SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

literary inquisition

  • The Emperor’s Penance: Redressing Wrongs to Summon Rain

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    Juan

    Brief: This article tells how the Jiaqing Emperor restored stability after executing Heshen. He redressed unjust cases from Qianlong’s literary inquisition, pardoned critical scholar Hong Liangji, and issued a self‑blaming edict during a severe drought. Heavy rain fell the night Hong was pardoned, showing the emperor’s repentance and commitment to good governance.

  • The Emperor’s Ink: Compiling and Burning

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    Juan

    Brief: This article describes the Qianlong Emperor’s cultural legacy. He compiled the massive Siku Quanshu led by scholar Ji Xiaolan, but also launched severe literary inquisition and censorship. Many anti‑Qing books were destroyed, and scholars were punished for trivial wording. It shows both his effort to preserve culture and his strict ideological control.

  • The tragedy of Cui Yan [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    After capturing Yecheng, Cao Cao promptly executed the highly meritorious Xu You to win the hearts of the people in Jizhou (Ji Province) and secure the support of the local gentry. Simultaneously, he began seeking out influential local talents to join his ranks, aiming to consolidate his rule over Ji Province.