47

PROCLAMATIONS ®F THE HONGWU EMPEROR

In 1368 Zhit Yuanzhang( 1328-1398) founded the Ming dynasty. Re was the first commoner to become emperor in 1500 years. His origins were truly modest; after his parents died in an epidemic when he was sixteen, he became a monk and even for a while begged for his living. During the chaotic years of the (all of the Yuan dynasty, he became a rebel organizerrln M56 his group of rebels seized Nanjing and tii'o years later Beijing, Known by his reign title as the I longivii Emperor, he is famous as both a conscientious and a despotic ruler* In the two proclamations below, he discusses two topics that were to worry social and political < observers for the rest of imperial ChinaJthe corruption of high officials occupying positions that made extortion or acceptance of bribes all too easy; and the disruptive and dis- honest activities of the assorted underlings, runners, guards, and servants who did the bidding of officials and controlled ordinary people's access to them.'(longu'ii's proclamations can be read a&expressions of the values and thoughts of a man who rose meteorically within th+Chmese social system. They also reveal much about thtgworking of the bureaucracy and its impact on people's lives.

AN IMPERIAL EDICT RESTRAINING many of you really followed my instructions? OFFICIALS FROM F.VIL Those of you in charge of money and grain have stolen them yourselves; those of you in charge of To all civil and military officials: criminal laws and punishments have neglected the I have told you to retrain from evil. Doing so regulations. In this way grievances are not re- would enable you to bring glory to your ances- dressed and false charges are ignored. 1 hose with tors, your wives and children, and yourselves. genuine grievances have nowhere to turn; even With your virtue, you then could assist me in my when they merely wish to state their complaints, endeavors to bring good fortune and prosperity their words never reach the higher officials. *ftc- to the people. You would establish names for casionally rhese unjust matters come to my atten- yourselves in Heaven and on earth, and for thou- tion. After I discover the truih, 1 capture and sands and thousands of years, you would he imprison vhe corrupt, villainous, and oppressive praised as worthy men. officials involved. I punish them with the death However, after assuming your posts, how penalty or forced labor or have them (logged wilh 205 bamboo slicks in order to make manifest tin- con- a person! With the exception of the righteous per- sequences o! good or evil actions. son, the true gentleman, and the sage, no one is 'I hose who have died from their punishments able to avoid the temptation of money. But is il are unite, f lowever, those who survive con I use 'he really so difficult to reject the temptation of truth hy speaking, falsely. Lying to their friends profit? The truth is people have not really tried. and neighbors, they all say they are innocent. Previously, during the final years of the Yuan They complain, "1 he court's punishments are dynasty, there were many ambitious men compet- savage and cruel." This hind of slander is all too ing for power who did not treasure their sons and common. Yel I had clearly warned my officials daughters but pri/.ed jade and silk, coveted fine from thi' beginning not to do anything wrong. horses and beautiful clothes, relished drunken Too often they have not followed my words, singing and unrestrained pleasure, and enjoyed thereby bringing disaster upon themselves. separating people from their parents, wives, and When a criminal commits a mine or when a children. I also lived in that chaotic period. Hmv good person mistakenly violates the law, he is go- did I avoid such snares? I was able to do so he- ing, to be punished. A mom; these guilty ones there cause I valued my reputation and wanted to pre- will always be some who are so afraid of being serve my life. Therefore 1 did not dare to do these Hogged or of dying thai they will try to bribe the evil things. law enforcement officials with gold and silk. The Lor fourteen years, while the empire was still law enforcement officials, for their part, place no unpacified, I fought in the cities and fields, corn \alue on bringing glory to their ancestors, their peting with numerous heroes, yet never did 1 take wives and children, or themselves; nor do (hey a woman or girl improperly for my own pleasure. seek to preserve their o\\ lives. I he guilty per- 'I he only exception occurred after 1 conquered sons, afraid of death, use money to buy their lives. the city of Wuchang. I was enraged at Chen I he officials, not afraid of death, accept the Youliang's invasion, so after I took over the city. money, thereby putting their lives in danger of the I also took over his former concubine. Now I ;iin law. Yet later, when they arc about to be punished suddenly suspicious of my own intentions in th.it or are on theii way to the execution ground, they case. Was it for the beauty of the woman? Or w,is begin to tremble in fear. They look up to I leaven it the manifestation of a hero's triumph? Only tin- and iiic\e down at the earth. They open their wise will be able to judge. c\es wide, seeking for help in every direction. In order to protect my reputation and to pre- Alas, In then it is too late for them to repent their serve my life, I have done away with music, IHMU- actions. It is more than too late, for they now are titnl girls, and valuable objects. 'I hose who lou- no longer able to preserve their lives. such things are usually "a success in the morning l;or example, the former vice president of the a failure in the evening." Being aware of the f;i) ministry of war, Wang 7,hi, accepted a bribe of lacy of such behavior, I will not indulge such tnol /l^0,0()0 cash for making up false reports on run- Jsh fancies. It is not really that bard to do aw.iv away soldiers and other matters. I questioned him with these tempting things. face to face, "Why are you so greedy?" I le replied, "Monev and profit confused my mind. They made me forget my parents and my DISMISSAL OF EXCESSIVE LOCAL STAFF ruler." BECAUSE OF THEIR CRIMES I then asked, "At this moment what do you think about what you did?" Among those with no redeeming features, ihr 'Tacing punishment," he replied, "I begin to worst are the riffraff found in the prefectures d feel remorse, but it is tin) late." Su and Song. It is indeed a great misfortune tb.it Alas, how easily money and profit can bewitch these ne'er- do-wells can cause such great disrnr KIIUCS among ihe tines' inhabitants. 1'or the av- people Irom each of these two prefectures. These n.iL,c i own dweller there are tour types of men lake pan in none of the four useful occnpa iMiipaiion, These idle riffraff engage in none of lions. 1 hey utili/e the prestige ot die government lluiii, hut |iisi hang around, concerned only with to oppress the masses below. If people outside the establishing connections with the loeal officials. government do not know how wicked these men In tin- uiy aiul suburbs of Songjiang alone there are, they are going to say that 1 am harsh in my an; I iSO persons who do not engage in any actual punishments, since they see only the severity ot IHoJiicfion bur busy themselves only with curry- the law. I hey do not know that certain persons inji t.ivor with local officials. In the city and sub- have used the name of the court and the govein inhs of Sii/hoti, 1521 individuals fall into this meut to engage in evil practices. i.iti'gory. Alas, those who engage in productive In the morning I punish a few; by evening oth- uutk arc few, while those who shirk work are ers commit the same crime. I punish these in the evening and by the next morning again there arc I liese idlers understand neither the hardships violations. Although the corpses' of the fir^t have-

ti| the tanner nor ihe hard labor ot other occupa- not been removed, already others follow in their tions. They work lor [lie local government, calling path. 'Ihe harsher the punishment, the more the

tlii'iiibulvL's the "litfle warden,'1 ihe "straight violations. l)ay and night I cannot rcsi. This is a Matt," the "record staff," ihe "minor official." situation which cannot be helped. It I enact le- .iiul the "tiger assistant"—six types in all, each nient punishments, these persons will engage in \\iih a ciiff'eicni name. still more evil practices. Then how could the peo- Kven during ihe tanners' busiest season these ple outside the goveinuie'llt lead peaceful lives? klle persons will go to the fields to make trouble What a dillicnlt situation this is! It I punish .tiki interrupt agricultural activities. When it is these persons, I am regarded as a tyrant. It I am lime to transplant rice, and rhe farmers, with rice lenient toward them, rhe law becomes ineffective, sprouts in their hands, are busy wilh their choies, order deteriorates, and people deem me an inca- ilie.se idlers will come into the fields, clutching an pable ruler. All these opinions can be discerned in official dispatch. The}' will drag people awaj horn the vaiiotts records and memorials. To be LI ruler the irrigation water wheel and arrest them on the is indeed difficult. spot. I hey have even been kmm n lo take ihe i ice I have exterminated the vicious liltratt in the

sprouts our ol a tanner's hands and arrest him prefectures of Su/hou and Songji.mg. l;vil persons right in his Held. Vet when lormal ollk.ial matters in other areas, seeing this edict, take heed. Dis- .ire not really pressing, government officials are continue your evil practices ami you will perpet- not supposed to interrupt agricultural work. uate your good fortune and prosperity. Hut it you Therefore, how could one interrupt llu- tarnu-r as viol.iu- this edm, you \\ill be exterminated and lit.' farms with something that is really nothing." your lanuly v\l be broken. IV1 cautious! fie can At this time, it I were to thoroughly eiadicate lions! this riffraft, in addition to those ahead) impris uned, 1 would have to deal \h no less t ban J.OOU