Chapter 117 Section 4 The end of the sacrificial burial system

Zhu Yuanzhang set an example of martyrdom, and future emperors can only follow it carefully.After the death of Ming Chengzu, more than 30 concubines were buried.Five concubines were buried after Ming Renzong's death, and ten were buried after Xuanzong's death.As for Emperor Jing, it is only recorded in the history books that "concubines, concubines, Tang family, etc." were buried, and the exact number is unknown.Adding up the five emperors, the total number of buried concubines is estimated to be around one hundred. Not only the emperor, but even the kings followed this ancestral system. According to the biographies of the kings in "History of Ming Dynasty", when Zhu Yuanzhang's second son, King Qin, died, "all the princesses died."Zhou Xianwang Zhu Youdun was the grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang. Before his death in the fourth year of Zhengtong, he made a memorial to express that he would be frugal after death. Therefore, Ming Yingzong specially ordered that "the concubine and wives are not required to die, and those who are young and have parents are sent back."Unexpectedly, before the imperial decree arrived, the six wives including Princess Gong and Shi had already died on the same day.Yingzong had no choice but to praise their "Zhenlie" and "Zhenshun".

In order to compensate the martyrs, the imperial court will give some preferential treatment to the relatives of the martyrs with higher status. "History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of Concubine" contains: "When Taizu died, most of the palace people followed the deceased. During Jianwen and Yongle, they successively gave excellent shirts. For example, Zhang Feng, Li Heng, Zhao Fu, Zhang Bi, and Wang Bin's families all inherited brocade clothes and guards. Hundreds of households are called "Taizu Zhaotian female households". It is the same for all three sects of Li Chengzu, Ren and Xuan."

The human martyrdom system in the Ming Dynasty ended in Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen.Before he died, he left such a will: "I can't bear to use people to be buried. I will stop this matter myself, and future generations will not do it again." There are two special reasons why this descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang can make such a wise decision.One is that Ming Yingzong was an emperor who had experienced many hardships.He was subjected to civil war and was imprisoned by his younger brother Emperor Jing for many years. This unusual experience made him more sensitive to human relationships and more emotional than ordinary emperors who were smooth sailing.The second is that Ming Yingzong and Empress Qian have a very deep relationship. When Empress Qian was in danger of Ming Yingzong, she once "wailed to the sky at night, lay down on the ground when she was tired, and lost one share. She lost one eye by crying."When Ming Yingzong was under house arrest, Empress Qian accompanied him through the difficult times. "Yingzong was in Nangong, not complacent, and the song was a consolation." "When Wen Yingzong was the empress, the queen made money and sold female reds for jade food."

Because Empress Qian did not have a son, her position in the inner palace struggle was once precarious.When Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty was dying, he "accounted for the will, determined the title of the concubine, and did not bury him as a concubine. All four things should be polished by the cabinet ministers."And specifically asked "Empress Qian will be buried with me when she lives forever."This is obviously worried that after his death, someone in the harem will force Empress Qian to commit suicide and be buried.Yingzong ended the system of human sacrifice, and one of the direct purposes was to protect his queen.

In any case, this decision is in line with the laws of nature and the hearts of the people, and is welcomed by all people. After the announcement, many ministers were even moved to tears, "when I read it, I burst into tears, feeling overwhelmed with grief."Historians of later generations praised this move even more, saying that "Yingzong had his own opinion and dismissed this move, thus breaking the eternal myth and absurdity. He regarded Tang Zong's order of Meng Cairen to follow the example of those who died before him, and the sage and foolishness will be a thousand miles away."The barbaric sacrificial burial system that unexpectedly revived in Chinese history has finally come to an end.