Chapter 61 Lecture 41 Yikun Chuxiu

Yikun Palace was built in the eighteenth year of Yongle (1420) in the Ming Dynasty. It was originally named Wan'an Palace and was renamed Yikun Palace in the 14th year of Jiajing (1535).The Qing Dynasty followed the Ming Dynasty and did not change its name.In the front hall of Yikun Palace, there is a plaque of Emperor Qianlong's imperial pen "Yi Gong Wan Shun", the east wall is hung with Zhang Zhao's "Holy Zhi Zhaorong Praise Poetry Praise", the west wall is hung "Zhaorong Praise Poetry Picture", and the back hall is hung Emperor Qianlong's imperial pen and plaque read "Maoduan (kun) teaching".The allusion of "Zhao Rong Ping Poetry" in Yikun Palace comes from "Old Book of Tang: Empress Part 1" (Volume 55) and "New Book of Tang: Empress Part 1" (Volume 76).The story tells the story of Tang Zhongzong Zhaorong Shangguan Wan'er, who is intelligent and beautiful, with outstanding literary talents, commenting on the poems written by scholars and ministers in Kunming Lake.Later, Shangguan Wan'er was "beheaded under the palace" in a palace coup.The allusion of "Xiling teaching silkworms" in Chuxiu Palace comes from "Historical Records: The Chronicles of the Five Emperors" (Volume 1): "The emperor lived on the hill of Xuanyuan, and the daughter who married Xiling was the ancestor of Lei." The story is about Lei. The patriarch Xiling taught women to raise silkworms and weave cloth. Later generations honored him as the Xiancan family. He was the god worshiped by empresses of all dynasties when they held sericulture ceremonies.In the Ming Dynasty, Yikun Palace was mainly occupied by noble concubines and other concubines. According to the records in "Yutang Huiji" and other books: Emperor Wanli Emperor Zheng Guifei lived in this palace.Taboo taboo in the Ming Dynasty was not as strict as in the Qing Dynasty.For example, the Yikun Palace where Emperor Wanli Emperor Zheng Guifei lived, the character "Yi" is the character "Yi" of Emperor Wanli "Zhu Yijun". ("Wanli Yehuo Compilation Gate Palace Not Avoiding Taboo") Another example is the records of the Ming Dynasty: the north gate of the Forbidden City today is named Houzai Gate, that is, Xuanwu Gate (renamed Shenwu Gate in the Qing Dynasty).However, both the characters "Hou" and "Zai" violate the taboos of Emperor Ming, the character "Hou" violates the taboos of Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Zhengde, Zhu Houcong, Emperor Jiajing, and the taboo of Zhu Zaihou, Emperor Longqing, and the word "Zai" is also taboo. It violated the taboo of the Longqing Emperor Zhu Zaihou, but in the Ming Dynasty, it was commonly called from top to bottom, and it was not taboo.

There were four famous concubines in the Ming Dynasty: Concubine Quan Xian of Emperor Yongle, Concubine Wan Gui of Chenghua Emperor, Concubine Zheng of Emperor Wanli and Concubine Tian of Emperor Chongzhen. The three concubines Quan, Wan and Tian have been introduced before, and the following is the introduction of Concubine Zheng. Zheng Guifei, a native of Daxing (now Beijing).In the early years of Wanli, he entered the palace and was granted the title of noble concubine. Chang Xun, the third son of the emperor, was born as the emperor's noble concubine.Concubine Zheng became a famous concubine, which is related to the crown prince established by Emperor Wanli.

Here are the eight sons of Emperor Wanli: Concubine Wang Gong gave birth to the eldest son Chang Luo, Concubine Zheng gave birth to the third son Fu Wang Changxun, the fourth son Yuan Wang Changzhi (one-year-old Shang), Concubine Zhou Duan gave birth to the fifth son Rui Wang Changhao, Concubine Li Gui The sixth son of the emperor Hui Wang Changrun, the seventh son of the emperor Gui Wang Changying, the second son of the emperor Bing Wang Changxu (one-year-old) and the emperor's eighth son Yongsi Wang Changpu (two-year-old). . The focus of the debate on the establishment of the crown prince is: to establish the eldest son of the emperor, Zhu Changluo, born of the Wang family, as the crown prince, or to establish the third son of the emperor, Zhu Changxun, born to Concubine Zheng, as the crown prince. There can only be one of the two, and a choice must be made.

According to the Ming system, the eldest son of the emperor should be established as the prince.However, Emperor Wanli didn't like Zhu Changluo's birth mother Wang Gongfei, nor his eldest son Chang Luo; he loved Concubine Zheng, especially the third son Chang Xun who was born to Concubine Zheng.In this way, the whole court, both inside and outside the court, suspected that Concubine Zheng had a plan to make her son Chang Xun the crown prince.Emperor Wanli was indecisive in dealing with affairs, worried about gains and losses, and procrastinated without making decisions.The ministers competed for the establishment of the reserve, and there were hundreds of chapters.However, Emperor Wanli ignored it and delayed it for 28 years.Some officials speculated that Zhu Changluo would be established, while others speculated that Zhu Changxun would be established. The two factions rose up, and the imperial court was fiercely contested.In October of the twenty-ninth year of Wanli (1601), the eldest son Chang Luo was established as the crown prince, but the doubters still did not give up.This has led to the so-called "country-based" dispute over the establishment of reserves.The Ming Dynasty's "Tailing Case", "Hongwan Case" and "Moving Palace Case" were all directly or indirectly related to the Wanli Emperor's Legislative Reserve.

Around the matter of Concubine Zheng and the crown prince, rumors continued and demon books spread everywhere.For example, there is an anonymous letter that pretends to be "Zheng Fucheng"-someone attaches that "Zheng" refers to Zheng Guifei, "Fu" refers to Fu Wang Zhu Changxun, and "Cheng" refers to the success of Zheng Guifei and Fu Wang after establishing a reserve book.There is also an explanation: "Zheng Fucheng" refers to Zheng Zhifu as the king.It roughly said: "The emperor had no choice but to stand in the East Palace, and it will change in the future. The special use of Zhu Geng's cabinet actually embodies the meaning of more changes." Emperor Wanli was furious, and ordered Jin Yiwei to search and arrest, and then arrested one person and sentenced him to death.Ye Xianggao, a scholar of the University, advised Emperor Wanli to stay in peace, and quickly ordered the vassal of King Fu to calm the crowd.After that, the "striking case" occurred.Concubine Zheng was involved.When Concubine Zheng heard about it, she wept to Emperor Wanli.Emperor Wanli said: "You must ask the prince yourself." Concubine Zheng appealed to the prince.The noble concubine bows, and the prince also bows.Emperor Wanli summoned all the ministers before the Empress Dowager's banquet in the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and ordered the crown prince to ban Zhulian, so Zhang sent him to prison.Emperor Wanli collapsed and ordered Concubine Zheng to be made queen, but the Ministry of Rites stopped her. The "moving palace case" started, and it was rumored that Zheng Guifei wanted to live with Li Xuanshi in Qianqing Palace, plotting to listen to politics behind the curtain.In July of the third year of Chongzhen (1630), Concubine Zheng died. ("History of the Ming Dynasty: Concubine Biography" Volume 14) Zheng Guifei lived through the four dynasties of Wanli, Taichang, Tianqi, and Chongzhen for more than 50 years.

The Ming people recorded a story: During an outing, I saw a temple built by imperial edict, which was very magnificent. When I went to the temple to worship the Buddha, I saw three people standing side by side on the altar - the middle said "Long live the current emperor", and the left said "Long live the Kunning Palace". , and the right said "Long live the palace of Yi Kun".Yikun Palace is the palace where Concubine Zheng lives. ("Wanli Yehuo Compilation·Jiaosi Baoli") This incident shows the status and influence of Zheng Guifei in the palace at that time.

Between Emperor Wanli, Concubine Zheng and the courtiers, there has been more than 20 years of noise surrounding the issue of the crown prince, which shows that the court ministers at that time had a certain right to speak and political influence, and they could restrain the emperor's decision-making to a certain extent. pay the price.Emperor Wanli was an indecisive person, hesitating, worrying about gains and losses, procrastinating without making a decision, and making decisions constantly, resulting in huge losses for Emperor Wanli, Concubine Zheng, the court and the people.