Eight Tigers
The Eight Tigers (), sometimes referred to as the Gang of Eight (八黨), were a powerful group of Eunuch (court official), eunuchs that controlled the Chinese imperial court during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor (r. 1505–1521) of the Ming Dynasty, Ming dynasty. Led by Liu Jin, the remaining members of the coterie were Ma Yongcheng (馬永成), Gao Feng (高鳳), Luo Xiang (羅祥), Wei Bin (魏彬), Qiu Ju (丘聚), Gu Dayong (谷大用) and Zhang Yong (張永). Background Eunuchs in China Eunuchs are Castration, castrated men who have often been used as servants in imperial and noble households, due to the understanding that they would not be distracted by or be a danger to women. Eunuchs were often utilized in the imperial household as harem guards and attendants. The Imperial Chinese harem system, harems were considered necessary in order to help produce a male heir, and the eunuchs were trusted protectors. Before the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs had long been a powerful po ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eunuch (court Official)
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium BCE. Over the millennia since, they have performed a wide variety of functions in many different cultures: courtiers or equivalent domestics, for espionage or clandestine operations, castrato singers, concubines, or sexual partners, religious specialists, soldiers, royal guards, government officials, and guardians of women or harem servants. Eunuchs would usually be servants or slaves who had been castrated to make them less threatening servants of a royal court where physical access to the ruler could wield great influence. Seemingly lowly domestic functions—such as making the ruler's bed, bathing him, cutting his hair, carrying him in his litter, or even relaying messages—could, in theory, give a eunuch "the ruler's ear" and impa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hongzhi Emperor
The Hongzhi Emperor () (30 July 1470 – 9 June 1505) was the tenth Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1487 to 1505. Born Zhu Youcheng, he was the eldest surviving son of the Chenghua Emperor and his reign as emperor of China is called the "Hongzhi Restoration" (弘治中興). His era name, " Hongzhi", means "great governance". A peace-loving emperor, the Hongzhi Emperor also had only one empress and no concubines, granting him the distinction of being the sole perpetually monogamous emperor in Chinese history, besides Emperor Fei of Western Wei. Early years Zhu Youcheng was born on 30 July 1470 to the Chenghua Emperor and Consort Ji (紀氏). Consort Ji was one of the Yao women captured during the suppression of an uprising in the southern Chinese province of Guangxi and then bought into the palace. Youcheng inherited a Southern appearance from his mother: a small figure and darker skin. He is also said to have intelligent and clear eyes and would grow a mustache and a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bazhou, Hebei
Bazhou (), formerly Ba County, is a county-level city in Hebei province, China. It is under the jurisdiction of Langfang prefecture-level city. As of 2002, it had a population of over 132,000. Administrative divisions Towns: *Bazhou Town (), Nanmeng, Bazhou, Hebei, Nanmeng (), Xin'an (), Tang'erli (), Jianchapu (), Shengfang (), Yangfengang () Townships: * Chaheji Township (), Kangxianzhuang Township (), Dongyangzhuang Township (), Wangzhuangzi Township (), Dongduan Township () Climate Transportation There are three railway stations in Bazhou. Bazhou railway station is the oldest and is an intermediate stop on the Beijing–Kowloon railway and the western terminus of the Tianjin–Bazhou railway. Bazhou West railway station is an intermediate stop on the Tianjin–Baoding intercity railway. Bazhou North railway station is an intermediate stop on the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway The Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway or Jingxiong intercity railway () is a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jiajing Emperor
The Jiajing Emperor (; 16September 150723January 1567) was the 12th List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1521 to 1567. Born Zhu Houcong, he was the former Zhengde Emperor's cousin. His father, Zhu Youyuan (1476–1519), Prince of Xing, was the fourth son of the Chenghua Emperor (reigned from 1464 to 1487) and the eldest son of three sons born to the emperor's concubine, Lady Shao. The Jiajing Emperor's Chinese era name, era name, "Jiajing", means "admirable tranquility". Early years Born as heir apparent of a vassal prince, Zhu Houcong was not brought up to succeed to the throne. However, the throne became vacant in 1521 after the sudden death of the Hongzhi Emperor's son, the Zhengde Emperor, who did not leave an heir. Prior to the Zhengde Emperor's death, the line of succession was as follows: * ''Chenghua Emperor, Zhu Jianshen, the Chenghua Emperor (1447–1487)'' ** ''Unnamed son (1466–1466)'' ** ''Zhu Youji (1469–1472)'' ** ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of Mongolic peoples. The Oirats in Western Mongolia as well as the Buryats and Kalmyks of Russia are classified either as distinct ethno-linguistic groups or subgroups of Mongols. The Mongols are bound together by a common heritage and ethnic identity. Their indigenous dialects are collectively known as the Mongolian language. The ancestors of the modern-day Mongols are referred to as Proto-Mongols. Definition Broadly defined, the term includes the Mongols proper (also known as the Khalkha Mongols), Buryats, Oirats, the Kalmyk people and the Southern Mongols. The latter comprises the Abaga Mongols, Abaganar, Aohans, Baarins, Chahars, Eastern Dorbets, Gorlos Mongols, Jalaids, Jaruud, Kharchins, Khishig ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Yang Yiqing
Yang Yiqing (; 24 December 1454 – 5 September 1530), courtesy name Yingning (應寧), pseudonym Sui'an (邃庵) or Shizong (石淙), was a Chinese scholar-official of the Ming dynasty. History Yang's ancestral home was located in Yunnan, Yiqing followed his father Jing to Yuezhou, since the latter moved to there in 1460. He was considered a child prodigy at the age of six, and given a privilege to enter the Hanlin Academy for studying. He passed the metropolitan examination of 1468, and the palace examination of 1472 later. He settled in Dantu, where his father was buried, in the next year. After his mourning, he served as a drafter in the Grand Secretariat since 1476, then assistant surveillance commissioner of Shanxi some year later. He was appointed as commissioner of education in Shaanxi, and had been conversant with the frontier affairs the eight-year term expired. Yang held the posts of vice minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, then minister of its counterpa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Prince Of Anhua Rebellion
The Prince of Anhua rebellion () or Prince Anhua uprising was a rebellion by Zhu Zhifan, Prince of Anhua and member of the House of Zhu, against the reign of the Zhengde Emperor from 12 May 1510 to 30 May 1510. The Prince of Anhua revolt was one of two princedom rebellions during Zhengde's rule as emperor of the Ming dynasty, and precedes the Prince of Ning rebellion in 1519. Background The eunuch Liu Jin rose to power during the ascension of the Zhengde Emperor. He initiated a series of tax reforms to increase state revenues. In 1492, Zhu Zhifan inherited the title of Prince of Anhua, a princedom located in modern Shaanxi. Zhu desired the imperial throne, and surrounded himself with a group of loyal supporters. A team of officials was sent to Ningxia in March 1510 to enforce the new military tax rates introduced by Liu Jin. The order issued to punish tax evaders was resented by the soldiers garrisoned at Ningxia. Sensing the opportunity, Zhu began plotting his rebellion wit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ministry Of Revenue (imperial China)
The Ministry or Board of Revenue was one of the Six Ministries under the Department of State Affairs in imperial China. Name The term "Ministry" or "Board of Revenue" is an English gloss of the department's purview. It is also similarly translated as the or . In Chinese, the various names of the department never referred to the government's monetary income. Instead, prior to the Sui dynasty, it was known as the ''Dùzhī'' from its role in overseeing government expenses. Under the Sui, it was known as the "Ministry of People" (''Mínbù'') from its role overseeing the census and its associated taxation. From the Tang to the Qing, it was known as the "Households Department" (''Hùbù''), again from its role in overseeing a census reckoned in households and its associated taxation. Administrative level *Tang dynasty & Song dynasty: subordinate to the Department of State Affairs *Yuan dynasty: subordinate to the Secretariat *Ming dynasty: originally subordinate to the Secretariat, r ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Baoding
Baoding (), formerly known as Baozhou and Qingyuan, is a prefecture-level city in central Hebei province, approximately southwest of Beijing. As of the 2010 census, Baoding City had 11,194,382 inhabitants out of which 2,176,857 lived in the built-up (''or metro'') area made of 4 out of 5 urban districts: Lianchi, Jingxiu, Qingyuan and Mancheng largely being conurbated, on . Baoding is among 13 Chinese cities with a population of over 10 million, ranking seventh. One can also note that Zhuozhou City in the northern part has now grown into part of the Beijing built-up (or metro) area. History Baoding is a city with a history dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. It was destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century, but after the Mongols established the Yuan Dynasty, it was rebuilt. It acquired the name "Baoding" during the Yuan dynasty — the name is roughly interpreted as "protecting the capital", referring to the city's proximity to Beijing. Baoding served for many years as ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lingchi
''Lingchi'' (; ), translated variously as the slow process, the lingering death, or slow slicing, and also known as death by a thousand cuts, was a form of torture and execution used in China from roughly 900 CE up until the practice ended around the early 1900s. It was also used in Vietnam and Korea. In this form of execution, a knife was used to methodically remove portions of the body over an extended period of time, eventually resulting in death. ''Lingchi'' was reserved for crimes viewed as especially heinous, such as treason. Some Westerners were executed in this manner. Even after the practice was outlawed, the concept itself has still appeared across many types of media. Etymology The term ''lingchi'' first appeared in a line in Chapter 28 of the third-century BCE philosophical text '' Xunzi''. The line originally described the difficulty in travelling in a horse-drawn carriage on mountainous terrain. Later on, it was used to describe the prolonging of a person's ago ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tael
Tael (),"Tael" entry at the . also known as the tahil and by , can refer to any one of several used in and [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Chenghua Emperor
The Chenghua Emperor (; 9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487), personal name Zhu Jianshen, was the ninth Emperor of the Ming dynasty, who reigned from 1464 to 1487. His era name " Chenghua" means "accomplished change". Childhood Zhu Jianshen was a son of the Zhengtong Emperor (also known as the Tianshun Emperor). He was only two years old when his father was captured by the Oirat Mongols and held captive in 1449. After that, his uncle, the Jingtai Emperor, took over the throne whilst his father was released from Oirats and returned to Beijing in 1450 and was put under house arrest for almost seven years. During this time, Zhu Jianshen lived under his uncle's shadow and even had his title of crown prince removed while the Jingtai Emperor installed his own son as heir. Zhu Jianshen was only reinstated as crown prince on the eve of the death of the Jingtai Emperor in 1457. Reign as emperor The Chenghua Emperor ascended the throne at the age of 17. During the early part of his adm ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |