Tao Zhongwen
Tao Zhongwen | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 陶仲文 | |||||||
| Born | 1481 | ||||||
| Died | 1560 (aged 78–79) | ||||||
| Occupation | Taoist | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Chinese | 陶仲文 | ||||||
| |||||||
Tao Zhongwen[a] (1481–1560) was a Chinese Taoist priest and a close confidant of the Jiajing Emperor.
Biography
Tao Zhongwen was born around 1481[2] in Huanggang Prefecture, located in northern China's Hubei Province.[1][2] He held positions as an assistant official and storekeeper in Huangmei, Hubei, and Liaoyang, Liaodong. During this time, he became acquainted with Shao Yuanjie, a Taoist priest and the chief confidant of the Jiajing Emperor, who was knowledgeable in Taoist practices. In 1538, Shao recommended Tao to the Emperor as an expert in talismans, incantations, and exorcisms. Gradually, Tao gained the Emperor's trust and support.[2]
In 1539, the Emperor traveled to central China. Shao was too ill to accompany him and recommended Tao as his replacement.[3] During the journey, Tao predicted a fire at the Emperor's temporary residence, which impressed the Emperor and earned him recognition and confidence in his abilities.[4] Shao died shortly after,[3] and Tao then took over as the Emperor's chief Taoist confidant, assuming Shao's position. He was appointed as the Taoist patriarch, head of all Taoist monasteries, and was responsible for keeping records of Taoist priests and monks.[5] The following year, he was given the (honorary) title of minister of rites; his wife was also granted a high rank. Over time, he received all three titles of the "Three Excellencies", the honorary title "Pillar of the State", and in 1550, the title of Count of Gongcheng. He was able to secure the dismissal of a minister who had initially refused to receive him.[6][b] This was made possible through his strong alliance with Grand Secretary Yan Song.[1]
After the death of the heir apparent Zhu Zairui in 1549, the Emperor turned to Tao for support, believing in the effectiveness of his prayers and rituals. Tao also gained favor with the Emperor by advising against appointing his third (and eldest surviving) son, Zhu Zaiji (who later became the Longqing Emperor after the Jiajing Emperor's death in 1567), as heir apparent, so as not to attract the attention of evil spirits. This advice suited the Jiajing Emperor, who did not wish to draw attention to his poor health by naming an heir and who preferred his fourth son, Zhu Zaizhen.[5]
After 1545, the Emperor began to rely on fortune-telling organized by Tao for state affairs. Tao's ally Yan Song also participated in fortune-telling, seeing it as a way to influence policy in the desired direction.[7] Tao prepared elixirs for the Emperor that were believed to extend his life, including one made from the blood of a virgin's first menstruation.[8] To obtain this ingredient, he gathered hundreds of young virgins in the West Park,[1] along with vermilion and other ingredients.[8][c] Officials criticized these elixirs, which also contained lead and arsenic, as being poisonous, but their concerns were ignored.[9]
Tao had several disciples and followers, and his sons were also recognized and given positions of honor. Tao Shitong, probably the eldest son, served as an assistant to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. His probably second son, Tao Shien, was appointed as deputy head of the Office of Imperial Seals and later also served as an assistant to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Another son, Tao Shichang, studied at the Imperial University, while yet another son held the position of company commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Even Tao's more distant relatives held positions in various offices.[8]
In 1559, Tao resigned from his position[1] and died in November 1560. After his death, the Emperor struggled to find a suitable Taoist adept to replace him.[10] Before his death, Tao humbly returned many gifts to the emperor, including jade and gold valuables, as well as 10,000 liang (373 kg) of silver. The Emperor deeply mourned his death and gave him a highly esteemed four-character posthumous name, such as Shao, instead of the usual two-character one.[11]
After the Jiajing Emperor's death, the new Longqing Emperor and his ministers stripped Tao (and Shao) of all posthumous honors and imprisoned the late emperor's physicians, who had prepared drugs intended to prolong his life but which apparently shortened it instead. Tao Shi'en was among those arrested. They were sentenced to death, but in 1570, the sentence was reduced to exile beyond the Great Wall. Grand Secretary Gao Gong recalled that Tao had assisted the him in the early 1560s when he was seeking payment of his pension. Nevertheless, the Tao family's assets were confiscated by the state.[11]
Notes
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e Kohn (2000), p. 602.
- ^ a b c Liu (1984), pp. 168–169.
- ^ a b Fabrizio (2013), pp. 878–879.
- ^ Wan (2009), p. 75.
- ^ a b Liu (1984), pp. 173–174.
- ^ a b Liu (1984), pp. 177–178.
- ^ Geiss (1998), p. 481.
- ^ a b c d Liu (1984), p. 181.
- ^ Geiss (1998), pp. 479–480.
- ^ Geiss (1998), p. 482.
- ^ a b Liu (1984), p. 182.
Works cited
- Fabrizio, Pregadio (2013). The Encyclopedia of Taoism: 2-volume set. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 9781135796341.
- Geiss, James (1998). "The Chia-ching reign, 1522-1566". In Mote, Frederick W.; Twitchett, Denis C (eds.). The Cambridge History of China. Volume 7, The Ming Dynasty 1368-1644, Part 1 (1st ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 440–510. ISBN 0521243335.
- Kohn, Livia (2000). Daoism Handbook. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004112087.
- Liu, Cunren (1984). New Excursions from the Hall of Harmonious Wind. Leiden: Brill Archive. ISBN 9789004069763.
- Wan, Maggie C. K (2009). "Building an Immortal Land: The Ming Jiajing Emperor's West Park". Asia Major. Third Series. 22 (2): 65–99. ISSN 0021-9118.