Brief: This article records the Suzhou Uprising against Wei Zhongxian’s tyranny. Locals revolted to protect upright official Zhou Shunchang from arrest by the Eastern Depot. Five citizens surrendered to save the city and were martyred. Later, the Chongzhen Emperor toppled Wei, and the five were honored as symbols of justice.
The Provocation
Zhou Shunchang, one of the “Seven Gentlemen of the Later Eastern Grove,” resided in Suzhou. Having resigned from his post as a Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel after criticizing the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian, Zhou remained outspoken against injustice. His integrity earned him immense respect among the local populace.
The spark for the conflict was lit when Wei Dazhong, another Eastern Grove official, was arrested by the Eastern Depot (Dongchang) and transported through Suzhou. Zhou visited him on the boat, disregarding the risk of association. During their emotional meeting, Zhou pledged his daughter to Wei’s grandson. When an Eastern Depot agent aggressively ordered Zhou to leave, threatening him with Wei Zhongxian’s wrath, Zhou retorted, “Do you not know there are men in this world who do not fear death? Go tell Wei Zhongxian that I am Zhou Shunchang of the Ministry of Personnel!” He shouted the eunuch’s name aloud, an act of supreme defiance.
The Outbreak
The agents reported this back to Wei Zhongxian, who added Zhou to his list of targets. When the arrest warrant arrived in Suzhou, the news spread like wildfire. Yan Peiwei, a local merchant known for his courage, rallied the citizens, vowing to save the upright official.
On the day of the arrest, thousands of Suzhou citizens gathered outside the government compound, holding incense and weeping for Zhou. Scholars like Wen Zhenheng and Yang Tingshu pleaded with Governor Mao Yilu – a member of the eunuch faction – to delay the arrest and report the public sentiment to the Emperor. Mao refused, citing the Imperial Decree. The situation escalated when the Eastern Depot agents threw their chains to the ground, shouting, “We arrest in the name of the Eastern Depot! Who dares disobey?”
This arrogance ignited the crowd. Yan Peiwei shouted that the decree was forged and led the charge over the railings. The citizens beat the agents mercilessly; one was killed instantly, and others fled in terror. When Governor Mao attempted to suppress the crowd with soldiers, the mob turned on him. Mao barely escaped with his life by hiding in a latrine. In a separate incident, another group of agents traveling by boat were attacked by locals for bullying merchants; their boat was burned, and they were forced to swim for their lives.
The Five Martyrs
The violence shocked the court. While Wei Zhongxian initially wanted to send more troops, he was dissuaded by the ferocity of the resistance. Instead, he ordered Governor Mao to apprehend the ringleaders. To prevent further bloodshed and protect the wider community, five men – Yan Peiwei, Yang Nianru, Ma Jie, Shen Yang, and Zhou Wenyuan (Zhou Shunchang’s sedan chair bearer) – surrendered themselves. Remarkably, except for Zhou Wenyuan, none of them had ever met Zhou Shunchang personally; they acted solely out of a sense of justice.
They were executed without regret, cursing the tyrant Mao Yilu even as they faced death. The people of Suzhou secretly recovered their bodies and buried them with honor. Meanwhile, Zhou Shunchang and the other “Seven Gentlemen” (including Gao Panlong, who committed suicide) were tortured to death in prison.
The Fall of the Tyrant
Following the massacre, Wei Zhongxian intensified his reign of terror, deploying spies across the capital to silence dissent. However, his power crumbled abruptly in 1627 when Emperor Ming Xizong died at the age of twenty-three after falling into the water. His brother, Zhu Youjian, ascended the throne as Emperor Ming Sizong (Chongzhen).
Emperor Sizong moved swiftly to dismantle the eunuch faction. He expelled Wei’s wet nurse, Ke Shi, and banned the construction of shrines to Wei. Faced with impeachment and stripped of protection, Wei Zhongxian was exiled to Fengyang. En route, upon receiving an order for his arrest, he hanged himself. His faction was purged, and the surviving members of the Eastern Grove were rehabilitated.
The Legacy of the Five
In gratitude, the people of Suzhou reburied the five martyrs near Tiger Hill. The renowned scholar Zhang Pu wrote the “Record of the Five Martyrs’ Tombstone” to immortalize their deed. The inscription highlighted a profound truth: while many high-ranking officials lost their integrity during the tyranny, these five commoners stood firm. Their sacrifice not only checked the power of the Eastern Depot but also demonstrated that ordinary citizens could play a decisive role in the fate of the nation.
Note
Zhou Shunchang
A righteous Donglin Party official. He openly defied Wei Zhongxian, was arrested, and later tortured to death. His arrest triggered the Suzhou Uprising.
Yan Peiwei
A brave Suzhou merchant who led citizens to resist the Eastern Depot thugs. One of the Five Martyrs.
Five Martyrs of Suzhou
Yan Peiwei, Yang Nianru, Ma Jie, Shen Yang, Zhou Wenyuan. They voluntarily surrendered to save the city from massacre and were executed.
Wei Zhongxian
The tyrannical chief eunuch who persecuted Donglin officials and ordered the arrest of Zhou Shunchang. He later committed suicide.
Mao Yilu
Governor of Suzhou, a loyal follower of Wei Zhongxian. He brutally suppressed the uprising and was cursed by the martyrs.
Emperor Sizong (Chongzhen)
The last Ming emperor. He overthrew Wei Zhongxian’s eunuch faction and rehabilitated the Donglin Party.
Suzhou Uprising (1626)
Thousands of Suzhou citizens revolted against Wei Zhongxian’s secret police (Eastern Depot) to protect the upright official Zhou Shunchang. They beat the agents and forced the governor to flee.
Sacrifice of the Five Martyrs
To avoid a military massacre, five ordinary citizens gave themselves up and were executed. They became symbols of civil courage.
Fall of Wei Zhongxian
After the Tianqi Emperor’s sudden death, Chongzhen Emperor quickly purged the eunuch party. Wei committed suicide during exile.
Donglin Party (Eastern Grove)
A group of honest scholar-officials who opposed corruption and eunuch dictatorship.
Eastern Depot (Dongchang)
Wei Zhongxian’s ruthless secret police force that arrested, tortured, and killed political opponents.
Record of the Five Martyrs’ Tombstone
A famous essay by scholar Zhang Pu that honors the five martyrs and praises their integrity.
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