Ming · Chief Grand Secretary

Shen Yiguan 沈一貫

Attested AD 1596 - AD 1606

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4
Chapters
1
Histories
1

Overview

Shen Yiguan was a Chief Grand Secretary.

PeriodMing
IdentityHistorical

Life and dates

Attested activity

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 · 4 passages
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二十四年，兩宮災，礦稅議起，位等不能沮．及奸人請稅煤炭，開臨清皇店，位與沈一貫乃執奏不可，不報．明年春，偕一貫陳經理朝鮮事宜．請於開城、平壤建置重鎮，練兵屯田，通商惠工，省中國輸輓．且擇人為長帥，分署朝鮮八道，為持久計．事下朝鮮議．其國君臣慮中國遂幷其土，疏陳非便，乃寢．頃之，日本封事壞，位力薦參政楊鎬才，請付以朝鮮軍務．鎬遭父喪，又請奪情視事，且薦邢玠為總督．帝皆從之．位已進禮部尚書，改文淵閣，以甘肅破賊叙功，加太子太保，復以延鎮功，進少保、吏部尚書，改武英殿． In the twenty-fourth year both palaces burned and debate over mining taxes arose; Wei and the others could not stop it. When schemers asked to tax coal and open an imperial shop at Linqing, Wei and Shen Yiguan firmly memorialized that this could not be allowed; no reply came. The next spring, together with Yiguan, he set forth plans for administering Korean affairs: strong garrisons at Kaesong and Pyongyang, trained troops and garrison fields, open commerce and favored crafts, and reduced transport from China; men should be chosen as chief commanders over Korea's eight circuits as a long-term plan. The matter was sent to Korea for deliberation; its ruler and ministers feared annexation, stated the disadvantage, and the plan was shelved. When the Japanese enfeoffment failed, Wei strongly recommended Vice Commissioner Yang Hao and asked that Korean military affairs be entrusted to him. Hao met his father's death; Wei asked that mourning be set aside so he could serve, and recommended Xing Jie as supreme commander. The emperor agreed to all. Wei had risen to Minister of Rites and the Wenyuange; for crushing bandits in Gansu he was made Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince; for merit on the Yan frontier he became Junior Guardian and Minister of Personnel and moved to the Wuying Hall.
二十九年秋，趙志臯卒，沈一貫獨當國，請增置閣臣．帝素慮大臣植黨，欲用林居及久廢者．詔賡以故官兼東閣大學士參預機務，遣行人召之．再辭，不允．明年四月詣闕，即捐一歲俸助殿工．其秋極陳礦稅之害，帝不能用．既而與一貫及沈鯉共獻守成、遣使、權宜三論，大指為礦稅發，賡手筆也．賡於己邸門獲妖書，而書辭誣賡動搖國本，大懼．立以疏聞，乞避位．帝慰諭有加．一貫倡羣小窮治不已．賡在告，再貽書一貫，請速具獄無株連，事乃得解． In the autumn of the twenty-ninth year Zhao Zhigao died; Shen Yiguan alone held the government and asked to add Grand Secretaries. The emperor had long feared faction among grand ministers and wished to use men in retirement and those long out of office. An edict appointed Geng to his former post as Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion; a courier was sent to summon him. He declined twice and was refused. The next April he came to court and immediately donated one year's salary to aid hall construction. That autumn he strongly set forth the harm of mining taxes; the emperor could not adopt it. Then together with Yiguan and Shen Li he submitted the three treatises On Maintaining the Achievement, On Dispatching Envoys, and On Expedient Measures—prompted chiefly by mining taxes and written in Geng's own hand. Geng found a sorcerous book at his own gate slandering him as shaking the foundation of the state and was greatly afraid; he immediately reported it and asked to step aside. The emperor comforted him warmly. Yiguan led his petty partisans in pressing the investigation without end. Geng, on leave, wrote Yiguan again asking that the case be quickly concluded without implicating others, and the affair was resolved.
三十四年，一貫、鯉去位，賡獨當國，年七十有二矣．朝政日弛，中外解體．賡疏揭月數上，十不能一下．御史宋燾首諷切賡，給事中汪若霖繼之．賡緣二人言，力請帝更新庶政，於增閣臣、補大僚、充言路三事語尤切．帝優詔答之而不行．賡乃素服詣文華門懇請，終不得命．賡以老，屢引疾，閣中空無人．帝諭簡閣臣，而廷臣慮帝出中旨如往年趙志臯、張位故事．賡力疾請付廷推，乃用于慎行、李廷機、葉向高，而召王錫爵於家，以為首輔．給事中王元翰、胡忻以廷機之用，賡實主之，疏詆廷機並侵賡．賡疏辭，帝為切責言者．既而姜士昌及燾被謫，言路謂出賡意，益不平．禮部主事鄭振先遂劾賡十二大罪，且言賡與一貫、錫爵為過去、見在、未來三身．帝怒，貶振先三秩．俄以言官論救，再貶二秩． In the thirty-fourth year Yiguan and Shen Li left office; Geng alone held the government at seventy-two. Court governance slackened daily and the state fell apart inside and out. Geng submitted memorials month after month; nine out of ten received no response. Censor Song Tao was first to criticize him sharply; Supervising Secretary Wang Ruolin followed. On their words Geng strongly asked the emperor to renew governance, speaking with especial force on adding Grand Secretaries, filling high posts, and staffing the censorate. The emperor replied favorably but did not act. Geng then went in plain dress to the Gate of Literary Glory to plead and received no order. Old and repeatedly pleading illness, he left the Grand Secretariat empty. The emperor ordered selection of Grand Secretaries, but court officials feared edicts from the inner court as in the days of Zhao Zhigao and Zhang Wei. Geng, forcing himself despite illness, asked that selection be entrusted to court recommendation; Yu Shenxing, Li Tingji, and Ye Xianggao were appointed, and Wang Xijue was recalled from home as chief secretary. Supervising Secretaries Wang Yuanhan and Hu Xin, saying Tingji's appointment was Geng's doing, denounced Tingji and attacked Geng. Geng declined; the emperor sharply rebuked the censorate. Jiang Shichang and Song Tao were then demoted; the censorate believed this came from Geng and grew more resentful. Rites Director Zheng Zhenxian impeached Geng on twelve major counts and said Geng with Yiguan and Xijue formed the three bodies of past, present, and future. The emperor demoted Zhenxian three ranks; when censorate officials pleaded for him he was demoted two ranks more.