Four Major Cases of the early Ming dynasty

The Four Major Cases of the early Ming dynasty (Chinese: 明初四大案; pinyin: Míngchū Sìdà'àn / Chinese: 明初四大獄; pinyin: Míngchū Sìdàyù) refer to the following persecutions at the start of the Ming dynasty:

  • Hu Weiyong case (Chinese: 胡惟庸案; pinyin: Hú Wéiyōng àn),
  • Lan Yu case (Chinese: 藍玉案; pinyin: Lán Yù àn),
  • the prestamped documents case (Chinese: 空印案; pinyin: Kōngyìn àn),
  • the Guo Huan case (Chinese: 郭桓案; pinyin: Guō Huán àn).

Occurring during Hongwu Emperor's reign, they were also called the Four Major Cases of the Hongwu era (Chinese: 洪武四大案; pinyin: Hóngwǔ Sìdà'àn / Chinese: 洪武四大獄; pinyin: Hóngwǔ Sìdàyù).[1][2]

They are bracketed together as practices of the emperor's key idea: ruling with severe punishment. Each case, except the prestamped documents case, led to large numbers of people being involved, and consequently, tens of thousands of executions.[3]

Traditionally, Chinese historians grouped these cases into the Hu-Lan cases (Chinese: 胡藍之獄; pinyin: Hú Lán Zhīyù / Chinese: 胡藍黨獄; pinyin: Hú Lán Dǎngyù), combining the former two cases against the meritorious officials and officers of the Hu-Lan cliques,[4] while the targets of the rest were common officials.[3]

Background

Distrust and revolts

Long before the Yuan dynasty collapsed, the Hongwu Emperor had revealed his distrust of his senior generals. They were issued an order that their wives and children would be detained in the capital as hostages, if they were fighting outside.[5] This had probably the reverse effect. Shao Rong (邵榮), who was deemed the most skillful general in battle, was sentenced to death for his part in a 1362 coup attempt. Being treated unfairly, another general, Xie Zaixing (謝再興) revolted later. Both of them were put down eventually. Nonetheless, there was a credibility gap developing between the emperor and his officers. According to Taizu Shilu, the emperor praised Zhao Pu (趙普) for his "foresighted" suggestion given to Emperor Taizu of Song: removal from their generals' power, when he read History of Song in 1365.[6]

West Huai faction and East Zhe faction

Since the emperor came from the middle reaches of the Huai River, he installed the figures who also came from there at the imperial court. These people formed the West Huai faction, which included Li Shanchang at first. Hu Weiyong established himself as a pivotal figure after Li's retirement. Beside this, there are some figures from Zhejiang such as Liu Ji, and their allies such as Yang Xian. As their status elevated, regionalism emerged and grew into the political struggle between the East Zhe faction and the West Huai faction.[7] It was said that Hu spoke of his fears to Li: once Yang Xian was appointed as the chancellor, the people belonging to the West Huai faction would be emasculated and marginalised. Then they removed Yang by fair means or foul.[8]

Hu Weiyong case

Execution of Hu Weiyong and Li Shanchang

Hu served as a military clerk in former years and was promoted to assistant chancellor and then the right chancellor.

In 1380, Hu Weiyong's adopted son Tu Jie (涂节) sued Hu for treason. Ming Taizu immediately arrested Hu and executed him.

In 1390, Zhu Yuanzhang further executed Li Shanchang, Lu Zhongheng, Tang Shengzong, Fei Ju, Zhao Yong, Jin Chaoxing, Ye Sheng, Mao Qi, Li Bosheng and Ding Yu for treason and colluding with Hu. In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang executed all 70 members of Li Shanchang's family.[9]

The informer: Yun Qi

Under the pretext of visiting a gush of divine spring at his yard, Hu invited the emperor to his residence for the plot: to assassinate this unsuspecting monarch. The latter was obstructed by a eunuch, Yun Qi (云奇), half way there. Then the emperor was given advance warning of Hu's attempted coup. He ascended the palace wall and noticed Hu's soldiers ambushed. That corroborated what Yun had warned. After the conspiracy was exposed, Hu was put to death.

"Collude with the Japanese": Lin Xian and Nyoyou event

After Hu was executed, in 1385 it was revealed that Li Cunyi and his son Li You rebelled against Hu. In 1386, Lin Xian (林贤), commander of the Mingzhou guards, was investigated for his ties to Hu Weiyong. In the 19th year of Hongwu, the investigation into the "Lin Xian case" (林贤案) concluded, and Zhu Yuanzhang executed Lin Xian by lingchi for treason and collusion with Hu.[10]

Lu Zhongheng's (陆仲亨) family slave also reported that Lu Zhongheng, Tang Shengzong (唐胜宗), Fei Ju (费聚), and Zhao Xiong (赵雄) also colluded with Hu under a plot. Song Lian's (宋濂) grandson Song Shen (宋慎) was also implicated and killed, while Song Lian was demoted. Zhu Yuanzhang published the "Records of Exposing Traitors" (《昭示奸党录》).[10]

Lan Yu case

In the 25th year of Hongwu, Ye Sheng (叶昇) was executed for "communicating with Hu Weiyong". Ye Sheng was an in-law of Lan Yu, so Ye Sheng's execution served as a prelude to the Lan Yu case in the 26th year of Hongwu. Zhu Yuanzhang would reopen the prison and persecute over 100,000 people.

Lan Yu was a talented general who led an army of 150,000 people to pursue the Mongolians to Buir Lake. Lan Yu succeeded in defeating the Mongols and even captured a Mongol noble lady and raped her. Despite this, Lan Yu was initially praised by Zhu for his battles against the Mongols. However, this started to change as Lan Yu became more arrogant and started abusing his power, making Zhu feel threatened.

Lan Yu had a lot of experience in battle, whereas the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang initially started as an illiterate beggar and bumpkin who knew nothing about warfare. Lan Yu often disagreed with Zhu, disobeying his commands. Eventually, Zhu's Jinyiwei secret police officer Jiang Huan (蔣瓛) accused Lan Yu of treason, finding 10,000 Japanese swords at Lan Yu's residence. Zhu then executed Lan Yu.[11] However, the whole purpose was for Zhu to eliminate political enemies to the throne and his successor.

Prestamped documents case

The local officials in Yuan dynasty evolved a working method from which their successors had never departed, until 1376: the imperial court commanded that local governments send an official courier to report their figures about the items at year's end, with the stamped documents. The stamped documents would be cross-checked before they were submitted to the Ministry of Revenue eventually. If the figures didn't seem to tally, the courier had to return for a new stamped document to submit. To avoid traipsing from their seats to the capital, these officials decided to carry spare prestamped documents.

However, the emperor couldn't condone such a practice. He affirmed that the participants probably cashed in on it. Thus, both the officials who held the stamps and the signatories were executed. Their accessories were exiled to the frontier.[3]

Guo Huan case

Guo Huan, then Vice-minister of Revenue, was executed for embezzling seven million piculs of grain in May 1385. Among his accomplices, only a few ministers and vice-ministers had been spared,[12] excluding Minister of Rites Zhao Mao (趙瑁), Minister of Justice Wang Dihui (王惠迪), Vice-minister (also the acting Minister) of Works Mai Zhide (麥至德).[13] One consequence was certain: several ministries were rudderless for about three years.

Year Minister of
Personnel		 Minister of
Revenue		 Minister of
Rites		 Minister of
Defense		 Minister of
Justice		 Minister of
Works		 Chief Senior
Censors
1384 Yu Xi (余熂) Li Shu (栗恕)
→ Guo Huan		 Ren Ang (任昂)
→ Zhao Mao		 Yu Lun (俞綸) Liu Kui (劉逵)
→ Wang Huidi		 Mai Zhide Left: Zhan Hui (詹徽)
Right: Tang Yougong (湯友恭)
1385 Yu Xi
→ Zhao Mao		 Guo Huan
→ Xu Duo (徐鐸)
→ Ru Tais (茹太素)		 Zhao Mao Wen Xiangqing
(溫祥卿)		 Wang Huidi
→ Tang Duo (唐鐸)		 Mai Zhide
→ Xu Ben (徐本)		 Left: Zhan Hui
Right: Tang Yougong
1386 vacant vacant vacant vacant Tang Duo Xu Ben Left: Zhan Hui
Right: Tang Yougong
1387 vacant vacant Li Yuanming
(李原名)		 vacant Tang Duo vacant Left: Zhan Hui
Right: Tang Yougong
1388 vacant vacant Li Yuanming Tang Duo Tang Duo vacant Left: Zhan Hui
Right: Tang Yougong
→ Ling Han (淩漢)
1389 vacant Yang Jing
(楊靖)		 Li Yuanming Tang Duo
→ Shen Jin (沈溍)		 Zhao Mian
(趙勉)		 Qin Kui
(秦逵)		 Left: Zhan Hui
Right: vacant
1390 Zhan Hui Yang Jing
→ Zhao Mian		 Li Yuanming Shen Jin
→ Qin Kui →
Ru Chang (茹瑺)		 Zhao Mian
→ An Tong (安童)
→ Yang Jing		 Qin Kui
→ Shen Jin		 Left: Zhan Hui
Right: vacant

Later, the emperor's Da Gao (大誥; [Grand Pronouncement]) proclaimed that Guo and his gang had actually embezzled 24 million piculs, while the huge discrepancy between the two accounts was justified to avoid broadly-based popular suspicion.

Allegedly, many southern landlords were complicit in these crimes. They were ordered to hand over the so-called loot, driving most of them into bankruptcy. They retaliated by mobilizing public opinion against the trial judge, Wu Yong (吳庸). This convenient scapegoat for the will of the Emperor was believed to be responsible for the wrongful death of many innocent people, so he was also executed eventually.[12]

See also

Notes
  1. Meng (2011), p. 62.
  2. Meng (2011), p. 74.
  3. Zhang, Fan (2001). 中国古代简史. Peking University Press. pp. 339–341. ISBN 978-7-301-04770-5.
  4. 明史紀事本末, Vol. 13
  5. 國初事跡, "太祖嘗曰：「與我取城子的總兵官，妻子俱要在京住，不許搬取出外。」"
  6. Taizu Shilu, Vol.15 上禦左閣，讀『宋史』，至趙普說太祖收諸將兵權，謂起居注詹同曰：「普誠賢相，使諸將不早解兵權，則宋之天下未必不五代若也」
  7. Wu (1985), p. 250.
  8. 國初事跡, "胡惟庸謂善長曰：「楊憲為相，我等淮人不得為大官矣。」憲因劾汪廣洋不公不法，李善長排陷大臣、放肆為奸等事，太祖以極刑處之。"
  9. Mingshi《明史》卷127：“獄具，謂善長元勳國戚，知逆謀不發舉，狐疑觀望懷兩端，大逆不道。會有言星變，其占當移大臣。遂並其妻女弟侄家口七十余人誅之。而吉安侯陸仲亨、延安侯唐勝宗、平涼侯費聚、南雄侯趙庸、滎陽侯鄭遇春、宜春侯黃彬、河南侯陸聚等，皆同時坐惟庸黨死，而已故營陽侯楊璟、濟甯侯顧時等追坐者又若干人。帝手詔條列其罪，傅著獄辭，為《昭示奸黨三錄》，佈告天下。善長子祺與主徙江浦，久之卒。祺子芳、茂，以公主恩得不坐。芳為留守中衛指揮，茂為旗手衛鎮撫，罷世襲。”
  10. Mingshi, Hu Weiyong case《明史·胡惟庸传》记载着：“惟庸既死，其反状犹未尽露。”
  11. 《明史》卷132：浸骄蹇自恣，多蓄庄奴、假子，乘势暴横。尝占东昌民田，御史按问，玉怒，逐御史。
  12. History of Ming, Vol.94
  13. Meng (2011), p. 64.

References
  • Meng, Sen (2011). 明清史讲义. The Commercial Press. ISBN 978-7-100-07465-0.
  • Nan, Tang, Bingwen, Gang (2014). 中国断代史系列, Volume 12: 明史, Part 1. Shanghai People's Publishing House. ISBN 978-7-208-12480-6.
  • Mote, Twitchett, Frederick W., Denis (1998). The Cambridge History of China, Volume 7: The Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644, Part 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-24332-2.
  • Wu, Han (1985). 朱元璋传. People's Publishing House. ISBN 7-01-000978-3.
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