Preface
There are too many incredible legends in the pages of Chinese history, and the legendary experience of one of the eunuchs is even more amazing. Affectionately known as the "Buddha", he became the ruler of Dongchang at the age of 59, and his subsequent life was full of mystery and legend.
However, the most shocking thing is that after his death, it triggered the feat of hundreds of officials to spontaneously support the coffin and bury it. How did such a miracle happen? What kind of legends and mysteries are hidden in his life? Today, let's travel through time, explore the extraordinary legend of this eunuch, and feel the shock and emotion he brings.
A child from an ordinary poor family
In 1539, in an ordinary peasant family in Ansu County, Beizhili (present-day Hebei Province), a child named Chen Ju was born. The child was born into a poor family, and his parents were ordinary farmers, barely making ends meet.
There are several siblings in the family, and it is natural to take care of so many people. For the family at that time, being able to let their children enter the royal court as eunuchs was actually a good way out.
Even if it is bitter and miserable, it is undoubtedly a great blessing to be able to ensure that food and clothing are worry-free. So, Chen Ju, who was only 9 years old, walked into the gate of the Forbidden City at the urging of his family and became a eunuch.
Although becoming a eunuch was regarded as a tragic fate in the social environment at the time, it was also a good way out for a child from a poor background like Chen Ju. It was already a blessing for him that he was able to escape a life of poverty and enter the court.
Although there may be complaints and reluctance in his heart, in the face of reality, Chen Ju still chooses to face it positively. He decided to use his efforts to change his fate and fight for a better position in the court.
Good luck from the sky?
After entering the palace, Chen Ju was assigned to the celebrant supervisor, which was undoubtedly a good start. The celebrant can be said to be one of the most important departments of the Ming Dynasty eunuchs, not only responsible for many affairs within the court, but also to some extent grasp the decision-making power of the court. It can be said that it is a lucky thing to be able to enter the celebrant of ceremonies.
But in fact, Chen Ju's entry was not entirely due to luck, but thanks to his own ingenuity. After entering the celebrant supervisor, Chen Ju showed extraordinary learning ability and excellent ability to deal with government affairs, and soon attracted the attention of Gao Zhong, the "king of eunuchs" at that time.
Gao Zhong was the eunuch of the palm seal of the celebrant and held a pivotal position in the entire Ming Dynasty eunuch system. He soon incorporated this brilliant young eunuch into his disciple and personally instructed and trained him.
Under Gao Zhong's careful teaching, Chen Ju has not only made great progress in handling government affairs, but also made great progress in cultural accomplishment and political wisdom. He is not only proficient in astronomy and geography, but also has unique insights into poetry, calligraphy and painting. It can be said that it is this kind of comprehensive quality training that has laid a solid foundation for Chen Ju's outstanding performance in the future.
Gao Zhong was a very righteous person, and during his tenure, he personally went into battle to fight against the Mongol army. This scene of bravely resisting the enemy left a deep impression on the young Chen Ju and greatly stimulated his desire to serve the country. Since then, Chen Ju has been determined to emulate his teacher and do his best for the country.
It can be said that there are two important turning points in Chen Ju's growth process. One is to enter the celebrant supervisor, and the other is to be appreciated and cultivated by Gao Zhong. All of these laid a solid foundation for his future achievements.
Climb to the top of power
After years of silent hard work, Chen Ju's ability and talent have gradually been recognized by everyone. In the twenty-sixth year of Wanli, he was finally officially appointed as the palm seal eunuch of the celebrant eunuch, which was equivalent to the "inner minister" at that time. It also meant that he had reached the highest power as a eunuch.
But even after reaching the pinnacle of power, Chen Ju still maintains his consistent righteousness and integrity. He has never used his power for personal gain, let alone any corruption. On the contrary, he attaches great importance to honesty and self-discipline, lives a very simple life, and never wastes extravagance.
Under his influence, some eunuchs around him also developed a good style of diligence, honesty and integrity. At the same time, as the general manager of the East Factory, Chen Ju has always adhered to the principle of fairness when handling cases.
Whether it is a minister or a petty official, as long as there is illegal or improper behavior, he will severely punish him. But for those who have been falsely accused, he will also seek revenge and do his best to fight for justice for them.
This impartial, fair and upright style soon won Chen Ju a good reputation in the DPRK. Both officials and ordinary people were impressed by this great eunuch and called him "Buddha".
The turmoil of the "Demon Book Case".
In the 31st year of Wanli, a major political event called the "Demon Book Case" swept the entire government and the opposition. The incident began when an unknown person wrote an anonymous post accusing Zheng Guifei, the Wanli Emperor's favorite concubine, of a conspiracy to murder the crown prince. The post was widely printed and disseminated, causing an uproar for a while.
Emperor Mingshenzong was greatly annoyed, and ordered Dongchang, Jinyiwei and other institutions to find out the real culprit as soon as possible and severely punish them. This is undoubtedly an extremely difficult case. On the one hand, if the truth cannot be ascertained as soon as possible, I am afraid that it will cause greater turmoil; On the other hand, if it is done hastily, it is likely to lead to a large number of innocent people being implicated.
As the head of the East Factory, Chen Ju is facing great pressure at this time. Some opportunistic officials have come forward to petition in the hope of using this to attack their political opponents. However, Chen Ju did not waver in the slightest, he always adhered to the principle of justice, and resolutely rejected these undivided demands.
Under the tense and complicated situation, Chen Ju cautiously and carefully launched an investigation. He did not hastily shift the blame to an innocent person, but patiently combed through the evidence one by one, and finally found that this "demon book" was actually woven by some officials with bad intentions.
However, even if the truth is ascertained, it may not be easy to stop the turmoil for a while. Those with ulterior motives in the DPRK and China are still doing everything possible to frame the innocent minister. But with Chen Ju's efforts, he finally managed to defuse the crisis and did not implicate the innocent.
In the process of handling the "Demon Book Case", Chen Ju once again showed his wisdom and fairness. He was unwilling to harm innocent people in order to curry favor with the emperor, and he did not bother to cooperate with the despicable conspiracy of some officials. On the contrary, he always insisted on the truth, upheld justice, and finally resolved the turmoil. This has undoubtedly strengthened the trust and admiration of the government and the opposition for him.
Glory to heaven and immortality
After a long period of silent hard work, Chen Ju finally reached the peak of the eunuch system in the 34th year of Wanli and became the eunuch of the palm seal and the head of the East Factory. This was undoubtedly the pinnacle of his career. But even in a high position, he still maintains a consistent clean and honest style, and has never had the slightest corruption.
In 1607, Chen Ju, who was almost old, died peacefully in the room. After the news broke, it caused a sensation. Emperor Mingshenzong specially ordered that Chen Ju be buried with the rites of a monk, and gave him the honorific title of "Qingzhong". On the same day, hundreds of military officials of the DPRK Chinese spontaneously came to see him off, and the scene was so grand that it even blocked the main road.
This kind of grand funeral undoubtedly shows Chen Ju's status and prestige in the government and the opposition at that time. Even a eunuch, in their eyes, is no longer the kind of pitiful fateful person, but an upright person worthy of reverence.
After the funeral, Chen Ju's portrait and tablet were also enshrined in the ancestral hall of the Qinci Hall in the imperial city, and became the object of worship. To this day, many people still come to worship. It can be seen that even after more than 400 years, this honest and honest eunuch still leaves an indelible mark in the hearts of the world.
epilogue
A humble and innocent little person, with his justice and talent, finally reached the pinnacle of the eunuch system and won the respect of the government and the opposition. Isn't that what we've always been aspiring to?
Perhaps, we can see from him that even in that era environment, as long as he adheres to the right path and solves problems with public intentions, he can still be praised by everyone.
Chen Ju's life story is not only a legend of a eunuch, but also an inspirational story of an ordinary person who has achieved great things with his own strength. He was law-abiding during his lifetime, and after his death, he was admired by everyone, which was enough to set an example of integrity for the world.