Donglin movement
Encyclopedia
The Donglin movement was an ideological and philosophical movement of the late Ming
and early Qing
dynasties of China.
The movement was established in 1604, during the Wanli
era, when Gu Xiancheng (顧憲成 Gù Xiànchéng, 1550–1612), a Ming Grand Secretary, and Gao Panlong (高攀龍 Gāo Pānlóng, 1562–1626), a scholar, restored the Donglin Academy
in Wuxi
with the financial backing of local gentry and officials.
The motivation for restoring the Academy was concern about the state of the bureaucracy and its inability to bring about improvement. The movement represented a resort to moral Confucian traditions as a means of arriving at fresh moral evaluations. Thereafter the Academy became a centre of dissent for public affairs in the late Ming and early Qing periods. Many supporters of Donglin were found in the bureaucracy and it become deeply involved in factional politics.
Many of the academy's creators were among the mandarins who a few years previously had forced the Wanli Emperor to appoint his first-born son, Zhu Changluo (the future Taichang Emperor) as the heir to the throne, even though the emperor himself would rather have the throne go to Zhu Changxun (the emperor's son from his favorite concubine, Lady Zheng).
During the reign of the Tianqi Emperor, Donglin opposition to the eunuch Wei Zhongxian
resulted in the closure of the Academy in 1622 and the torture and execution of its head, Yang Lian, and five other members in 1624.
The accession of the Chongzhen Emperor restored the fortunes of the Donglin faction.
Later during Chongzhen's reign, Donglin partisans found themselves opposed to the Grand Secretary Wen Tiren, eventually arranging his dismissal in 1637.
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and early Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
dynasties of China.
The movement was established in 1604, during the Wanli
Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China between 1572 and 1620. His era name means "Ten thousand calendars". Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's third son...
era, when Gu Xiancheng (顧憲成 Gù Xiànchéng, 1550–1612), a Ming Grand Secretary, and Gao Panlong (高攀龍 Gāo Pānlóng, 1562–1626), a scholar, restored the Donglin Academy
Donglin Academy
The Donglin Academy , also known as the Guishan Academy , was originally built in AD 1111 during the Northern Song dynasty at present-day Wuxi in China...
in Wuxi
Wuxi
Wuxi is an old city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Split in half by Lake Tai, Wuxi borders Changzhou to the west and Suzhou to the east. The northern half looks across to Taizhou across the Yangtze River, while the southern half also borders the province of Zhejiang to the south...
with the financial backing of local gentry and officials.
The motivation for restoring the Academy was concern about the state of the bureaucracy and its inability to bring about improvement. The movement represented a resort to moral Confucian traditions as a means of arriving at fresh moral evaluations. Thereafter the Academy became a centre of dissent for public affairs in the late Ming and early Qing periods. Many supporters of Donglin were found in the bureaucracy and it become deeply involved in factional politics.
Many of the academy's creators were among the mandarins who a few years previously had forced the Wanli Emperor to appoint his first-born son, Zhu Changluo (the future Taichang Emperor) as the heir to the throne, even though the emperor himself would rather have the throne go to Zhu Changxun (the emperor's son from his favorite concubine, Lady Zheng).
During the reign of the Tianqi Emperor, Donglin opposition to the eunuch Wei Zhongxian
Wei Zhongxian
Wei Zhongxian is considered by most historians as the most powerful and notorious eunuch in Chinese history. Originally a hoodlum and gambler, his initial name was Wei Si . He took the step of becoming a eunuch and entering palace service to escape from his creditors, taking the name Li Jinzhong...
resulted in the closure of the Academy in 1622 and the torture and execution of its head, Yang Lian, and five other members in 1624.
The accession of the Chongzhen Emperor restored the fortunes of the Donglin faction.
Later during Chongzhen's reign, Donglin partisans found themselves opposed to the Grand Secretary Wen Tiren, eventually arranging his dismissal in 1637.