Ming · Official

Yang Hao 楊鎬

Attested AD 1597 - AD 1598

Passages
3
Chapters
1
Histories
1

Overview

Yang Hao was an official.

PeriodMing
IdentityHistorical

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 · 3 passages
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初，日本封貢議起，石星力主之．志臯亦冀無事，相與應和．及封事敗，議者蜂起，凡劾星者必及志臯．志臯每被言，輒疏辨求退，帝悉勉留．先嘗譴言者以謝之，後言者益切，則多寢不下，而留志臯益堅．迨封事大壞，星坐欺罔下獄論死，位亦以楊鎬故褫官，而志臯終不問．然志臯已病不能視事，乞休疏累上，御史于永清、給事中桂有根復疏論之．志臯身在牀褥，於罷礦、建儲諸大政，數力疾草疏爭，帝歲時恩賜亦如故． When debate over Japan's enfeoffment and tribute arose, Shi Xing strongly advocated it; Zhigao too hoped for peace and joined in assent. When enfeoffment failed, critics swarmed; whoever attacked Xing also implicated Zhigao. Whenever Zhigao was attacked he defended himself and asked to retire; the emperor always urged him to stay. At first he sometimes rebuked censorate officials to mollify Zhigao; later, as attacks grew fiercer, many memorials were shelved while Zhigao was retained all the more firmly. When the enfeoffment collapsed entirely, Xing was imprisoned for deception and sentenced to death; Wei was stripped of office over Yang Hao, while Zhigao was never questioned. Yet Zhigao was already ill and unable to conduct affairs; retirement memorials piled up, and Censor Yu Yongqing and Supervising Secretary Gui Yougen attacked him again. Confined to his sickbed, he repeatedly forced himself to draft memorials on great policies such as abolishing mining and establishing the heir; the emperor's seasonal gifts continued as before.
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.
位初官翰林，聲望甚重，朝士冀其大用．及入政府，招權示威，素望漸衰．給事中劉道亨劾位奸貪數十事．位憤，力辨，遂落道亨三官．呂坤、張養蒙與孫丕揚交好，而沈思孝、徐作、劉應秋、劉楚先、戴士衡、楊廷蘭則與位善，各有所左右．丕揚嘗劾位，指道亨為其黨．道亨恥之，劾位以自解．已而贊畫主事丁應泰劾楊鎬喪師，言位與鎬密書往來，朋黨欺罔，鎬拔擢由賄位得之．帝怒下廷議．位惶恐奏辨，帝猶慰留．給事中趙完璧、徐觀瀾復交章論．位窘，亟奏：「羣言交攻，孤忠可憫．臣心無纖毫愧，惟上矜察．」帝怒曰：「鎬由卿密揭屢薦，故奪哀授任．今乃朋欺隱慝，辱國損威，猶云無愧．」遂奪職閒住． When Wei first served in the Hanlin Academy his reputation was very high and court officials hoped for great things from him. Once in government he wielded power to awe others and his standing gradually waned. Supervising Secretary Liu Daohang impeached him on dozens of counts of wickedness and greed; Wei, enraged, defended himself and had Daohang stripped of three ranks. Lü Kun and Zhang Yangmeng were friendly with Sun Piyang, while Shen Sixiao, Xu Zuo, Liu Yingqiu, Liu Chuxian, Dai Shiheng, and Yang Tinglan were friendly with Wei; each side had its partisans. Piyang once impeached Wei and identified Daohang as his partisan; shamed, Daohang impeached Wei to clear himself. Planning Secretary Ding Yingtai then impeached Yang Hao for losing the army, saying Wei exchanged secret letters with Hao, that their faction deceived and concealed wrongdoing, and that Hao's promotion came through bribing Wei. The emperor angrily sent the matter to court deliberation. Wei fearfully defended himself; the emperor still kept him in office. Supervising Secretaries Zhao Wanbi and Xu Guanlan attacked him again. Cornered, Wei submitted: 'Denunciations attack from every side; lone loyalty deserves pity. Your servant's heart has not the slightest shame—may Your Majesty examine and show mercy.' The emperor angrily said: 'Hao was repeatedly recommended through your secret memorials, therefore mourning was set aside and he was appointed. Now you conspire in deceit and conceal wickedness, disgracing the state and diminishing authority, yet still say you have no shame.' He was stripped of office and sent into retirement.