Chapter 58 Lecture 40 Qixiang Changchun

Qixiang Palace is one of the West Six Palaces. It was built in the 18th year of Yongle (1420) in the Ming Dynasty. Xianggong means to open the auspicious palace.The history of Qixiang Palace, this lecture introduces three stories: "Xingxian Queen Mother", "Wanli Breaks Her Promise", and "Tianqi Second Concubine". Xingxian King Zhu Youtang was the fourth son of Ming Xianzong Chenghua Emperor Zhu Jianshen, the younger brother of Ming Xiaozong Hongzhi Emperor Zhu Youtang, and his biological mother was Concubine Shao.Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Zhengde of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, had no sons after his death. "Father dies and sons succeed, brothers end up with younger brothers."In the 23rd year of Chenghua (1487), Zhu Youzhu was granted the title of King Xing.In the fourth year of Hongzhi (1491), he built a mansion in Anlu (now Zhongxiang, Hubei).Three years later, Xingxian King Zhu Youzhao took over the feudal domain.King Xingxian was "addicted to reading, absolutely rare to play with, he did not play with female animals, and he did not set up wine for non-public banquets." (Volume 15 of "History of the Ming Dynasty Xingxian King Emperor Biography") His mother, the Shao family, was born in Changhua, Zhejiang, and her family was extremely poor. She sold it to the eunuch guarding Hangzhou.The guarding eunuch dedicated the Shao family to the palace.The Shaw family "knowledges books and has good looks", was favored, gave birth to a prince, and later became a concubine, and then a noble concubine.The son is a fan, and he is not allowed to follow.Grandson Zhu Houcong inherited the throne, and Concubine Shao was old and blind.According to historical records: "Sejong entered the Datong, the concubine is old, and her eyes are dark (sheng). He likes his grandson to be the emperor. He touches Shizong's body from top to heel. Now, he is respected as the empress dowager." ("Ming History · Concubine Biography" Volume 13) Empress Dowager Shao died hospitable.The posthumous title Xiaohui is the same as Xiaozhen (Queen Wang) and Xiaomu (Empress Dowager Ji).

Emperor Wanli of Ming Shenzong lived in Qixiang Palace after the fires in Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace.The start and end times of Emperor Wanli's residence in Qixiang Palace are unknown, but there is an approximate time frame: in the twenty-fourth year of Wanli (1596), Xu engraved on the eighth day of March Yihai (19-21 o'clock), the fire in Qianqing Palace, the third day of Wanli In the twelfth year (1604), on the fourteenth day of Jiazi in March, "Qingqing Palace was completed", there were eight years in between.Emperor Wanli had a history of jokes in Qixiang Palace.Emperor Wanli sent eunuchs to various places to search for money, which aroused public anger. Take Chen Feng and Ma Tang as examples.Chen Feng, the eunuch of the imperial horse supervisor, went to Huguang and did many evils: "Whip the officials, rob travel, and the businessmen hate it to the bone"; ——"Feng intimidates the officials and the people, pretends to be a thousand years old, his party goes straight into the people's homes, and rapes women... As a result, the scholars and the people are outraged, and more than ten thousand people are willing to die with Feng"; the people are angry and vow to kill Feng. Sixteen party members who were captured were thrown into the river. ("History of the Ming Dynasty Chen Fengzhuan" volume 350) The same is true for Ma Tang, the tax supervisor in Tianjin. In Linqing, "middle-class homes, most of them are ruined, and the market is closed from far and near. More than 10,000 people in the state set fire to the hall and killed 37 members of its party. ". ("History of Ming Dynasty Ma Tang Biography" Volume 350) Tax and mine supervisors in other places did a lot of evil and caused great public grievances.The chief assistant, Shen Yiguan, said: "Chen Feng entered Chu, and Wuchang began to change, and then Hankou...etc., there were ten changes, almost into chaos. Li begged to withdraw." The result was: "The emperor didn't even hear about it. "

Things turned around when Emperor Wanli was critically ill.In the 30th year of Wanli (1602), at Sishi (9-11 o'clock) on February 16, Emperor Wanli was critically ill.Urgently summoned the assistant ministers and ministers of the Ministry to the outside of Qixiang Palace.Emperor Wanli summoned Shen Yiguan, a scholar of the cabinet, to his sickbed in Xinuang Pavilion, the back hall of Qixiang Palace.At this time, the Empress of Kunning Palace and Concubine Zheng of Yikun Palace were not around because of "raising illness". The Queen Mother Li stood in the south, the Crown Prince and other kings Luo knelt in front of her, and Emperor Wanli sat on the floor wearing a crown and attire.After Shen Yiguan came in and kowtowed, Emperor Wanli said: "Mr. Shen is here, I am very troubled, and I will enjoy the country forever. What a pity! A beautiful son and a beautiful wife, I will give it to my husband today, and my husband will assist him. Advise him to give lectures, be diligent in administration, mine taxation, because the three halls and two palaces are not finished, it is expedient to take it, and now it is advisable to spread it to all places, and weaving and burning will be stopped... I see Mr. "("Wanli Living Notes" February 16th, 30th year) Shen Yiguan called Long live, thanked him, and said: "The holy life is boundless, so why worry about it, I hope the emperor can relax and rest, and he will be safe."He lost his voice unconsciously.At this time, the empress dowager, the prince, and the kings all cried.Emperor Wanli got up from the ground and went to bed.Shen Yiguan waited to return to the cabinet court room to be on duty to draft an order.At the second watch, the gatekeeper of Chang'an Gate delivered the "sacred edict" to the cabinet, the content of which was the same as before.After the second watch, Emperor Wanli slightly revived.On the 17th, "send clerks to the cabinet to retrieve the foreword" (Volume 368 of "Records of Ming Shenzong").It is the oracle shown by Emperor Wanli, and it will be retrieved immediately. ("Wanli Yehuo Compilation Renyin Suihe"), a scholar, Shen Yiguan said: "Yesterday, I respectfully received the oracle, and the ministers and all the yamen stayed in the court room. Now I know that it was successful in the ring, and it has been passed down. Hey. In an instant, the world has been broadcast, and it is very difficult to return one by one. After the fate is over, it is not appropriate to fight against sweat. I only hope that the emperor will think twice, so as to fully prosper the great cause and increase the longevity and prosperity." ("Ming Shenzong Veritable Records, Volume 368) Emperor Wanli said: "I was dizzy before, and the matter of summoning you to face-to-face, as well as mining taxes, etc., is because the two palaces and three halls are not completed, and the treasury is empty. It is expedient to adopt it. See today's national use It’s not enough, it’s hard to stop, we’ll continue as usual, and when the third hall is completed, please stop this topic.” ("Wanli Living Notes" on February 20th, 30th year) Your Majesty is majestic, the monarch jokes, what about the cabinet!

Apocalypse Second Concubine.The tragedies of the two concubines, Concubine Yu and Concubine Cheng, in the "History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of Empress Concubines" by Emperor Qi tomorrow have direct or indirect relationship with Changchun Palace. Concubine Yu drank from the eaves and slipped to death.Concubine Yu is the concubine of Emperor Tianqi. Emperor Tianqi ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen, reigned for seven years, and died of illness at the age of twenty-three. His concubine was only about twenty years old.This concubine Yu is young, ignorant, and has a strong personality. She is not tolerated by Emperor Tianqi's wet nurse Hakka and eunuch Wei Zhongxian.Ke Wei colluded and did all kinds of bad things—"Those who follow me will prosper, those who oppose me will perish." Ke Wei conspired to imprison Concubine Yu—"Secluded in another palace, deprived of food. It rained, and the concubine crawled to drink the eaves and slipped to death. .”

The imperial concubine hides food among the eaves and tiles.Tomorrow, Emperor Qi will become a concubine, Li Shi, who once lived in Changchun Palace.Concubine Li Cheng helps others out of righteousness, but brings misfortune.The whole story of this matter is: Concubine Hui Fan gave birth to the second son of the emperor, Ciyun, and after she died young, she was treated coldly.According to historical records: "Concubine Li Cheng stayed in bed and begged for Concubine Hui's pity. The anger of the guests and Wei Zhi also secluded Concubine Cheng in another palace. The concubine stored food in the eaves and tiles. She survived half a month in the closed palace, and she was denounced as a palace man." (""" History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Concubines" Volume 14) It was not until the beginning of Chongzhen that the name was restored.That is to say, Concubine Li Cheng helped others out of righteousness and interceded with the emperor for Concubine Hui, hoping that Tianqi would take pity on Concubine Fan Hui's situation.But these whispered words were overheard by Ke Shi's confidants, and Ke Shi punished Li Chengfei, and ordered in the name of the emperor to cut off Li Chengfei's meals.Concubine Li Cheng moved out of the Changchun Palace and was thrown into the cold palace.There is a palace poem that writes: among the crowd, they rely on themselves to accept their kindness, and the brocade tents are divided into nights and nights.Looking back, the prosperity has become the past, Xiao Xiaoxue said goodbye to Changchun.

The concubines of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Concubine Qian of Emperor Yongzheng, and Empress Xiaoxian of Emperor Qianlong all lived in Changchun Palace.The Changchun Palace is more famous for being rebuilt by Xianfeng and the residence of Empress Dowager Cixi.