China+Imperial+Edict+Questions

Primary Source Document DEALING WITH MING CHINA with Questions (DBQs) A N I M P E R I A L E D I C T R E S T R A I N I N G O F F I C I A L S F R O M E V I L B y t h e H o n g w u E m p e r o r ( Z h u Y u a n z h a n g ) Introduction Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398) rose from obscure poverty to become a military strongman and founder of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Born into a poor family in modern Anhui province and orphaned at an early age, Zhu spent some time as a Buddhist beggar-monk before joining one of the many rebellions against the crumbling government of the Yuan dynasty. Although barely literate, Zhu proved a capable leader of men and a successful general. He founded the Ming dynasty in 1368, chased the hapless Mongols back to Mongolia, and established his dynastic capital in the city of Nanjing. In the document below, Zhu Yuanzhang, as the Hongwu Emperor, reminds his civil and military officials that they are to “refrain from evil.”

An Imperial Edict Restraining Officials from Evil By the Hongwu Emperor (Zhu Yuanzhang)

… Those of you in charge of money and grain have stolen them for yourselves; those of you in charge of criminal laws and punishments have neglected the regulations. In this way grievances are not redressed and false charges are ignored. … Occasionally these unjust matters come to my attention. After I discover the truth, I capture and imprison the corrupt, villainous, and oppressive officials involved. I punish them with the death penalty or forced labor or have them flogged with bamboo sticks in order to make manifest the consequences of good and evil actions.

Questions: 1. On what philosophical assumptions are the Hongwu emperor’s words and actions based? The Hongwu emperor’s word are based on Buddhism because he stresses that people should “refrain from evil.” He was a Buddhist monk. 2. Do you think that his actions will solve the problems he refers to? Why or why not? His punishments will teach others not to do it themselves because they will see the consequences of other people’s actions.

“Alas, how easily money and profit can bewitch a person! With the exception of the righteous person, the true gentleman, and the sage, no one is able to avoid the temptation of money. … … during the final years of the Yuan dynasty, there were many ambitious men competing for power who did not treasure their sons and daughters but prized jade and silk, coveted fine horses and beautiful clothes, relished drunken singing and unrestrained pleasure, and enjoyed separating people from their parents, wives, and children. I also lived in that chaotic period. How did I avoid such snares? I was able to do so because I valued my reputation and wanted to preserve my life. Therefore I did not dare to do these evil things. … In order to protect my reputation and to preserve my life, I have done away with music, beautiful girls, and valuable objects. Those who love such things are usually “a success in the morning, a failure in the evening.” Being aware of the fallacy of such behavior, I will not indulge such foolish fancies. It is not really that hard to do away with these tempting things. [Translated by Lily Hwa]

Questions: 1. Does the emperor’s approach to solving the problem of evil behavior in this excerpt differ from that in the first? If so, how? It’s different because he is trying to get others to follow his example of doing away with “music, beautiful girls, and valuable objects.” He doesn’t want to live his life with tempting things as he wants to “protect my reputations and to preserve my life”.

On what philosophical assumptions are Hongwu’s words here based? It’s about Buddhism still. I know this because he is getting rid of the tempting things and how Buddhism talks about not being attached to material things.

As an official, what would be your reaction to the emperor’s admonitions? I would listen to him as he is the emperor. If the emperor told me to get rid of my stuff and jump off a bridge, I would. I would not risk the emperor’s wrath.

4. The emperor clearly holds himself up as a model of self-restraint for his officials to emulate. As an official, how would you take this? I’d follow his example to the word. I would not want to anger the emperor by not listening to him. I would not surpass the emperor’s examples as he might decide to put me to death for doing so.

5. Would your reaction be changed if you suddenly learned that the Hongwu emperor had dozens of concubines and consorts, with whom he fathered twenty-six sons and sixteen daughters? Actually, I wouldn’t be all that surprised. Emperors do all sorts of stuff they tell others not to do, so it’s not that unusual.