Changes

*''Born: [[1525]]''

*''Born: [[1525]]''

*''Died: [[1582]]''

*''Died: [[1582]]''

Zhang Juzheng was a prominent government official and reformer who served as teacher, Grand Secretary, and chief advisor to the [[Wanli Emperor]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1620]]) during the emperor's minority, and into the early years of his majority.

Zhang Juzheng was a prominent government official and reformer who served as teacher, Grand Secretary, and chief advisor to the [[Wanli Emperor]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1620]]) during the emperor's minority, and into the early years of his majority.

When the emperor rashly sentenced two palace girls to death for not knowing certain songs he commanded them to sing, Zhang stood by the empress dowager in asserting that Wanli had no choice but to abdicate, standing firm on this until the young emperor had prostrated himself and apologized profusely and sincerely. After this episode, Zhang was an even more constant companion to the young emperor, guiding and watching over his behavior.

When the emperor rashly sentenced two palace girls to death for not knowing certain songs he commanded them to sing, Zhang stood by the empress dowager in asserting that Wanli had no choice but to abdicate, standing firm on this until the young emperor had prostrated himself and apologized profusely and sincerely. After this episode, Zhang was an even more constant companion to the young emperor, guiding and watching over his behavior.

When a rival faction at court accused Zhang of all sorts of corruption, the emperor and his mother, believing in the wisdom and benevolence of Zhang's policies, defended him, having a number of the accusers stripped of office or even executed.

When a rival faction at court accused Zhang of all sorts of corruption, the emperor and his mother, believing in the wisdom and benevolence of Zhang's policies, defended him, having a number of the accusers stripped of office or even executed. Upon the death of his father, Zhang refused to resign his position in order to return home, to practice the proper [[filial piety|filial]] mourning observances, claiming that he was needed at Court, for the benefit of the empire. Here, too, the emperor and empress dowager defended his decision, despite opposition and criticism from factions at court, including many associated with the [[Donglin Academy]].<ref>Schirokauer, et al, 265.</ref>

However, after Zhang's death in [[1582]], Zhang's successor as Grand Secretary, Zhang Siwei, began to convince the emperor that Zhang Juzheng had in fact been corrupt all along, living an extremely lavish lifestyle, and essentially just using the emperor in order to allow himself to maintain such personal wealth. Further, Siwei convinced the emperor that much of the prosperity of the previous ten years only appeared so on paper, and that Zhang Juzheng's policies were in fact misguided and damaging. Convinced of this, the Wanli Emperor then ordered that some significant portion of the land and wealth of Zhang's heirs' be seized.

However, after Zhang's death in [[1582]], Zhang's successor as Grand Secretary, Zhang Siwei, began to convince the emperor that Zhang Juzheng had in fact been corrupt all along, living an extremely lavish lifestyle, and essentially just using the emperor in order to allow himself to maintain such personal wealth. Further, Siwei convinced the emperor that much of the prosperity of the previous ten years only appeared so on paper, and that Zhang Juzheng's policies were in fact misguided and damaging. Convinced of this, the Wanli Emperor then ordered that some significant portion of the land and wealth of Zhang's heirs' be seized. Even after Siwei's death, and succession as First Grand Secretary by [[Shen Shixing]], accusations against Zhang and his "lackeys" (including Shen) continued until [[1585]], three years after Zhang's death.<ref>Huang, 70.</ref>

In the end, it remains unclear whether Zhang was the upright, selfless advisor he claimed to be, or the selfish, manipulative vizier his enemies accused him of being.

In the end, it remains unclear whether Zhang was the upright, selfless advisor he claimed to be, or the selfish, manipulative vizier his enemies accused him of being.

*Conrad Schirokauer, et al, ''A Brief History of Chinese and Japanese Civilizations'', Fourth Edition, Cengage Learning (2012), 249.

*Conrad Schirokauer, et al, ''A Brief History of Chinese and Japanese Civilizations'', Fourth Edition, Cengage Learning (2012), 249.

*Ray Huang, ''1587: A Year of No Significance'', Yale University Press (1981), 1-41.  

*Ray Huang, ''1587: A Year of No Significance'', Yale University Press (1981), 1-41.  

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Scholars and Philosophers]]

[[Category:Scholars and Philosophers]]