Classics-mat Lectures And Jiajing Great Ritual Controversy

"Jingyan"(Classics-mat lectures for emperors to listen to)is the system where a political proposal can be seconded,which indicates that it is not only a special kind of imperial education system but also an important political system in the country's political life,and is closely related to the politics in Ming Dynasty.Classics-mat lectures system,like the official censor system,the prime minister system and the official historian system,can remonstrate with the emperor about his words and deeds so as to restrict the emperor's power to some extent.Therefore,in the political reality,it is common to find examples that lecturers clashed with the emperor.During the Great Ritual Controversy at the beginning of Jiajing period,classics-mat and daily lectures were in passive state under the control of Emperor Shizong due to sharpening conflicts and contradictions between the emperor and the ministers.The lecturers frequently remonstrated with Emperor Shizong about his ritual behaviors while the emperor took measures to combat the lecturers,which formed a political pattern where the lecturers and the cabinet ministers stood together against Emperor Shizong.At this time,the cabinet power was expanding to restrict the imperial power.After Great Ritual Controversy in the third year of Jiajing period in September,the winning Emperor Shizong began to change his attitude toward classics-mat lectures,gradually resumed the classics-mat and daily lectures,and used the Wang Dian Lecture Event to clean the parties who were opposite the Great Ritual Controversy in Imperial Academy.Because of different standpoints and interests caused by the Great Ritual Controversy,party conflicts were formed among the cabinet ministers.However,many lecturers could not keep out of the affair and were involved,which resulted in the attacks between the lecturers and the cabinet ministers holding different opinions.In the process of the competition among the cabinet ministers,the cabinet's status and power improved,meanwhile the lecturers and the Cabinet leeched on to the imperial power,making it strengthened and became the absolute center of power.