Yan Song

Yan Song

Yan Song (March 3, 1480 - May 10, 1566), whose name is Weizhong, is Mianan, JieXi, Fenyi, etc. he was born in Fenyi County, Yuanzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. His ancestral home is Shaowu, Fujian Province. He is a politician and powerful official of Ming Dynasty.

In 1505, Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty was a Jinshi, a minister of rites and a Bachelor of Hanlin Academy. In 1542, when he was 63 years old, he joined the cabinet. Later, he changed to Shao Fu and huagaidian. In 1548, he framed Xia Yan and became the first assistant of the cabinet, specializing in national politics for nearly 15 years.

In his later years, Emperor Jiajing was infuriated and lost his power. In 1562, Emperor Jiajing ordered him to serve as an official. In 1564, Yan Shifan was dismissed from his post and killed his family. Two years later, he died at the age of 87.

Yan Song is good at writing green CI. In Ming history, Yan Song was listed as one of the six most treacherous officials in Ming Dynasty, saying that he was "only obsessed with flattery, stealing power and neglecting profit". Through opera, literary works and historical books, Yan Song's image of treacherous minister has penetrated into the folk.

(overview photo source: Yan Song of Ming Dynasty < / I > < I > collection of qianshantang < / I > < I >)

Life of the characters

High school Jinshi

Yan Song was born in Jieqiao village, Fenyi County, Yuanzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province on January 22, 1480, the 16th year of Chenghua reign of emperor Xianzong of Ming Dynasty (< I > Jieqiao village, Fenyi Town, Fenyi County, Jiangxi Province today). < I >, his father Yan Huai was a man who had failed in the exam for a long time and was obsessed with power. Naturally, he put all his hopes on his children, so he cultivated and taught them carefully. At the age of five, he started his education in Yan's ancestral temple. At the age of nine, he entered the county school. At the age of ten, he passed the county examination. At the age of nineteen, he won the mid-term examination. At the age of twenty-five, Yan Song finally fulfilled his father's wish.

In the 18th year of Hongzhi (1505), Emperor Xiaozong of Ming Dynasty passed the examination of yichouke Jinshi. He was the second scholar in the second class (the book of songs). He was selected as a good scholar and later was awarded the editing. Later, Yan Song got a serious illness and forced him to retire. In the ten years of Yan Song's retirement, the eunuch Liu Jin was in power.

Compiling Fu Zhi

In 1512, Yao Ting, the governor of Yuanzhou Prefecture, began to compile the annals and asked Yan Song to be the editor in chief. Soon Yao Ting went back to work. The next year, Xu Lian took over as governor. After arriving at his post, Xu Lian immediately sent a letter to Yan Song to continue compiling Fu Zhi.

In the ninth year of Zhengde (1514), Yan Song was appointed as the chief editor. Because this year was the year of Jiaxu, people called it Jiaxu annals. Later generations called "Zhengde Yuanzhou Fu Zhi".

Gao Pan Xia Yan

After Liu Jin and his party members were destroyed, Yan Song went north to shun Tian and officially resumed his official post. In the following ten years, Yan Song successively worked in the Imperial Academy in Beijing and Nanjing. During the reign of Jiajing, the emperor was addicted to Taoism, good at the art of immortality, indifferent to political affairs, and all the affairs in the court were handled by the courtiers. Xia Yan, the Minister of rites, is trusted by Shizong and a fellow of Yan Song, so Yan Song tries his best to please Xia Yan.

be promoted step by step

In 1521, a few months after emperor Shizong ascended the throne, Yan Song was promoted to serve in Nanjing Imperial Academy and took charge of the affairs of the Academy.

In the fourth year of emperor Shizong's Jiajing reign (1525), he was promoted to Guozijian to offer sacrifices.

In 1532, he was promoted to minister of rites in Nanjing, and two years later he was changed to minister of Li in Nanjing.

In the 15th year of Jiajing (1536), Yan Song went to Beijing for a pilgrimage. He was left by Shizong and served as Minister of rites and Bachelor of Hanlin Academy. Due to Shizong's emphasis on rites, the Minister of rites was particularly prominent among ministers, and often became a ladder to enter the cabinet. Yan Song and Shizong began to contact frequently. According to him, at that time, Shizong was busy working out rites and music with his assistant ministers and the Minister of rites. Sometimes he was summoned two or three times a day, and sometimes he left at midnight. He lived about four miles to the west of the city. He drove to Fuzhou by car, and often galloped alone.

Jiajing seventeen years (1538), someone Shangshu please offer the emperor's temple name called Zong, in order to enter the temple. Ministers in the court, including Yan Song, wanted to stop it. Shizong was angry and wrote Ming Tang or Wen, which severely questioned the officials. Yan Song did not change what he had said before, and he was "well prepared in terms of etiquette.". The dispute of offering the emperor to the temple to be called Zong is the end of the great ceremony.

In the 21th year of Jiajing period (1542), Xia Yan, the first assistant, was dismissed from his post and lived in leisure. Yan Song, Jia Shaobao, Prince Taibao, Minister of rites and scholar of wuyingdian University, joined the cabinet and still took charge of the affairs of rites.

Persecute loyal officials

Xia Yan thought highly of himself and opposed Shizong's indulgence in Taoism. It was not liked by Ming Shizong. One day, Shi Sheng put the scent of the perfume to the Minister of Xia Yan and Yan Song, and Xia Yan did not wear it. But Yan song would wear this crown every time he went out, and he used the gauze cage to show his solemn importance. When Shizong saw this, he liked Yan Song more and disliked Xia Yan.

Yan Song was promoted to Prince Taifu, and his wings were abundant. He began to attack Xia Yan. Yan Song encouraged Shizong to depose Xia Yan. After Xia Yan was dismissed, Yan Song did whatever he wanted. In the 22nd year of Jiajing (1543), Xu Zan, Minister of Li, Zhang Bi, Minister of Li, and Yan Song took part in the aircraft maintenance together, but Shizong only called Yan Song. Later, Yan Song seized the opportunity of Tatar invading the Central Plains and persecuted Xia Yan.

In 1544, the Tatars invaded Hetao (to the east of Helan Mountain in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, to the south of Langshan and Daqingshan). The governor of Shaanxi once sent troops to recapture Hetao and presented memorials. He proposed to build a section of side wall from fugu Huangfu to Dingbian, and then advance by land and water, forcing Tatars to retreat. This move was supported by Xia Yan. Xia Yan recommended Zeng Mian to the imperial court and discussed the plan with him. Ming Shizong was determined to take back Hetao and praised Zeng Mian. At this time, Yan Song bribed the emperor's attendants, saying that he "lightly provoked the side quarrel", and instructed the side general Qiu Luan to falsely claim that he had covered up the defeat and refused to report, embezzled the military pay and bribed Xia Yan. Yan Song said in front of Shizong that they had a different intention to recapture Hetao. Shizong believed it.

In December of the 24th year of Jiajing (1545), Xu Zan left his post due to an old illness. After Zhang Bi died, Shizong used Xia Yan again. At this time, Xia Yan knew Yan Song's character and took precautions everywhere. Yan Song is humble to Xia Yan on the surface, but he has a grudge. In the future, Yan Song regained Shizong's trust with Qingci.

In March of the 27th year of Jiajing (1548), Zeng Mian was killed, his wife was exiled for two thousand li, and Xia Yan was sent to prison. Later, Yan Song used rumors to make Shizong "know" that Xia Yan slandered himself. In October of the same year, Xia Yan was beheaded, and Xia Yan's confidants were either belittled or punished. Yan Song was appointed as the first assistant of the cabinet again, and he was good at court politics from then on.

Prime Minister of Qing Ci

In the pursuit of longevity, Yan Song went all out to do it, no matter how much manpower, financial and material resources he spent. Among them, construction alone, Zhai palace and secret hall are popular now and then. There are twenty or thirty workshops with tens of thousands of craftsmen, which are called by the army, and the annual cost is two or three hundred. If the funds were not enough, the people would offer their help. If they did not give enough help, they would pay for it again and again. At that time, the annual income of Taicang in Ming Dynasty was only 2 million Liang, while the annual expenses for the construction of Zhai palace and secret hall were as high as 2 million and 3 million, which was an amazing number. Yan Songshi is responsible for this.

It is necessary to write Qing CI in order to worship. Yan Song was favored because he was good at writing Qing CI. Since he took the post of chief assistant, he often worshiped Qing CI around Shizong. He was not a song who did not want to be emperor. In order to write Qing CI well, he devoted a lot of energy. Sometimes he forgot to eat and sleep. Even during the change of gengxu, when the soldiers surrounded Beijing and plundered it in the suburbs, he devoted himself to writing Qing CI regardless of the safety of the country and the lives of the people. Especially when Zhao Zhenji, Zuo Yude, put forward the strategy of resisting the enemy and went to see Yan Song before he was ordered by the imperial edict, song could not be seen by writing Qing CI. In Yan Song's mind, Qing Ci was far above home and the people. No wonder people ridiculed him as "Prime Minister of Qing Ci".

Eliminate dissidents

When Xia Yan died, the contradiction between Yan Song and Qiu Luan began to intensify.

Qiu Luan was impeached and arrested by Zeng Mian. In prison, he made an appointment with Yan Song as a father and son, and asked Yan Shifan to draft a memorial for him to impeach Zeng MI. Once mill was killed, Qiu Luan has a pet, not willing to be Yansong constraints. He went up to the secret and revealed what Yan Song and Yan Shifan had done, which aroused the attention of Shizong.

In the thirty first year of Jiajing reign (1552), Yan Song was ignored, and his ministers were on duty. He was not summoned four times. When he accompanied other cabinet ministers to Xiyuan, he was also stopped by the guards. He returned to the house and wept with Yan Shifan. Fortunately, Qiu Luan soon became seriously ill. Lu Bing took the opportunity to report Qiu Luan's misconduct to Shizong. Shizong immediately took back Qiu Luan's seal and made him die of fear. The mustard between the emperor and the first assistant was eliminated naturally.

Yan Song removed Xia Yan and Qiu Luan, his political enemies, and he was unmatched in the court for a while. But he knew Shizong's suspicions about his ministers. In order to keep his power, he dealt a cruel blow to all the bureaucrats who impeached him. The light ones went, and the heavy ones died. The deaths of Shen Lian and Yang Jisheng are prominent examples.

Shen Lian went up to him and listed ten charges against Yan Song. Yan Song mainly accused Yan Song of bribing officials, paying kindness to friends, being jealous of talents and abilities, controlling admonishments, and being good at spoiling and harming the government. Yan Song resented Yan Song and countered that Shen Lian was guilty of mistakes in the county magistrate's office. He wanted to offend Shen Lian by offering advice and get some minor punishment. On the one hand, he avoided investigation, and on the other hand, he got a clear name. Shizong was moved and relegated to Shen Lian as a security guard. Shen Lian often scolds Yan Song and his son outside the Great Wall. Song hears of his hatred. Yan Song gives his son Yan Shifan the task of removing Shen Lian. Yan Shifan instructs the newly appointed governor Lu Kai and Governor Yang Shun to remove Shen. He promises to give a thick reward, "if you remove my choice, the big one will be the Marquis and the small one will be the Qing.". It happened that Yan Hao, a white lotus believer, was arrested and confessed a lot. Yang and lulie gave the name of Shen Lian. After being asked by the Ministry of war, Shen Lian was killed.

Yang Jisheng's treatise on Yan Song's ten crimes and five evils. He linked Yan Song with the safety of the north, which Shizong was most worried about. He also said that the spring thunder had not been sent for a long time

Chinese PinYin : Yan Song