Ming · Consort

Empress Dowager Cisheng 慈聖太后

Attested AD 1574 - AD 1594

Passages
2
Chapters
1
Histories
1

Overview

Empress Dowager Cisheng was a consort.

PeriodMing
IdentityHistorical
RolesConsort

Life and dates

Attested activity

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Events and relationships

References in the histories

History of Ming, Chapter 219Volume 219 Biographies 107: Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Xu Guo, Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Zhu Geng · 2 passages
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四維家素封，歲時餽問居正不絕．武清伯李偉，慈聖太后父也，故籍山西，四維結為援．萬曆二年復召掌詹事府．明年三月，居正請增置閣臣，引薦四維，馮保亦與善，遂以禮部尚書兼東閣大學士入贊機務．當是時，政事一決居正．居正無所推讓，視同列蔑如也．四維由居正進，謹事之，不敢相可否，隨其後，拜賜進官而已．居正卒，四維始當國．累加至少師、吏部尚書、中極殿大學士． The Siwei family had long been wealthy, and year round they kept up gifts and courtesies to Zhang Juzheng. Li Wei, the Military Noble of Wuqing and father of the Empress Dowager Cisheng, was originally registered in Shanxi; Siwei cultivated him as a backer. In the second year of Wanli he was recalled to head the Household of the Heir Apparent. The following March, Juzheng asked to add Grand Secretaries and recommended Siwei; Feng Bao also favored him, and Siwei entered the secretariat as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. At that time all policy flowed from Juzheng alone. He made no show of deference and treated his colleagues with open contempt. Siwei had risen through Juzheng and served him carefully, never daring to disagree; he simply followed along, accepting honors and promotions as they came. Only after Juzheng's death did Siwei take charge of the government, rising eventually to Junior Preceptor, Minister of Personnel, and Grand Secretary of the Central Peak Hall.
二十一年，錫爵還朝，明年五月遂歸，志臯始當國．遼東失事，詔褫巡撫韓取善職，逮副使馮時泰詔獄，而總兵官楊紹勳止下御史問．給事中吳文梓等論其失平，志臯亦言：「封疆被寇，武臣罪也．今寬紹勳而深罪文吏，武臣益恣，文吏益喪氣．」帝不從，時泰竟謫戍．皇太后誕辰，帝受賀畢，召見輔臣暖閣，志臯論宥御史彭應參．言官乞減織造，志臯等因合詞請．尋極論章奏留中之弊，請盡付諸曹議行．帝惡中官張誠黨霍文炳，以言官不舉發，貶黜者三十餘人．志臯等連疏諫，皆不納．累坐少傅，加太子太傅，改建極殿． In the twenty-first year Xijue returned to court; the next May he went home, and Zhigao at last took charge of the government. After the Liaodong disaster an edict stripped Grand Coordinator Han Qushan and sent Vice Commissioner Feng Shitai to prison, while supreme commander Yang Shaoxun was only referred to the censorate. Supervising Secretaries Wu Wenzi and others called this unfair; Zhigao said: 'When the frontier is invaded, military officers bear the guilt. Lenience toward Shaoxun and harsh punishment of civil officials will embolden the military and dishearten the civil service.' The emperor did not agree; Shitai was banished to border garrison duty. On the empress dowager's birthday the emperor summoned the assisting ministers to the warm pavilion; Zhigao spoke of pardoning Censor Peng Yingcan. Censorate officials asked to reduce imperial weaving, and Zhigao jointly petitioned. He then strongly criticized memorials held in the inner court and asked that all be sent to the ministries for action. The emperor hated the eunuch Zhang Cheng and his partisan Huo Wenbing; because censorate officials did not expose them, more than thirty were demoted. Zhigao remonstrated repeatedly, but none was accepted. He rose to Junior Tutor, then Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and moved to the Jijidian.