Tingzhang Of Ming Dynasty And Its Social Reaction

Tingzhang is the order made by the emperor to flog the officials at court who have infuriated the emperor or made mistakes. Tingzhang is not written into the law in Ming Dynasty, rather it is the penalty outside the law. This type of penalty has already existed before Ming Dynasty, yet it has been used frequently by the emperors of Ming Dynasty, especially during the middle and late stages of the dynasty when it is used much more intensely. Therefore, Tingzhang becomes the prominent political phenomenon of Ming Dynasty to a certain extent, which has always made its appearance in the history of Ming Dynasty lasting about 300 years.From the perspective of politics and culture, the present thesis attempts to base itself on the historical facts of Tingzhang in Ming Dynasty to study the social phenomenon of Tingzhang during this period, especially the reaction thus caused on part of the emperors and all strata of people of Ming Dynasty. The reaction clearly presents value orientation of Ming Dynasty. Since most people in Ming Dynasty are flogged just because they try to advise the emperors to correct or merely point out the emperor`s mistakes, affirmative and envious attitude towards those flogged is prevalent in Ming Dynasty. It is regarded as the embodiment of loyalty. The families of those flogged could understand this quite well and consider it as their honor. Besides, the paper also studies the real attitude of the emperor to flog toward those flogged. With Michel Foucault's theory of"Public Penalty", the thesis thinks of Tingzhang as the means of the emperor to renovate and enhance its authority. The reverse of a miscarriage of justice on part of those flogged is also displayed in the thesis. Those flogged have no opposition against the emperor, rather they just try to correct the behaviors of the emperor under the impulse of loyalty.