From the Founding of the Country to Its Fall: the Complete History of the Brutal Power Struggle in the Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty was the dynasty with the most intense power struggle in Chinese history. Throughout the entire dynasty, the emperor fought against his cabinet ministers, his cabinet ministers fought against his cabinet ministers, and his cabinet ministers fought against their eunuchs. The struggle was so cruel and varied that it was "breathtaking". The endless internal fighting also exhausted the national power of the Ming Dynasty. Jiajing Etiquette Discussion: The emperor fights against his cabinet ministers In 1521, Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, died suddenly without heirs. His cousin Zhu Houzhao succeeded to the throne and was called Emperor Jiajing. After that, Emperor Jiajing and his courtiers argued endlessly about who should be regarded as his father in the patriarchal sense. At the height of the conflict, more than 200 ritual-protecting officials, including Cabinet University scholar Mao Ji, collectively knelt outside the Zuoshun Gate to offer their support, but what they received in exchange was the order of the Emperor Jiajing to hold the court accountable. Seventeen of them were beaten to death. After this beating, fewer and fewer ministers dared to oppose Emperor Jiajing, and the imperial power once overwhelmed the cabinet power. The struggle between Yan Song and Xia Yan: cabinet ministers versus cabinet ministers Yan Song and Xia Yan were from the same hometown, and Xia Yan once regarded Yan Song as one of his own. Yan Song was very respectful to Xia Yan on the surface, but secretly he always wanted to bring down Xia Yan. In 1548, regarding whether to send troops to retake the Loop, Yan Song took advantage of Emperor Jiajing's reluctance to send troops to oppose Xia Yan, who advocated sending troops. In the end, Xia Yan failed and became an official, but Yan Song still felt that it was not enough. He once again impeached Xia Yan for slandering the emperor, accepting money and accepting bribes when he left the capital. Finally, he angered the emperor and ordered Xia Yan to be beheaded. Donglin Party members challenge Wei Zhongxian: cabinet ministers fight eunuchs In 1624, the Donglin Party launched a massive "Overthrow of Wei Movement". Facing the impeachment by civil servants, Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka family knelt down and cried in front of Mingxi Zong Zhu Youxiao, and finally won Zhu Youxiao's sympathy and support. Wei Zhongxian, who escaped, turned around and launched a brutal counterattack against the Donglin Party. Yang Lian, Zuo Guangdou and other "Six Gentlemen" of Donglin were thrown into prison and later secretly killed. Donglin Academy was also demolished, and the proceeds from the sale of its timber and fields were shipped to Suzhou to fund the construction of the Wei Zhongxian Shrine. Open this book and experience the cruel and ruthless power struggle of the Ming Dynasty!