The first supplementary reform of Zhang Juzheng in the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), the name of the uncle is big, the name is Taiyue, and the young name is Zhang Baigui. Jiangling people, also known as Zhang Jiangling. A politician and reformer in the middle and late Ming dynasties, the prime minister of the cabinet during the Wanli period, assisted the Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun to create the "Wanli New Deal".

In 1547 (the twenty-sixth year of Jiajing), 23-year-old Zhang Juzheng was admitted to the Jinshi. In 1567 (the first year of Longqing), he served as the assistant minister Zuo Shi Lang and bachelor of Dongge University. Later moved to the cabinet of the second assistant, as the official secretary, Jianjidian University Fellow. In the sixth year of Longqing, after the Wanli Emperor ascended the throne, Zhang Juzheng Gao Gong was the head and assistant. At that time, Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun was young, and Zhang Juzheng presided over all major military and political affairs. Zhang Juzheng has implemented a series of reform measures during his ten years as the first minister of the cabinet. In the financial shangtiandi, implements the "one whip method", which includes tax and service, all paid in silver, "Taicang millet can be used for ten years, and Zhousi accumulates to more than 4 million". The military appointed Qi Jiguang, Li Chengliang and other famous generals to the north of the town, and Ling Yunyi and Yin Zhengmao were used to quell the southwestern rebellion. In the administration of officials, a comprehensive verification of names and facts is implemented, and officials at all levels are assessed by the "examination method". "Although they are thousands of miles away, they will be followed down at night", and the political system is solemn. 1582 (Wanli ten years) July 9 (June 20) died, year fifty-eight, gifted to the State of Zhu, posthumous post Wenzhong (after being deprived of), Zhang Juzheng was also the only Ming Dynasty to be awarded Tai Fu before his death , The minister of the Taishi. Avoided by Wanli. His home was ransacked within half a year of his death, his posthumous name was hunted down, his family was killed, all his family members were thrown into prison, starved to death, committed suicide by suicide, and more than a dozen domestic prostitutes and female relatives raised by Zhang Juzheng were sold. Entering the brothel, the rest are far away from the army, and the tragic situation is unbearable. was restored to his reputation in the second year of the apocalypse of Ming Xizong.

The main content of the "one whip method" is to summarize the land tax and corvee of each state and county, and other miscellaneous items into one, and collect silver taels, which are converted and paid by mu, which greatly simplifies the tax system. Facilitate tax collection; at the same time, it makes it difficult for local officials to cheat, thereby increasing fiscal revenue. The "one whip method" is a milestone in the tax system and an epoch-making system! It inherited the two taxation laws of the Tang Dynasty, and underwent the reform of the Qing Dynasty. It was a social change with far-reaching historical influence in Chinese history. It was a passive act of the intensification of social contradictions in the Ming Dynasty and the development of ancient Chinese commodity economy to a certain extent. Active choice of degree. The implementation of a whip method changed the extremely chaotic and severely uneven tax and labor system at that time; it reduced the peasants’ unreasonable tax and labor burden, restricted the subordinate staff’s fraud, and in particular eliminated the harsh power gap, so that the peasants had better Engaging in agricultural production for more time, in the long run, this move will be of great help in promoting the economic development of the Ming Dynasty.

In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the "one-whip method", Zhang Juzheng is appointing competent ministers on the one hand, taking pragmatic measures and vigorously implementing the "examination method", in short, " With performance as the core, promotion is possible, and demotion is not possible.” In addition to the performance appraisal of officials, it is more important to assess the performance of officials in taxation. Those who are less than 90% will be punished. The implementation of this measure prevented officials at all levels from slacking off, and the national treasury was also increasingly abundant. According to statistics, the taxation in the first year of implementation has almost doubled. The result of the historical reform is: "Taicang millet can be used for ten years. The temple accumulates gold to more than four million" and "a great achievement that is pursued downwards."

Zhang Juzheng’s reform has offended too many princes and nobles and harmed the interests of the entire bureaucracy! Zhang Juzheng's reforms have enriched the poor. The people at the bottom must be grateful to Zhang Juzheng, but the power of the state is not in the hands of these people, and they cannot protect Zhang Juzheng. Maybe Zhang Juzheng also thought of this, but he still carried out reforms without hesitation. He was sacrificing himself for the country and the people. He definitely felt that it was worth it.

In addition, Zhang Ju is the teacher of the little emperor of Wanli, and he treated the little emperor's studies strictly. With the support of the emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager Li, as well as the eunuch Sili Bingbi and the eunuch Feng Bao, the eunuch of Sili Jian’s palm seal, the little emperor was afraid and hated him, which made the Wanli Emperor gradually stand in favor of Zhang Juzheng and the Queen Mother Li. opposite.

Although Zhang Juzheng strengthened the Ming Dynasty through reforms, he also stood on the opposite side of the entire bureaucracy and the emperor. The tragic encounter afterwards is logical!