The Ming Dynasty (明朝 1368-1644) has caused long term damages to China. Starting from its first emperor, the Mings centralized all decision making. The emperors controlled their officials by literary inquisition (文字獄), public beating (廷杖), surveillance (檢校), secret polices (錦衣衛) and arbitrary arrests (詔獄). To avoid getting into trouble, people try to do nothing new. Such policies destroyed creativity in the nation. With cultural changes and some of its policies adopted by subsequent rulers, Ming's damages are felt today.
Literary Inquisition did not start with the Ming Dynasty, but the Hongwu (洪武) Emperor (Ming’s first emperor 朱元璋, in power 1368-1398) has popularized it to a completely new level. With a poor family background and his parents and all siblings dead, Hongwu Emperor was psychologically disturbed. Literary Inquisition was followed by the Qing dynasty (清朝 1636-1912), Emperor Yongzheng (雍正, in power 1723-1735) in particular.
The Hongwu Emperor (朱元璋) created a powerful secret surveillance whose job was to collect information. He also created powerful secret police forces who were given the power to arrest, convict and even execute on the spot. Abuse of power was common practice by the secret surveillance and police forces.
In the Ming Dynasty, the emperor may issue orders to arrest anyone. Arrest orders could be carried out by secret police forces (檢校). That means the emperor had unconstrained power. Those arrested are kept in special prisons (詔獄), where torture was common practice. Apart from physically damaging the prisoners, such tortures must have also mentally damaged those who performed the tortures as well as their family members and friends.
In 1380, the Hongwu Emperor ordered to execute Chancellor Hu Weiyong (胡惟庸) for "abuse of power". From then on, the Emperor abandoned the Chancellor post. Without support and any form of reliable consultation, the emperor was unable to make appropriate decisions.
[End]
All Rights Reserved