Research On Evolution Of Power And Status Of Civil Officials In The Era Of Emperor Yingzong Of Ming Dynasty

Zhengtong,Jingtai and Tianshun are the three important stages in the history of Ming Dynasty.Zhu Qizhen,Emperor Yingzong,was titled as Tai Shang Huang(a title assumed by an emperor’s father who abdicated in favor of his son)twice is the prominent historic phenomenon during this period so it is named as the era of Emperor Yingzong.During this period,the rule of Ming Dynasty began to develop normally from the severe and ruthless periods of Hongwu and Yongle,which was mainly manifested by the evolution of power and status of civil officials.Civil officials played non-negligible roles in the political affairs of Zhengtong,Jingtai and Tianshun periods.Emperor Yingzong ascended the throne in his childhood so the political affairs had to be assigned to his grandmother and assisting officials,gifting the civil officials with the opportunity to expand their political influence.During this period,both the contents on reducing levy and compulsory labor and the civil officials’ admonitions on keeping away from extravagance,Buddhism and Taoism reflected the civil officials’ practice of their political pursuit.Meanwhile,the key roles that civil officials played in throne ascending of Emperor Jingzong and eradication of rebellious new nobles also reflected the important influence of civil officials on the emperor’s decision-making.However,the emperor’s wilful acts and the civil officials’ lack of power in events like Tumu Event and Emperor Jingzong’s change of successor also indicated that the civil officials were still suppressed by the imperial power.There was a significant development in the military power of civil officials during this period.In the capital barracks,Yu Qian transformed the three major barracks into ten groups.The civil officials gained the power of supervising military affairs,involving the command of armies and the training of soldiers.In local armies,the civil officials could be titled as Xun Fu(provincial governor),Zhen Shou(local garrison official),Can Zan Jun Wu(military counsellor),Zong Du Jun Wu(military governor)and so on and were apportioned with the powers of training armies,allocating city defense,recommending and impeaching military officials,and even leading armies during wars.Though the military powers of civil officials encountered certain changes in Tianshun period,it had started to control military officials by civil officials.The cultivation,selection and appointment systems of civil officials were developing to cover all aspects.The assignment system of Guo Zi Jian(the highest educational institution in feudal China)stressed the combination of length of service and excellent performance while academic officials were set locally to take charge of student cultivation and examination.In terms of the imperial exam system,quota admission from local exams was confirmed and whoever assumed the identity of another person was severely punished in hope of further mitigating the difference between North and South.In view of selection and appointment,the recommendation mode that acted as the selection mode for civil officials gradually changed during this period while the important official selection system,namely local recommendation system,which was in use for more than 200 years came into being.From Zhengtong to Tianshun period,the treatments of civil officials in remuneration,descendant welfare,title,award acquisition were improved.Though the treatment system remained in the initial or adjusting stage during this period,an important step was made to create conditions for further political status improvement of civil officials and their greater functions in political affairs.The improvement of power and status of civil officials during Zhengtong,Jingtai and Tianshun periods was not only the inevitable outcome of Ming Dynasty’s rule onto the normal track,but was also significantly correlated with accidental factors like emperor change and a series of rebellious events during this period.Emperor Yingzong who ascended the throne twice and Emperor Daizong who succeeded to the throne in face of danger had to entrust more power to the civil officials,which was the most important premise for these changes.It determined that civil officials remained apparently inferior to the imperial power and established the fundamental keynote of civil politics in Ming Dynasty.