Official tool

Author: Sun Baoyong
Editor-in-Chief: Yu Jinlan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features:
Excerpt: As the last feudal dynasty in China, the Qing Dynasty, of course, was no exception. When the Jurchen-led Later Jin Dynasty was first established, during the reign of its founder, Nurhaci, the Qing Taizu, there were several reasons why it did not yet establish a supervisory body or system. First, their ruling structure was still relatively immature, with punishments and rewards being simple and easily administered at any time. Second, in the early stages of building the nation, the focus was on a united front against external threats, so internal conflicts were not prominent, and there were few threats to their ruling position. Third, with the nation still engaged in military campaigns, they lacked the resources to focus on internal supervision. Therefore, the issue of establishing a supervisory body and system had not yet been raised.
In the 11th year of the Tianming era of Later Jin (the 6th year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, 1626), the Khagan (the term the Jurchens used for their highest leader), Nurhaci, faced fierce resistance from the Ming general Yuan Chonghuan against the Ming army's advances. Nurhaci soon passed away, and his eighth son, Hong Taiji, ascended to the throne as the new Khagan. At this time, the Ming imperial court was under the control of the eunuch faction led by Wei Zhongxian, who used the special intelligence agency of the Changwei to persecute loyal officials, the Donglin Party members, and even the generals who bravely fought against Later Jin. Not long before this, the three major incidents in the imperial court—the "Pengji," "Hongwan," and "Yigong" cases—further exposed the deep internal conflicts within the Ming ruling class, revealing that the emperor was no longer able to control the chaotic situation. This also indicated that the Ming Dynasty was nearing its final days. The incompetence and foolishness of the Ming rulers, along with the resulting chaos in governance, became a significant factor in triggering the late Ming peasant uprising.
Hong Taiji had a relatively thorough understanding of the Ming court, surrounded as he was by a group of Confucian scholars of Han descent who served as his advisors. Many of the systems he later established were modeled after those of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, at this time, Hong Taiji had some insight into the state of the Ming court.
Just at this time, there were constant calls for him to "advance" to the throne, meaning suggestions that he proclaim himself emperor. In reality, establishing a great empire, even ruling over the Central Plains, was undoubtedly a long-term goal of the Later Jin Dynasty. After founding the nation, Nurhaci continuously annexed Ming territory, and the establishment of Shenyang as the capital and later its renaming to Shengjing were all preparations for this goal.
In the years following Hong Taiji's accession to the throne, although he did not immediately launch a major offensive against the Ming, he was actively making preparations in various aspects. He won over some Han officials who had previously served under the Ming, even integrating them into the Eight Banners. He selected Han Confucian scholars through examinations, rewarded them, and appointed them to positions, while also changing some official titles to Chinese. All of these were preparations for his future rule over the Central Plains.