Ming · Ming Grand Secretary

Wang Xijue 王錫爵

Attested AD 1573 - AD 1620

Passages
11
Chapters
3
Histories
2

Overview

Wang Xijue was a Ming Grand Secretary.

PeriodMing
IdentityHistorical · Male

Life and dates

Attested activity

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Key source chapters

  1. Draft History of Qing, Chapter 286 Volume 286 Biographies 73: Wang Shan, Lao Zhibian, Zhu Tianbao, Tao Yi 4 passages
  2. History of Ming, Chapter 219 Volume 219 Biographies 107: Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Xu Guo, Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Zhu Geng 6 passages
  3. History of Ming, Chapter 298 Volume 298 Biographies 186: Recluses 1 passage

Places and affiliations

Events and relationships

  • Grand secretary involved in the factional and succession disputes described throughout the chapter.
    Biographical event · Participant
    Directly stated · History of Ming 219, passage 24

References in the histories

11 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 219Volume 219 Biographies 107: Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Xu Guo, Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Zhu Geng · 6 passages
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十七年，進士薛敷教劾吳時來，南京御史王麟趾、黃仁榮疏論臺規，辭皆侵國．國憤，連疏力詆，幷及主事饒伸．伸方攻大學士王錫爵，公議益不直國．國性木強，遇事輒發．數與言者為難，無大臣度，以故士論不附． In the seventeenth year the new jinshi Xue Fujiao impeached Wu Shilai, and Nanjing Censors Wang Linzhi and Huang Renrong submitted memorials on censorate regulations that all touched Guo. Enraged, Guo answered with successive attacks, also dragging in Director Rao Shen. Shen was then attacking Grand Secretary Wang Xijue, and public opinion turned further against Guo. Stubborn by nature, Guo burst out whenever provoked. He repeatedly clashed with the censorate and lacked a grand minister's breadth, and scholarly opinion did not support him.
十九年秋，申時行謝政，薦志臯及張位自代．遂進禮部尚書兼東閣大學士，入參機務．明年春，王家屏罷，王錫爵召未至，志臯暫居首輔．會寧夏變起，兵事多所咨決．主事岳元聲疏論錫爵，中言當事者變亂傾危，為主事諸壽賢、給事中許弘綱所駁．志臯再辨，帝皆不問． In the autumn of the nineteenth year Shen Shixing resigned and recommended Zhigao and Zhang Wei as successors. Zhigao was promoted to Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. The next spring Wang Jiaping was dismissed; Wang Xijue had been summoned but had not arrived, and Zhigao temporarily served as chief grand secretary. When the Ningxia revolt broke out, many military matters were referred to him. Director Yue Yuansheng memorialized against Xijue, saying those in charge were stirring turmoil and endangering the state; Director Zhu Shouxian and Supervising Secretary Xu Honggang rebutted him. Zhigao defended himself again; the emperor made no inquiry in either case.
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.
張居正柄國，權震主．申時行繼之，勢猶盛．王錫爵性剛負氣，人亦畏之．志臯為首輔，年七十餘，耄矣，柔而懦，為朝士所輕，詬誶四起．其始為首輔也，值西華門災，御史趙文炳論之．無何，南京御史柳佐、給事中章守誠言，吏部郎顧憲成等空司而逐志臯，實激帝怒．已而給事中張濤、楊洵，御史冀體、況上進，南京評事龍起雷相繼披詆．而巡按御史吳崇禮劾其子兩淮運副鳳威，鳳威坐停俸．未幾，工部郎中岳元聲極言志臯宜放，給事中劉道亨詆尤力．志臯憤，言：「同一閣臣也，往日勢重而權有所歸，則相率附之以媒進．今日勢輕而權有所分，則相率擊之以博名．」因求退益切．帝慰諭之． When Zhang Juzheng held power his authority overshadowed the throne; Shen Shixing succeeded him with influence still strong; Wang Xijue was proud and formidable. Zhigao as chief grand secretary was over seventy, aged, gentle and timid, looked down on by court officials, and abuse erupted on every side. When he first became chief secretary, fire struck the Gate of Western Splendor and Censor Zhao Wenbing criticized him. Nanjing Censor Liu Zuo and Supervising Secretary Zhang Shoucheng said Personnel Director Gu Xiancheng and others had emptied the bureau and, in driving out Zhigao, had truly stirred the emperor's anger. Supervising Secretaries Zhang Tao and Yang Xun, Censors Ji Ti and Kuang Shangjin, and Nanjing Reviewer Long Qilei then launched fierce attacks in succession. Touring censor Wu Chongli impeached his son Fengwei, salt transport vice commissioner of the Two Huai, who was suspended from salary. Bureau Director Yue Yuansheng said Zhigao should be dismissed; Supervising Secretary Liu Daohang denounced him with especial force. Zhigao, angered, said: 'They are all Grand Secretaries alike. When power was heavy and authority had a center, they flocked to attach themselves for advancement. Now power is light and authority divided, and they flock to attack for renown.' He asked to withdraw all the more urgently; the emperor comforted him.
王錫爵還朝，帝適降諭三王並封，以待嫡為辭．而志臯、位遽請帝篤修交泰，早兆高禖，議者竊哂之．趙南星以考察事褫官，朝士詆錫爵者多及位．錫爵去，志臯為首輔．位與志臯相厚善．志臯衰，位精悍敢任，政事多所裁決．時黜陟權盡還吏部，政府不得侵撓．位深憾之，事多掣其肘．以故孫鑨、陳有年、孫丕揚、蔡國珍皆不安其位而去． When Wang Xijue returned to court the emperor had just issued an edict enfeoffing all three princes, using the wait for a legitimate heir as pretext. Zhigao and Wei hastily asked the emperor to cultivate harmony between heaven and earth and pray early at the Gao Mei altar; critics privately laughed. Zhao Nanxing was stripped of office in the review affair; many who denounced Xijue also implicated Wei. When Xijue left, Zhigao became chief secretary. Wei was close to Zhigao; as Zhigao declined, Wei was sharp and bold and decided much of the business of government. Appointment and dismissal had returned entirely to the Ministry of Personnel, and the secretariat could not interfere. Wei deeply resented this and often checked its hand, so Sun Long, Chen Younian, Sun Piyang, and Cai Guozhen all left their posts in discomfort.
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.
History of Ming, Chapter 298Volume 298 Biographies 186: Recluses · 1 passage
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Draft History of Qing, Chapter 286Volume 286 Biographies 73: Wang Shan, Lao Zhibian, Zhu Tianbao, Tao Yi · 4 passages
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既而御史陶彝等十二人連名入奏，上疑出掞意，大怒，召諸王大臣，降旨責掞植黨希榮，且謂：「錫爵在明神宗時，力奏建儲，泰昌在位，未及數月，天啟庸懦，天下大亂，至愍帝而不能守。 Then Censors Tao Yi and eleven others submitted a joint memorial. Suspecting Shan had orchestrated it, the emperor flew into a rage, summoned the princes and senior ministers, and rebuked Shan for faction-building and ambition. He said: "Under the Ming Shenzong, Xijue pressed hard for an heir. Taichang reigned only months. Tianqi was weak, the realm collapsed, and even Chongzhen could not hold the state.