#244 - Ming 30: A Last Luminous Gloaming

The History of China

Chris Stewart

History

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 November 2022

⏱️ 35 minutes

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Summary

At 29, the weak and ineffectual Longqing Emperor take the Dragon Throne in 1567. But it won't be long before the curse of the House of Zhu strikes him down, leaving Great Ming to his 9-year-old son, Wanli. That means - of course - the government is in the hands of the court ministers and its all-powerful Grand Secretary, the ruthlessly conniving Zhang Juzheng. Time Period Covered: 1567-1582 CE Major Historical Figures: The Longqing Emperor (Zhu Zaihou) [r. 1567-1572] The Wanli Emperor (Zhu Yijun) [r. 1567-1620] Grand Secretary Xu Jie [1503-1583] Grand Secretary Gao Gong [1513-1578] Senior Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng [1525-1582] Sources Cited: Huang, Ray. 1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty In Decline. Huang, Ray. “Lung-ch’ing and Wan-li Reigns” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, Part 1. Melvin, Shelia. “China’s Reluctant Emperor” in The New York Times (11/07/2011). Miller, H. State Versus Gentry In Late Ming Dynasty China, 1572-1644. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an AirWave Media Podcast.
0:11.0	Hello and welcome to the history of China.
0:18.0	Episode 244.
0:20.0	A last luminous gloaming.
0:25.0	I gave In-Dun Mao one million tales of silver.
0:28.0	He might have pocketed half of it, but he got the job done.
0:33.0	Grand Secretary Gao Gong.
0:37.0	Those who enriched themselves through trade became the majority,
0:40.0	and those who enriched themselves through agriculture were few.
0:44.0	The rich became richer and the poor poorer.
0:47.0	Those who rose took over, and those who fell were forced to flee.
0:52.0	It was capital that brought power.
0:54.0	Trade proliferated, and the tiniest scrap of profit was counted up.
0:58.0	Corrupt magnates so disorder and wealthy shysters prayed.
1:02.0	Purity was completely swept away.
1:06.0	Zhang Tao.
1:07.0	Shua County magistrate, circa 1609.
1:12.0	From now on, you will be pure in your hearts and scrupulous in your work.
1:17.0	You will not harbor private designs and deceive your sovereign.
1:22.0	You will not complicate debates and disconsert the government.
1:26.0	From The One Lee Emperor's Tia Yu, or Warning Edict, composed by Zhang Zhu Zheng, 1572.
1:35.0	We ended off last time in the year 1567, which, not coincidentally,
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