The Rise and Reign of Wei Zhongxian
During the late Ming Dynasty, a powerful eunuch faction dominated court politics through intimidation and corruption. At its center stood Wei Zhongxian, an illiterate former street gambler who rose to become the de facto ruler of China through his control of the Tianqi Emperor. Wei’s reign represented perhaps the most egregious example of eunuch power in Chinese history, with his network extending throughout the imperial bureaucracy.
Wei’s ascent began when he befriended the wet nurse of the future Tianqi Emperor, Madam Ke. This connection allowed him to establish influence over the young ruler after his 1620 accession. Over the next seven years, Wei systematically eliminated opposition, installing loyalists in key positions while enriching himself and his associates through extortion and embezzlement.
The Collapse of the Eunuch Regime
The death of Tianqi Emperor in 1627 marked the beginning of Wei’s downfall. The new Chongzhen Emperor, though only sixteen years old, immediately recognized the threat posed by Wei’s faction. Within months of taking the throne, Chongzhen moved decisively against the eunuch establishment.
The purge began with Wei’s closest associates. His nephew Wei Liangqing, who had been absurdly elevated to Duke of Ning despite complete incompetence, was swiftly executed. Similarly, Madam Ke’s son Hou Guoxing, who held the powerful position of Commander of the Imperial Guards, met the same fate. These initial executions sent shockwaves through the court, signaling that no one connected to Wei would be spared.
The Fate of Wei’s Inner Circle
Chongzhen’s investigation then turned to Wei’s most trusted eunuch allies. Four key figures faced particular scrutiny: Wang Tiqian, head of the Directorate of Ceremonial; Li Yongzhen and Li Chaoqin, both senior secretaries; and Liu Ruoyu, Wei’s primary document drafter.
The outcomes varied dramatically. Li Chaoqin chose suicide, hanging himself alongside Wei. Li Yongzhen attempted to bribe his way to safety, offering millions in silver taels to Chongzhen’s attendants. When this failed, he tried repeatedly to kill himself before finally being executed. Most remarkably, Liu Ruoyu avoided execution entirely because of his literary skills – Chongzhen spared him to document the eunuch faction’s crimes, resulting in the invaluable historical record Zhuozhong Zhi.
Wang Tiqian’s case proved most puzzling. Despite being Wei’s right-hand man in persecuting the Donglin faction, he received minimal punishment. Historical evidence suggests Wang had secretly been feeding information to Chongzhen long before Wei’s fall, effectively serving as a mole within the eunuch faction.
The Purge of Civil and Military Officials
Beyond the palace eunuchs, Chongzhen targeted corrupt officials who had enabled Wei’s regime. The so-called “Five Tigers” (civil officials) and “Five Panthers” (military officers) represented the worst offenders:
The Five Tigers included:
– Cui Chengxiu (Minister of War)
– Tian Ji (former Minister of War)
– Wu Chunfu (Minister of Works)
– Ni Wenhuan (Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices)
– Li Xielong (Vice Censor-in-Chief)
The Five Panthers comprised:
– Tian Er’geng (Commander-in-Chief)
– Xu Xianchun (Commander of the Imperial Guards)
– Cui Yingyuan (Vice Commander-in-Chief)
– Sun Yunhe (Right Commander-in-Chief)
– Yang Huan (Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards)
These officials had participated in the torture and execution of reformist scholars during Wei’s reign. Xu Xianchun personally drove nails into the skull of Yang Lian, a leader of the Donglin faction. Initial judicial reviews recommended lenient sentences, prompting Chongzhen to intervene directly. He ordered all surviving members executed and their properties confiscated, with Cui Chengxiu’s corpse exhumed and mutilated as an additional punishment.
The Comprehensive Settlement
The final reckoning came in March 1628, after four months of investigations. The “Qinding Ni’an” (Imperially Approved List of Traitors) identified 261 individuals divided into eight categories of culpability:
1. Principal Culprits (2 people): Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke – sentenced to death by lingchi (slow slicing)
2. Principal Conspirators (6 people): Including Cui Chengxiu – sentenced to beheading
3. Associates of Palace Attendants (19 people): Scheduled for autumn execution
4. Secondary Associates (11 people): Exiled
5-8. Various lesser offenders received sentences ranging from military service to dismissal
This comprehensive purge removed approximately one-third of senior Ming officials, demonstrating Chongzhen’s determination to root out systemic corruption.
Personal Vendettas and Historical Justice
The fall of Wei’s faction allowed victims’ families to seek retribution. Most dramatically, Huang Zongxi, son of persecuted official Huang Zunsu, attacked torturer Xu Xianchun during his trial, stabbing him repeatedly with an awl before being restrained. When prevented from killing Xu, Huang turned to fellow defendant Cui Yingyuan, beating him and tearing out his beard.
These personal acts of vengeance reflected the depth of bitterness created by Wei’s reign of terror. In 1629, Chongzhen officially rehabilitated the Donglin martyrs, posthumously honoring Yang Lian with the title “Zhonglie” (Loyal and Ardent) – a fitting epitaph for those who resisted tyranny.
The Legacy of the Purge
Chongzhen’s destruction of the eunuch faction represented both a triumph of justice and a missed opportunity. While eliminating a profoundly corrupt power structure, the young emperor failed to address systemic issues that enabled such abuses. The purge’s sheer scale also created administrative instability at a time when the Ming faced growing external threats.
Historically, Wei Zhongxian’s rise and fall illustrates the dangers of unchecked court favoritism and the vulnerability of imperial systems to manipulation. The episode also demonstrates how institutional corruption, once entrenched, requires radical measures to uproot – a lesson with enduring relevance for governance.
Ultimately, the Ming Dynasty’s failure to implement meaningful reforms after Wei’s downfall contributed to its eventual collapse. The Chongzhen Emperor, despite his early decisive action, would become known as the last ruler of the Ming – a tragic coda to a reign that began with such promise of renewal.