't listen to any advice at all.
As a result, a crooked idea spread among the government and the opposition - to make the emperor believe that there were "traitors" around him. Sure enough, Zhu Houzhao panicked when he heard this, and he immediately ordered the arrest of Liu Jin and eight other eunuchs.
However, these eunuchs had already prepared. They came to the emperor en masse, some hugging their thighs, some prostrate on the ground, weeping bitterly, accusing the ministers who impeached them of being traitors and villains.
Zhu Houzhao relented for a while, and not only did not punish Liu Jin and others, but demoted, confiscated, and beheaded those upright ministers. From then on, the government completely fell into the hands of the eunuchs.
Fourth, the ups and downs of eunuchs
After taking control of the government, Liu Jin and others began the road of crazy greed. They took bribes on a large scale, amassed countless wealth, and even privately engraved the emperor's seal at home. This kind of unscrupulous behavior has undoubtedly aroused a strong backlash from the government and the opposition.
However, in this crazy torrent, the contradictions and struggles between the eunuchs were also exposed. Among them, Zhang Yong is the most restless one. This "Eight Tigers" accomplice, who once fought side by side with Liu Jin, began to secretly instigate Liu Jin.
In the fifth year of Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao sent Liu Jin and Zhang Yong to quell the rebellion of King Anhua. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Yong denounced the emperor, saying that Liu Jin had been plotting rebellion for a long time. Zhu Houzhao was frightened when he heard this, and immediately sent someone to search Liu Jin's mansion.
Sure enough, a large amount of gold and silver treasures were found there, as well as the dagger hidden in the fan. All this is undoubtedly ironclad evidence of Liu Jin's rebellion. So, Zhu Houzhao was furious and ordered Liu Jin Lingchi to be executed. This eunuch, who was once in power, came to his doomed end.
This power struggle between eunuchs reveals the essence of eunuch interference in politics in the Ming Dynasty. They are not only greedy and corrupt, but also dump against each other, and will do whatever it takes for their own interests. The exposure of this internal contradiction also heralded the decline of the eunuchs' power.
epilogue
The fall of Liu Jin marks that the climax of eunuch interference has passed. But this does not mean that the Ming Dynasty has been smooth sailing since then. On the contrary, the expansion of eunuch power had planted a bane on the foundations of this dynasty.
Later, Wei Zhongxian pushed this scourge to the extreme and became the last straw for the fall of the Ming Dynasty. It is truly sad that a group that should have obeyed the emperor's orders and stayed away from the center of power ended up being the gravediggers of this glorious dynasty.
Perhaps, this is where the magic of power lies. It can confuse anyone, make people lose their minds, and fall to this point. The fall of the Ming Dynasty also left a profound lesson for future generations: no dynasty should let a group like eunuchs get involved in the government, otherwise it will reap the consequences and never recover.