Ming · Chief Grand Secretary

Zhang Juzheng 張居正

Attested AD 1572 - AD 1582

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Zhang Juzheng was a Chief Grand Secretary.

PeriodMing
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11 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 219Volume 219 Biographies 107: Zhang Siwei, Ma Ziqiang, Xu Guo, Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Zhu Geng · 11 passages
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初，趙貞吉去位，拱欲援四維入閣，而殷士儋夤緣得之，諸人遂相搆．及御史趙應龍劾士儋，士儋未去，言路復有劾四維者．四維已進左侍郎，不得已引去，無何士儋亦去．東宮出閤，召四維充侍班官．給事中曹大埜言四維賄拱得召，四維馳疏辨，求罷．帝不許，趣入朝．未至而穆宗崩，拱罷政，張居正當國，復移疾歸． When Zhao Zhenji left office, Gao Gong wanted to bring Siwei into the Grand Secretariat, but Yin Shidan won the post through patronage, and the two factions turned on each other. After Censor Zhao Yinglong impeached Shidan—who had not yet left office—the censorate also moved against Siwei. Siwei, already promoted to Left Vice Minister, had no choice but to withdraw; Shidan soon followed. When the crown prince left seclusion, Siwei was summoned as a court attendant. Supervising Secretary Cao Dayan charged that Siwei had bribed Gao for the appointment; Siwei sent an urgent memorial in reply and asked to be dismissed. The emperor refused and ordered him to come to court. Before he arrived, Emperor Muzong died, Gao Gong fell from power, Zhang Juzheng took over the government, and Siwei again pleaded illness and went home.
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.
初，四維曲事居正，積不能堪，擬旨不盡如居正意，居正亦漸惡之．既得政，知中外積苦居正，欲大收人心．會皇子生，頒詔天下，疏言：「今法紀修明，海宇寧謐，足稱治平．而文武諸臣，不達朝廷勵精本意，務為促急煩碎，致徵斂無藝，政令乖舛，中外囂然，喪其樂生之心．誠宜及此大慶，蕩滌煩苛，弘敷惠澤，俾四海烝黎，咸戴帝德，此固人心培國脈之要術也．」帝嘉納之．自是，朝政稍變，言路亦發舒，詆居正時事． Siwei had long endured humbling himself before Juzheng; the drafts he prepared did not always suit Juzheng's mind, and Juzheng in turn grew to dislike him. Once in power, knowing how deeply the court and country had resented Juzheng, he sought to win people back on a broad scale. When a prince was born and an edict went out to the empire, he submitted a memorial: 'Law and discipline are now clear, the realm is at peace, and the age may be called well governed. Yet civil and military officials, missing the court's intent to govern with vigor, have turned urgent, harsh, and petty; levies know no bounds, orders go awry, and uproar inside and outside the court has killed the people's will to live in peace. On this great occasion we should sweep away vexing severity, spread broad grace, and let all under heaven cherish the emperor's virtue—this is how to nourish popular sentiment and strengthen the state's lifeline.' The emperor praised and accepted it. From then on court policy shifted somewhat, the censorate grew bolder, and denunciations of Juzheng's era multiplied.
於是居正黨大懼．王篆、曾省吾輩，厚結申時行以為助．而馮保欲因兩宮徽號封己為伯，惡四維持之．篆、省吾知之，厚賄保，數短四維； Juzheng's faction was now deeply alarmed. Wang Zhuan, Zeng Shengwu, and others cultivated Shen Shixing as an ally. Feng Bao, hoping to use the posthumous titles of the two palaces to secure an earldom for himself, resented Siwei's opposition. Zhuan and Shengwu learned of this, bribed Bao heavily, and repeatedly slandered Siwei;
於是四維稍汲引海內正人為居正所沉抑者．雖未即盡登用，然力反前事，時望頗屬焉．雲南貢金後期，帝欲罪守土官，又詔取雲南舊貯礦銀二十萬，皆以四維言而止．尋以父喪歸．服將闋，卒．贈太師，諡文毅． Siwei then began to bring forward upright men throughout the realm whom Juzheng had suppressed. Not all were appointed at once, but he vigorously reversed earlier policies, and public hopes settled on him. When Yunnan's tribute gold arrived late, the emperor wanted to punish the local officials; when he also ordered two hundred thousand taels of stored mining silver taken from Yunnan, Siwei's remonstrance stopped both measures. He soon went home for his father's mourning. Before mourning ended, he died. He was posthumously made Grand Preceptor with the posthumous name Wenyi.
六年三月，居正將歸葬父．念閣臣在鄉里者，高拱與己有深隙，殷士儋多奧援，或乘間以出，惟徐階老易與，擬薦之自代．已遣使報階，既念階前輩，己還，當位其下，乃請增置閣臣．帝即令居正推擇，遂以人望薦自強及所厚申時行．詔加自強太子太保兼文淵閣大學士，與時行並參機務．自強初以救吳中行、趙用賢忤居正，自分不敢望，及制下，人更以是多居正．時呂調陽、張四維先在閣．調陽衰，數寢疾不出，小事四維代擬旨，大事則馳報居正於江陵，聽其裁決．自強雖持正，亦不能有為，守位而已． In the third month of the sixth year Zhang Juzheng was about to go home to bury his father. He thought of Grand Secretaries still in their home districts: Gao Gong bore him a deep grudge, Yin Shidan had many powerful backers and might seize an opening, and only the aged Xu Jie seemed manageable—he planned to recommend Jie as his stand-in. He had already sent a messenger to Jie, but then reflected that Jie was his senior and that on returning he would have to serve beneath him, so he asked instead to add Grand Secretaries. The emperor ordered Juzheng to choose men; he recommended Ziqiang and his own protégé Shen Shixing on grounds of public esteem. An edict made Ziqiang Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince and Grand Secretary of the Wenyuange, to join Shixing in state deliberations. Ziqiang had offended Juzheng by pleading for Wu Zhongxing and Zhao Yongxian and had not dared hope for appointment; when the order came, people praised Juzheng all the more for magnanimity. Lü Diaoyang and Zhang Siwei were already in the secretariat. Diaoyang was failing, often ill and absent; Siwei drafted minor edicts in his place, while major matters were rushed to Juzheng at Jiangling for decision. Though upright, Ziqiang could accomplish nothing and merely held his seat.
趙志臯，字汝邁，蘭谿人．隆慶二年進士及第，授編修．萬曆初，進侍讀．張居正奪情，將廷杖吳中行、趙用賢．志臯偕張位、習孔教等疏救，格不上，則請以中行等疏宣付史館，居正恚．會星變考察京朝官，遂出志臯為廣東副使．居三年，再以京察謫其官．居正歿，言者交薦，起解州同知．旋改南京太僕丞，歷國子監司業、祭酒，再遷吏部右侍郎，並在南京．尋召為吏部左侍郎． Zhao Zhigao, styled Rumai, came from Lanxi. He topped the jinshi in the second year of Longqing and was appointed compiler. At the start of Wanli he became reader. When Zhang Juzheng resumed mourning while still in office and was about to have Wu Zhongxing and Zhao Yongxian beaten at court, Zhigao joined Zhang Wei, Xi Kongjiao, and others in memorializing for them. The memorials were blocked; they then asked that Wu and Zhao's memorials be proclaimed and sent to the Historiography Office. Juzheng was furious. During the stellar-portent review of capital officials Zhigao was sent to Guangdong as vice commissioner. After three years he was demoted again in the capital review. After Juzheng's death, censorate officials recommended him and he was appointed assistant prefect of Jiezhou, then Nanjing assistant director of the Ministry of Works, vice director and chancellor of the National University, and twice Right Vice Minister of Personnel—all in Nanjing. He was soon recalled as Left Vice Minister of Personnel.
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.
萬曆元年，位以前代皆有起居注，而本朝獨無，疏言：「臣備員纂修，竊見先朝政事，自非出於詔令，形諸章疏，悉湮沒無考．鴻猷茂烈，鬱而未章，徒使野史流傳，用偽亂真．今史官充位，無以自効．宜日分數人入直，凡詔旨起居，朝端政務，皆據見聞書之，待內閣裁定，為他年實錄之助．」張居正善其議，奏行焉． In the first year of Wanli, Wei noted that earlier dynasties all kept diaries of activity and presence while the present dynasty alone had none, and submitted a memorial: 'Your servant serves among the compilers and sees that affairs of former reigns, unless they issued as edicts or appeared in memorials, are lost without trace. Great achievements remain unrecorded, and unofficial histories spread falsity. Historiographers today hold empty posts with no way to do useful service. Several men should attend duty each day and record all edicts, conduct, and court governance as witnessed, for the Grand Secretariat to approve, as material for future Veritable Records.' Zhang Juzheng approved and had it implemented.
後以救吳中行、趙用賢忤居正意．時已遷侍講，抑授南京司業．未行，復以京察，謫徐州同知．居正卒之明年，用給事中馮景隆、御史孫維城薦，[二]擢南京尚寶丞．俄召為左中允，管司業事，進祭酒．疏陳六事，多議行．以禮部右侍郎，教習庶吉士，引疾歸．詔起故官，協理詹事府，辭不赴．久之，以申時行薦，拜吏部左侍郎兼東閣大學士，與趙志臯並命． Later, for pleading for Wu Zhongxing and Zhao Yongxian he offended Juzheng. Though already promoted to lecturer, he was demoted to vice director of studies in Nanjing. Before he left he was demoted again in the capital review to assistant prefect of Xuzhou. The year after Juzheng died, on recommendation of Supervising Secretary Feng Jinglong and Censor Sun Weicheng, [2] he was promoted to assistant director in the Nanjing Court of Imperial Seals. Soon he was recalled as left middle submitter, managed the duties of vice director of studies, and rose to chancellor. He memorialized on six matters, many of which were adopted. As Right Vice Minister of Rites and instructor of Hanlin bachelors he pleaded illness and went home. An edict recalled him to assist in the Household of the Heir Apparent; he declined. Long afterward, on Shen Shixing's recommendation, he was appointed Left Vice Minister of Personnel and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, together with Zhao Zhigao.