The Expectation For "Sage Emperor" And The Early Political Situation Of Wanli Period

Di Jian Tu Shuo is a book of enlightenment for emperors and political-featured completed in the early Wanli period with Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng as the chief editor, which expresses scholar-bureaucrats'expectation for"Sage Emperor"at that time. Since Emperor Wanli was young, scholar-bureaucrats had placed great hope on him to develop the state vigorously. As a teaching material made for Emperor Wanli, Di Jian Tu Shuo reflects scholar-bureaucrats'political ideals and values. This book involves the relation between Emperor and scholar-bureaucrats, Emperor and common people and the virtue of Emperor himself, which nurtures both moral ethics and administrative capability. Besides, the book also concerns about the real situation, which connects with the readjustment and reform executed by Zhang Juzheng for the purpose of improving government efficiency, which is useful for social practice. Emperor Wanli accepted ideas of working hard, loving people, and thrifty and others in Di Jian Tu Shuo. Thus, in the early period, Emperor Wanli had a harmonious relationship with scholar-bureaucrats and the state was prosperous and stable. However, at the same time, bad quality of Wanli, such as laziness and greediness, was also revealed. He spent money in state treasure extravagantly though he still claimed that he had compassion for common people. With the gradual strengthen of his involvement in politics and decision-making capacity, individual factors of Wanli Emperor had a significant influence on the change and development of political situation. Since the personal status and function of Emperor Wanli in the political structure become more and more prominent, thus, scholar-bureaucrats'expectation for Emperor was also raised. However, with the lack of systematic guarantee in real politics, the bureaucratic system with ideal expectation couldn't prevent Emperor from abuse his power by use moral teaching and historical instruction. Thus, Thus, conflicts was aroused again and again between scholar-bureaucrats'expectation for"Sage Emperor"and monarchical politics .