In the formative years of the Ming dynasty, the delicate balance between central authority and local administration faced profound challenges. Among these was a striking incident involving a local clerk named Zhu Sheng, who, along with his cohorts, violently assaulted imperial military officers dispatched by the court. This incident, recorded in the “Imperial Edicts” of the Hongwu Emperor , reveals not only the tensions between different layers of governance but also highlights the emperor’s efforts to reform a system plagued by abuses and inefficiencies inherited from the Yuan dynasty. This article explores the historical context, key events, cultural implications, and enduring legacy of the Zhu Sheng affair within the broader framework of Ming administrative reforms.

The Ming Dynasty’s Military and Administrative Structure: Understanding the Background

To grasp the significance of the Zhu Sheng case, it is essential to understand the Ming dynasty’s military and bureaucratic system, especially the role of the banner troops .

Following his establishment of the Ming dynasty in 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang sought to consolidate power by reorganizing the military and administrative apparatus. The Ming military was structured under the wei-suo system, where households were registered as military families , who would serve in the guard units, or “wei,” stationed across the empire. These soldiers were often accompanied by an assistant or “yu ding,” who helped maintain the soldier’s affairs but was also a mechanism for imposing the burdens of military service on ordinary civilians.

The so-called “qin chai qi jun” were officially commissioned soldiers tasked with enforcing the emperor’s orders in local jurisdictions. Their status was above that of ordinary soldiers, reflecting their direct link to imperial authority. Their presence in localities was meant to ensure the enforcement of laws and imperial edicts, particularly during turbulent times when the emperor sought to curtail corrupt local officials and clerks.

Local clerks, or zao li, were essentially minor government employees who performed administrative and clerical duties in county and prefectural offices. Though low in rank, they wielded considerable power over ordinary citizens, often acting as intermediaries between the people and government officials. Their roles included record-keeping, tax collection, and assistance in judicial matters. However, many of these clerks became notorious for corruption, extortion, and abuse of power, which undermined the legitimacy of local governments and fueled social unrest.

The Assault on the Imperial Banner Troops: Zhu Sheng’s Defiance

The case at the heart of this article involves Zhu Sheng, a zao li from Kunshan County in Suzhou Prefecture, who, together with other clerks under his leadership, physically assaulted the imperial banner troops sent to their locality. According to the “Imperial Edict” , Zhu Sheng and his group brazenly refused to comply with the orders of the county magistrate, Li Jun, and went as far as to beat the banner soldiers.

This act was more than just a local disturbance—it represented a direct challenge to imperial authority. The assault on the banner troops was considered a capital crime, punishable by decapitation, an extreme penalty that went beyond the usual legal framework of the time. Typically, such clerks might face corporal punishment and imprisonment, but Zhu Sheng’s actions were deemed so egregious that the emperor himself decreed the death penalty.

Despite the gravity of the offense, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang acknowledged in his edict that even imperial envoys were not immune to corruption or misconduct. However, he emphasized that any accusations against the banner troops should be formally reported and investigated by higher authorities, not dealt with through violence or disregard. This insistence on upholding proper channels of authority highlights the emperor’s commitment to legal order and centralized control.

The Broader Context: Widespread Abuse and the Emperor’s Campaign Against Corrupt Clerks

The Zhu Sheng incident was not an isolated case. It occurred amid a broader campaign launched by the Hongwu Emperor to purge corrupt and abusive clerks from the administration. The emperor viewed the exploitation and oppression by these local functionaries as one of the key factors contributing to the fall of the preceding Yuan dynasty. He believed that unchecked abuses by clerks had devastated the peasantry, undermined the state’s revenue base, and eroded popular support for the regime.

In the “Imperial Edicts,” Zhu Yuanzhang also recounts other cases of clerks assaulting officials, such as Shen Shang from Changshu County and Xu Wenliang from Kaihua County, who openly attacked their county magistrates within government offices. While details about these incidents are sparse, the emperor’s inclusion of these examples served as a stern warning to all officials: allowing clerks to dominate and intimidate government officers was unacceptable and would lead to severe consequences.

The emperor’s repeated admonitions reflect his frustration with the prevailing administrative dysfunction. He warned local officials against relying too heavily on clerks for decision-making or governance, noting that many officials had become mere figureheads, unable or unwilling to assert authority over their subordinates. Zhu Yuanzhang famously declared that officials who delegated power to clerks risked losing their own lives, underscoring the lethal stakes of bureaucratic mismanagement.

Diagnosing the Problem: The Shadow of Yuan Dynasty Legacy

Zhu Yuanzhang’s analysis of the problem was shaped by his view that the Yuan dynasty’s rule had left a toxic legacy in China’s administrative culture. He described how the Mongol rulers, whom he regarded as foreign and culturally alien, had installed officials unfamiliar with Chinese customs and language across the empire. This created a situation where local governance was effectively outsourced to clerks who manipulated the system for their own benefit, often at the expense of the common people.

The emperor lamented that even decades after the fall of the Yuan, many officials continued to imitate the former regime’s flawed practices. Instead of exercising independent judgment, they relied on clerks to handle affairs, reducing themselves to passive bystanders. This situation was particularly acute in departments like the Ministry of Revenue, where even senior officials like Vice Minister Zhang Yi were criticized for disengaging from daily operations and deferring entirely to clerks.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s critique reveals his deep concern about the erosion of official accountability and competence. He aspired to restore a governance model where educated and morally upright officials actively managed their responsibilities rather than surrendering power to administrative subordinates.

Cultural Impacts and the Emperor’s Reform Agenda

The Zhu Sheng case and related incidents contributed to the emperor’s determination to reform the lower levels of administration. His campaign targeted the “harmful clerks” who exploited their positions to oppress the populace, disrupt governance, and challenge authority. This campaign was part of a broader effort to reassert imperial control, strengthen local government, and promote ethical governance.

The emperor’s edicts also served a didactic purpose, educating officials about the dangers of allowing clerks to usurp their authority. By publicizing these cases, Zhu Yuanzhang sought to create a culture of vigilance and responsibility among officials, reminding them that their survival depended on maintaining control over their subordinates and conducting affairs with integrity.

These reform efforts had lasting impacts on the Ming bureaucracy. The emperor’s emphasis on moral rectitude and active leadership influenced subsequent generations of officials and contributed to the establishment of a more hierarchical and centralized administrative order. Nonetheless, the persistence of clerical abuses in later periods indicates that these problems were deeply rooted and difficult to eradicate entirely.

Legacy of the Zhu Sheng Incident in Chinese History

The Zhu Sheng affair remains a vivid illustration of the complex dynamics between different levels of power in early Ming China. It exposes the fragility of imperial authority in local settings and the challenges of maintaining order in a vast empire with a layered bureaucracy.

Historically, the case is significant because it shows how the Hongwu Emperor personally intervened in matters of local administration, using harsh punishments and moral censure to enforce his vision of governance. It reflects his broader concerns about the survival of his dynasty, the welfare of his subjects, and the integrity of the state.

Moreover, the incident underscores the tensions inherent in bureaucratic systems where low-level functionaries wield disproportionate power over both the populace and their superiors. This phenomenon is not unique to Ming China but resonates with administrative struggles across cultures and eras.

In modern scholarship, the Zhu Sheng case is often cited as evidence of the challenges that the Ming dynasty faced in consolidating its rule and reforming inherited institutions. It also offers a window into the everyday realities of governance, where violence, corruption, and resistance intersected with imperial ideology and policy.

Conclusion: Lessons from the Desperation and Rebellion of Local Clerks

The story of Zhu Sheng and his violent defiance against imperial troops serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked bureaucratic power and the importance of strong, ethical leadership. Zhu Yuanzhang’s response illustrates the difficulties of reforming entrenched systems and the lengths to which rulers must go to enforce order and justice.

While the emperor’s harsh measures and moralistic rhetoric aimed to restore proper governance, the persistence of clerical abuses reminds us that administrative reform is an ongoing struggle requiring vigilance, accountability, and the balancing of authority between different actors.

Ultimately, the Zhu Sheng case enriches our understanding of the early Ming dynasty’s political culture and the complex interplay between local and central forces in imperial China. It challenges us to consider how power is negotiated, contested, and maintained within bureaucratic systems, lessons that remain relevant in contemporary governance debates worldwide.