Jinyi Wei
Encyclopedia
The Jinyi Wei was the imperial military secret police
of the Chinese emperors
of the Ming Dynasty
and were bound to serving the emperor only. The Jinyi Wei was founded by the Hongwu Emperor
in 1368 to serve as his personal bodyguards and it developed into a military organization the following year. They were authorized to overrule judicial proceedings in prosecutions, with full autonomy granted in arresting, interrogating and punishing anyone, including nobles and the emperor's relatives.
The Jinyi Wei were also tasked with collecting military intelligence on the enemy and participated in battle planning stages. A Jinyi Wei guard donned a distinctive golden-yellow uniform, with a tablet (pictured) worn on his torso, and carried a special blade weapon.
's personal bodyguards and defended him during a battle with the warlord Chen Youliang
. After Zhu founded the Ming Dynasty and became the Hongwu Emperor, he doubted his subjects' loyalties towards him and was constantly on guard against possible rebellions and assassinations. One of the early duties of the Jinyi Wei was to help the emperor spy on his subjects. The Hongwu Emperor increased the Jinyi Wei's duties later, allowing them to inspect his officials at work in the capital city, before formally establishing the organization in 1382, with about 500 members. Their numbers increased to around 14,000 in three years time.
In 1393, the Hongwu Emperor reduced the Jinyi Wei's duties after they allegedly abused their authority during the investigation of Lan Yu's rebellion plot, in which about 40,000 people were implicated and executed. When the Yongle Emperor
ascended to the throne, he was afraid that his subjects might be discontented with him, because he came to power by usurping his nephew's throne. He reinstated the Jinyi Wei's authority to increase his control over the imperial court. The Jinyi Wei was disbanded after having 262 years of history, when Li Zicheng's rebel forces overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644.
, granted with full autonomy in arresting, interrogating, detaining them without trial
and punishing them, without going through due process
. They were bound to the service of the emperor and took direct orders from him. They also served as political commissar
s for the Ming armies in times of war. In the later years of the Ming Dynasty, the Jinyi Wei were placed under the control of the eunuch
faction. As the government sank into corruption, the Jinyi Wei was constantly used as a means of eliminating political opponents through assassinations and legal prosecutions.
The 2010 film 14 Blades
featured the Jinyi Wei, starring Donnie Yen
as a Jinyi Wei commander.
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
of the Chinese emperors
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
of the Ming Dynasty
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 were bound to serving the emperor only. The Jinyi Wei was founded by the Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...
in 1368 to serve as his personal bodyguards and it developed into a military organization the following year. They were authorized to overrule judicial proceedings in prosecutions, with full autonomy granted in arresting, interrogating and punishing anyone, including nobles and the emperor's relatives.
The Jinyi Wei were also tasked with collecting military intelligence on the enemy and participated in battle planning stages. A Jinyi Wei guard donned a distinctive golden-yellow uniform, with a tablet (pictured) worn on his torso, and carried a special blade weapon.
History
The Jinyi Wei originated as early as 1360. They served as Zhu YuanzhangHongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...
's personal bodyguards and defended him during a battle with the warlord Chen Youliang
Chen Youliang
Chen Youliang was the founder of the insurgent state of Dahan in the late Yuan Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:...
. After Zhu founded the Ming Dynasty and became the Hongwu Emperor, he doubted his subjects' loyalties towards him and was constantly on guard against possible rebellions and assassinations. One of the early duties of the Jinyi Wei was to help the emperor spy on his subjects. The Hongwu Emperor increased the Jinyi Wei's duties later, allowing them to inspect his officials at work in the capital city, before formally establishing the organization in 1382, with about 500 members. Their numbers increased to around 14,000 in three years time.
In 1393, the Hongwu Emperor reduced the Jinyi Wei's duties after they allegedly abused their authority during the investigation of Lan Yu's rebellion plot, in which about 40,000 people were implicated and executed. When the Yongle Emperor
Yongle Emperor
The Yongle Emperor , born Zhu Di , was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China from 1402 to 1424. His Chinese era name Yongle means "Perpetual Happiness".He was the Prince of Yan , possessing a heavy military base in Beiping...
ascended to the throne, he was afraid that his subjects might be discontented with him, because he came to power by usurping his nephew's throne. He reinstated the Jinyi Wei's authority to increase his control over the imperial court. The Jinyi Wei was disbanded after having 262 years of history, when Li Zicheng's rebel forces overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644.
Service
The Jinyi Wei were authorized to overrule judicial proceedings in prosecuting those deemed as enemies of the stateEnemy of the state
An enemy of the state is a person accused of certain crimes against the state, such as treason. Describing individuals in this way is sometimes a manifestation of political repression. For example, an authoritarian regime may purport to maintain national security by describing social or political...
, granted with full autonomy in arresting, interrogating, detaining them without trial
Detention (imprisonment)
Detention is the process when a state, government or citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom of liberty at that time. This can be due to criminal charges being raised against the individual as part of a prosecution or to protect a person or property...
and punishing them, without going through due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
. They were bound to the service of the emperor and took direct orders from him. They also served as political commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
s for the Ming armies in times of war. In the later years of the Ming Dynasty, the Jinyi Wei were placed under the control of the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
faction. As the government sank into corruption, the Jinyi Wei was constantly used as a means of eliminating political opponents through assassinations and legal prosecutions.
In popular culture
The Jinyi Wei was popularly referred to as "the Imperial Court's hunting eagles and dogs" (朝廷鷹犬) by the common people at that time.The 2010 film 14 Blades
14 Blades
14 Blades is a 2010 wuxia film directed by Daniel Lee and starring Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei, Wu Chun, Kate Tsui and Qi Yuwu. The film was released on February 4 in China and February 11 in Hong Kong...
featured the Jinyi Wei, starring Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
as a Jinyi Wei commander.