Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 475: Reading Scrolls in Wenhua Hall and Stories from the Previous Dynasty
The examination papers were read in the rear hall of the Wenhua Hall, also known as the Zhujing Hall, which was also the venue for the Jingyan (imperial lecture).

The rear hall, the Zhujing Hall, was similar in layout to the main hall, the Wenhua Hall, also five bays wide and three bays deep. However, it was slightly shallower than the main hall. To allow ample standing space for officials attending the imperial lectures, the emperor's throne was not placed in the central chamber enclosed by four pillars, but in the third chamber, closer to the rear entrance. While not as large as the emperor's throne on the Xumi pedestal in the Huangji Hall, it was still the only chair in the entire Zhujing Hall.

Directly in front of the throne lay a long rosewood table, much longer than the throne itself. It was tightly covered from top to bottom by a specially crafted bright yellow silk curtain, so tightly that only by lying on the ground could one barely see the ends of the table legs.

On either side of the long rosewood table stood two rows of tables, each made up of several long tables. Like the main table, the rows of tables were completely covered with a long vermilion silk cloth, making it look like there were only two extremely long tables.

In the Forbidden City, neither the throne nor the desk are rare objects. The truly noteworthy ornament is the screen immediately behind the throne.

This screen was specially made by Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng in the second year of the Wanli reign for the twelve-year-old emperor who was studying in the Wenhua Hall. It depicts the fifteen territories and official positions of the emperor.

The daily notes record:

"In the second year of the Wanli reign, on the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, the emperor lectured in the Wenhua Palace, and his ministers, including Zhang Juzheng, presented fifteen official screens.

Zhang Juzheng said: The key to pacifying the people lies in knowing people. To judge the talents of officials, one must examine their background. However, the ruler is in a high position and controls the whole country, but he does not even know the names and addresses of his ministers. How can he judge their abilities and promote or demote them one by one? The emperor is wise and dedicated to governing the country. Today, he does not yet know the overall situation of the world, and he is not yet familiar with the duties of various departments. Even if he wants to make a careful assessment, he has no way to do so.

We, the ministers, have sought to promote virtue and develop the wisdom of the sage. We have commissioned Minister of Personnel Zhang Han and Minister of War Tan Lun to investigate the names, birthplaces, and qualifications of all civil and military officials in the two capitals and throughout the capital, from the prefectural level down to the prefectural level. We have therefore commissioned the construction of an imperial screen. The three central panels will depict a map of the empire's territory. The six left panels will list the titles of civil officials, and the six right panels will list the titles of military officials. Each panel will be a floating scroll, easily rotated. Every ten days, the Ministry will send a list of promoted and transferred officials to the Cabinet. We will then have the Secretariat replace the scrolls. The screen will be hung behind the Wenhua Hall.

The emperor replied: "Thank you for your concern, sir. I understand."

If we only read this passage about tributes and responses between the emperor and his subjects, we would only know that "in the early years of the Wanli reign, the Prime Minister Zhang Wenzhong created a screen with inscriptions on the fifteen territories of the world and official titles to promote virtue and develop wisdom." At most, we would sigh at the loyalty of the minister to the emperor and the harmonious relationship between teacher and student. However, subsequent events have added a lot of lamentation to this incident.

On the Bingwu day of June in the tenth year of the Wanli reign, Zhang Juzheng, the Grand Tutor and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Minister of Personnel and Grand Secretary of Zhongji Palace, died. The emperor was shocked and mourned and suspended court for one day.

However, by this time, the emperor, who was nearly twenty years old and in the midst of rebellion, had already decided to liquidate his teacher and began the process of taking power himself.

On the third and fourth days after Zhang Juzheng's death, seven censors, including the Imperial Censors Lei Shizhen, Wei Yunzhen, Wang Guo, and Imperial Secretary Wang Jiguang, successively impeached Pan Sheng, whom Zhang Juzheng had recommended for cabinet appointment before his death. This led to Pan's dismissal before he could even take up his post. Pan Sheng's dismissal was only the beginning of the anti-Zhang movement, but its occurrence three days after Zhang Juzheng's death and the day after his return to court clearly demonstrates the emperor's deep resentment towards his teacher.

As expected, over the next two years, the emperor took extremely drastic measures to overthrow Zhang and Feng. The Zhang family suffered a great disaster as a result, with the son and mother dying, and Zhang Juzheng himself was almost dragged out of the grave and mutilated.

In August of the 12th year of the Wanli reign, the Censorate and other government offices reported the former Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng. According to imperial decree, Zhang Juzheng had slandered the relatives of the vassal states, seized the royal tombs and mansions, suppressed the censors, obstructed the emperor's intelligence, abused power and disrupted government, betrayed the emperor's grace, and committed disloyalty to the country. He should have been buried and mutilated, but in consideration of his years of service, he was spared.

The words "forgiveness" were the Emperor's last act of tenderness towards Mr. Zhang, despite his passionate temper. However, even if his body were to be dismembered, Mr. Zhang, already deceased, would not have known about it.

Just as Mr. Zhang will never know, in the 24th year of the Wanli reign, the emperor, who was over 30 years old, no longer passionate, and no longer trusted the censors, moved to the Qixiang Palace with the empress due to disasters in the Qianqing and Kunning Palaces. He ordered people to build a small screen in imitation of the one that had been placed in the Wenhua Hall since 22 years ago, and placed it in the main hall of the new residence.

Why didn't the book screen be burned at that time? Perhaps the emperor himself didn't know.

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At around 6:15 AM, the examiners who had attended the banquet, led by the Chief Minister Fang Congzhe and the Second Chief Minister Ye Xianggao, lined up on both sides of the imperial road in front of Wenhua Gate in the order of odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right.

About a quarter of an hour later, the Wenhua Gate opened, and Wang An, the seal-holding eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, and Wei Chao, the chief eunuch in charge of pens, walked out from the left and right doorways. They greeted Fang Congzhe and Ye Xianggao respectively, and said, "Gentlemen, please come in."

"Thank you for leading the way." Fang Congzhe and Ye Xianggao returned the greeting.

Led by the eunuchs Wang and Wei, seventeen examiners passed through the Wenhua Gate, the Wenhua Main Hall, and the corridor in front of the Zhujing Hall, and stood in the open space in front of the main desk.

At this time, the emperor had not arrived yet, so the examiners were able to look around at the furnishings of the Main Hall.

Fang Congzhe, though old, was not blind. He noticed that the screen behind the throne, which still had many vacancies, had been filled considerably since his last visit. Furthermore, the entries under the Ministry of Rites section showed that it had been recently updated. The name and birthplace of the newly appointed Right Vice Minister of Rites, Li Tengfang, were also posted behind it.

However, Fang Congzhe didn't think it was useful, because since the serious illness last August, Emperor Taichang hadn't held a lecture on classics, and even the place where the princes were taught was set up near the Huangji Hall. This thing was placed here purely for show.

Fang Congzhe also discovered that there was an ordinary set of clothes hanging in the left corner of the hall. Just as Fang Congzhe was pondering the origin of this set of clothes, the sound of a door opening came from behind the screen. Then, there was the sound of slow footsteps.

Everyone was stunned, withdrew their thoughts, and focused all their attention on the sound of footsteps that were getting closer and closer.

Soon, Emperor Zhu Changluo appeared in front of everyone, surrounded by three other eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department.

Zhu Changluo walked around the screen and came to the throne. Before he could sit down, everyone in the hall had already knelt.

"Long live our emperor, long live him, long live his!" Fang Congzhe led the others in bowing and shouting "Long live the emperor!"

Zhu Changluo slowly sat down and did not respond immediately. Only after the morning bell had struck and faded into the distance did he say, "Gentlemen, please stand up." The examination papers were not so solemn, and the emperor's posture and tone were much more casual.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The emperor could be casual, but his subjects did not dare to be so. Fang Congzhe and the others still thanked the emperor and kowtowed in a serious manner before getting up from the ground.

Zhu Changluo had nothing much to say and simply announced the start of the examination. "Read the papers." "We respectfully accept the imperial edict to select the best for the country," Fang Congzhe replied. Then, following established practice, the seventeen examiners approached the left and right tables, already laden with answer papers, and pretentiously assumed the posture of reviewing and selecting.

Not long after, the seventeen examiners each "selected" a favorite excellent paper, and brought these excellent papers back to the center of the open space, pretending to discuss them.

The scene before him reminded Zhu Changluo of the time he went to the Xiannongtan Temple in Nancheng during the first month of the previous year to perform the ploughing ceremony. Like the performance now underway, the ploughing ceremony was also a highly symbolic "drama," complete with actual actors and actresses.

Before the formal ploughing ceremony, the Ministry of Rites would instruct the Jiaofangsi to select outstanding actors to play the gods of agriculture, Tai Sui, wind and cloud, thunder and rain, five mountains, five towns, four seas, four rivers and Zhongshan who were worshipped in the various halls of the altar. The Shuntian Prefecture would also summon about 200 good farmers from Daxing and Wanping counties under its jurisdiction to serve as actors to watch and participate in the ceremony.

At the beginning, two officials sent by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue led the oxen, two elders selected from two hundred good farmers held the plow, and the other designated farmers carried various farm tools, including hoes, sickles, dung baskets and buckets, etc., and pretended to be farming in the one and a half acres of land, waiting for the emperor to arrive.

The emperor himself certainly wouldn't use ordinary farm tools, let alone something as filthy as a dung bucket or a shovel. The farm tools the Ministry of Works provided for the emperor were all lacquered and gold-carved with dragons. Using such tools to plow the land would be a loss-making undertaking, even if there was a harvest.

Of course, the emperor didn't have to actually plow the fields. Conventionally, he simply held the whip in his left hand and the plow handle in his right, walked behind the oxen, and followed officials sent by the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Households and elders of good families through the fields three times. This was considered the completion of his personal plowing duties.

After the plowing was complete, the emperor simply sat on the viewing platform and watched as a group of high-ranking officials, led by the Minister of Revenue, continued their work. Minister Li Ruhua, despite being ill, forced himself to complete the ceremony. This was the first time he had participated in a plowing ceremony in the presence of the emperor since he assumed the seal of the Ministry of Revenue in the 39th year of the Wanli reign. The old man was so moved that he even choked up as he walked. It was unclear what he was lamenting.

After the plowing, it was time to sow. Traditionally, this task fell to the Shuntian Prefecture Governor, who at the time was the cautious Chen Dadao. Chen Dadao wasn't impressed. After all, he'd never personally plowed the fields, never even touched a hoe. While there was guidance, the "complex" labor of sowing, requiring manual labor and backbreaking work, was still a bit of a struggle for the pampered Chen Dadao.

But after sowing, there should be a harvest. Once officials at all levels had completed the plowing and sowing ceremony, the actors from the Jiaofangsi, portraying the God of Agriculture, would immediately present grain to the emperor, signifying that his hard work had yielded remarkable results. Not only had this particular acre of land yielded a bountiful harvest, but the entire country would also enjoy a bountiful harvest.

Zhu Changluo accepted it with a smile, but he knew in his heart that even if there were good years, they would be few and far between. The real concern was how to prevent the Little Ice Age from threatening the Ming Dynasty and his rule.

Just as Zhu Changluo was daydreaming, the examiners had also finished their trick of "selecting talents for the country".

Fang Congzhe stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we have already selected the best papers. We respectfully request Your Majesty to listen and select the best one."

Zhu Changluo regained his composure, nodded, and said, "Read it."

"As you wish." Fang Congzhe was stunned and stepped aside.

In order, the first three test papers to be read are the ones that the elders have judged as top-ranking in advance. As usual, they are read by cabinet members or some of the Nine Ministers who have a good relationship with the cabinet.

The first person to appear was Shi Jikai, the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Dongke Academy.

Shi Jikai became a target of public criticism during the palace examination controversy in the 47th year of the Wanli reign, prompting a "recommendation from the Taiwan and provincial governments." Fang Congzhe arranged this arrangement to demonstrate to the ministers outside the court that the cabinet was unaffected by the controversy and would not compromise or waver under the interference of these ministers. Whether these ministers understood the Prime Minister's hint was another matter.

Whenever he read a scroll, he would kneel before the emperor and read it.

Shi Jijie stepped out with the answer sheet in hand, moved to the main desk and knelt down. "Ahem." He cleared his throat with two light coughs, then assumed a solemn posture and recited:
"I have heard that an emperor ruling the country must possess illustrious literary virtues, so that his influence and teachings can flourish and establish rules for long-term peace and order; he must also have remarkable military achievements, so that his spirit and energy can flourish and establish the foundation of Shunzhi's majesty."

"How does virtue shine forth? It is guided by benevolence, weaved with righteousness, and unleashed by the heart. It flourishes and flourishes on the day of the celebration and rest of the year, and becomes increasingly prosperous and radiant."

"Why is military prowess so awe-inspiring? It is commanded by strategy, invigorated by tactics, and overcome with spirit. It is so magnificent that it is lifted up beyond the doors and windows, and inspires everyone."

It must be said that the essay selected by the cabinet is indeed of high quality. It is not only well-informed, with citations from classics and well-founded arguments, but also has a smooth rhythm and is easy to read. The examiner, Shi Jixie, is a classic example of a handsome old man with a smooth and elegant voice, and he also reads very well. However, the problem is that this essay, rooted in the teachings of the sages and fleshed out by the teachings of poetry and literature, is simply too long. At over 2,000 words in classical Chinese, it is, if not empty and meaningless, then extremely boring.

Zhu Changluo listened attentively at first, but when he was about halfway through, his attention began to wander again. His posture, which he had been trying to maintain, gradually became lazy. By the time Shi Jixie finished reading, Zhu Changluo had completely leaned on the armrest, almost lying down.

Logically speaking, officials from the Ministry of Rites should have come out to correct the monarch's demeanor at this time, but neither the four cabinet ministers holding the title of Minister of Rites nor Xu Guangqi, the seal holder of the Ministry of Rites who also served as the Minister of the Temple of Honglu, had any intention of speaking.

Finally, Wang An returned to stand beside the emperor and gently reminded him, "Master, Mr. Shi has finished reading."

"Ah?" Zhu Changluo came back to his senses, yawned loudly, and stretched, as if he was even more tired than the person reading the paper. "Okay, bring me the paper."

"Yes." Wang An accepted the order, ran up, took the paper that Shi Jikai was holding high, put it on the main desk, and then returned to the emperor.

　The events surrounding the calligraphy screens in Wenhua Hall and Qixiang Palace are recorded in Liu Ruoyu's Zhuozhongzhi and Shenzong Shilu.

　　There is another interesting story about Zhang Juzheng that I would like to share with you.

　　The teacher once wrote: "Here is an old Chinese saying: A single spark can start a prairie fire." This means that although there is only a small force now, it will develop very quickly.

　　This old saying comes from Zhang Juzheng's "Reply to He Laishan, Governor of Yunnan, on the Sentiments of the Barbarians": A careful look at the events of recent years shows that they were all caused by incompetent military officials, corrupt officials, and unregistered treacherous people from all over the country who sneaked in and instigated the situation, which led to a spark that became a prairie fire.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)