The Rise to Power
Upon the death of the Longqing Emperor, the ten-year-old Wanli Emperor ascended the throne. Real power was vested in a triumvirate: the Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, the eunuch director of the Eastern Depot Feng Bao, and the Emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager Li. With their full support, Zhang launched a comprehensive reform program to save the declining dynasty. His policies focused on strict bureaucratic accountability, rewarding merit over seniority, and cracking down on corruption to improve administrative efficiency.
The “Denial of Mourning” Controversy
In 1577, Zhang’s father died. According to Confucian tradition, he was required to resign and mourn for three years. Unwilling to halt his reforms, Zhang was persuaded by allies to accept “duoqing” – a dispensation allowing him to remain in office during mourning. This decision sparked fierce opposition from scholars like Wu Zhongxing and Zou Yuanbiao, who viewed it as a violation of filial piety. The young Wanli Emperor, backed by Feng Bao, ordered these critics to be brutally flogged with court staves, silencing dissent but creating deep-seated resentment among the literati.
Economic Reforms: The Single Whip Law
Zhang Juzheng implemented the “Single Whip Law” nationwide. This policy consolidated various taxes and labor services into a single payment of silver based on land ownership and population. It simplified collection, reduced the burden on the poor, and curbed tax evasion by powerful landlords. Additionally, he commissioned the hydraulic expert Pan Jixun to manage the Yellow River. Using the method of “confining water to attack sand,” Pan successfully controlled the floods, stabilizing the agricultural economy.
The Posthumous Purge
As the Wanli Emperor matured, he grew resentful of Zhang’s strict tutelage and authoritarian style. Following Zhang’s death in 1582, the Emperor purged his former regents. Feng Bao was exiled, and the Emperor turned against Zhang’s legacy. Encouraged by Zhang’s political enemies, the Emperor posthumously stripped him of his titles, confiscated his family’s property, and exiled his descendants. The man who had effectively saved the Ming Dynasty was vilified as a tyrant, marking the end of the last great reform effort of the era.
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