Li Shanchang (|s=|t=李善長 Lǐ Shàncháng|w=Li Shan-ch'ang; 1314-1390) was a Chinese politician of the
Ming dynasty, part of the West Huai (Huaixi) faction, and one of the six dukes in 1370. Li Shanchang was one of
Emperor Hongwu's associates during the war against the
Yuan dynasty to establish the Ming dynasty.
The emperor was "bored with Li's arrogance" in old age. The Zhu family emperor then purged and executed Li along with his extended family and thirty thousand others, accusing him of supporting treason.
Li Shanchang organized ministries, helped draft a new law code, and helped compile the History of Yuan and the Ancestral Instructions and the Ritual Compendium of the Ming Dynasty. He helped established salt and tea monopolies based on Yuan institutions, launched an anti-corruption campaign to eliminate political opponents, restored minted currency, opened iron foundries, and instituted fish taxes. He made revenue by oppressing the people in the process.
He was a doubtful classicist, and was still charged with drafting legal documents, mandates, and military communications. The History of Ming biography states that his studies included Chinese Legalist writings. Most of his activities seem to have supported Hongwu Emperor's firm control of his regime. He was tasked with purging political opponents, anti-corruption, and rooting out disloyal military officers. His reward and punishment system was influenced by Han Feizi, and Li Shanchang had a kind of secret police in his service. At times he had charge of all civil and military officials in Nanjing.
Read more...: Life Execution of Li and his family
Life
Li was a marginal figure in Dingyuan County until his recruitment by the Emperor Hongwu, who was passing through the area with his army. Li discussed history with him, namely, the qualities of the founding Han Emperor Gaozu of Han, and the emperor invited Li to take over the secretarial and managerial duties of his field command. He proved able and energetic, often staying behind to transfer army provisions. He was given first rank among officers with the titles of Grand Councilor of the Left and "Dynastic Duke of Han". Comparisons between the Emperor Hongwu and Gaozu became a theme of the Ming Court and its historians.
One history holds that, after the navy in Chaohu surrendered to the emperor, Li urged ferrying the soldiers to capture the southern area of the Yangtze River. Then Li gave an advance notice to prevent the army from violating the military discipline. The duplicates of his notice were plastered everywhere in the occupied city, Taiping. Consequently, the troops garrisoned there in an orderly fashion.
The emperor asked Li to assume responsibility for administrative affairs in 1353, granting him overall institutional authority long before codification work started. Li's petitioning Emperor Hongwu to eliminate collective prosecution reportedly initiated the drafting. Hongwu ordered Li and others to create the basic law code in 1367, appointing him Left Councilor and chief legislator in a commission of 30 ministers. Hongwu emphasized the importance of simplicity and clarity, and noted that the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty had fully developed criminal statutes, ignored by the Yuan dynasty. Li memorialized that all previous codes were based on the Han code, synthesized under the Tang, and based their institutions on the Tang Code.
Following the drafting of the code, Li personally oversaw any new stipulations, including a system of fixed statutes made to combat corruption. He joined with Hu Weiyong against Yang Xian, another chancellor. Their efforts contributed to Yang's death, making Li the most powerful figure next to the emperor at the court in 1370. He quarreled with the great classical scholar Liu Bowen, causing the latter to resign from public office.
Execution of Li and his family
In old age, he retired as the emperor's distaste grew for his arrogance, but would still be called upon to deliberate military and dynastic affairs. Other councilors like Guangyang, remembered his carefulness, generosity, honesty, uprightness and seriousness, was demoted several times. A lack of division of powers between the Emperor and his councilors resulted in conflicts, and the grand councilors (four total) gave up on state affairs, following prevailing affairs or doing nothing. Appointed to right councilor, Li gave himself over to drinking. He was ultimately implicated in 1390 in a decade-long conspiracy and purged along with his extended family and thirty thousand others. He was executed largely on the basis of his awareness and non-reporting of treason. The post of councilor (or prime minister) was abolished following his execution.
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李善長(1314年 - 1390年),字
百室。濠州定遠(今屬安徽)人。
明朝開國功臣,曾任中書省
丞相。
李善長早年投靠朱元璋,跟隨征戰。曾擔任掌書記、帥府都事、江南行中書省平章、參知政事、吳國左相國,被比肩蕭何。明朝建立後,任中書省左丞相,受封韓國公,並位居開國功臣之首。洪武二十三年(1390年),雖擁兩塊免死鐵卷,但其捲入胡惟庸案被指縱容謀反,不在赦免範圍,因此仍被朱元璋賜死。
Read more...: 人物生平 早年經歷 隨軍征戰 明朝建國後 獲罪身死
人物生平
早年經歷
李善長出生于延祐元年(1314年),從小喜愛讀書,有智慧和謀略,通曉法家學說,預計事情大多說中,被鄉里推為祭酒。元至正十四年(1354年),朱元璋經略滁陽(今安徽滁州)時,經丁德興引薦隨之起義,留為掌書記(軍政機要秘書)。朱元璋曾問李善長:「天下之亂什麼時候才能平定呢?」他回答說:「秦末戰亂之時,漢高祖從普通百姓中崛起。他生性豁達大度,知人善任,不胡亂殺人,五年成就了帝王的基業。現在元朝綱常已經混亂,國家四分五裂。倘若上位效法漢高祖,天下便可輕易平定!」朱元璋稱讚他言之有理,此後參預機謀,負責後勤供應,甚得朱元璋信任。
朱元璋威名日益顯著,諸將前來投靠的,李善長考察他們的才能,稟告給朱元璋。李善長又替朱元璋對投誠者表達誠摯情意,使他們能夠安心。有人因為某些事情相互意見不合,產生矛盾,李善長便想方設法從中調解。郭子興因聽信流言而懷疑朱元璋,逐漸剝奪他的兵權。又想從朱元璋身邊把李善長奪過來輔佐自己,李善長堅決謝絕。朱元璋在和陽駐軍時,親自率軍前去進攻雞籠山寨,只留少量兵力幫助李善長留守。元軍將領得知後,前來偷襲和陽,李善長佈設伏兵打敗了元軍,朱元璋認為他是能臣。
隨軍征戰
朱元璋獲得巢湖水師後,李善長極力贊成渡江。攻克采石後,朱元璋率軍直趨太平,李善長事先寫下榜文,嚴禁士兵違反軍紀。攻占太平後,李善長馬上張貼榜文,軍中秩序井然。朱元璋為太平興國翼大元帥時,任命李善長為帥府都事。不久隨軍攻克集慶路。在將要進攻鎮江時,朱元璋擔心諸將約束不了部下,便佯裝發怒,要懲罰他們,經李善長力救,此事才得以解決。鎮江攻下之後,百姓都不知道有軍隊到來。朱元璋為江南行中書省平章,以李善長為參議。當時宋思顏、李夢庚、郭景祥等都為幕僚,但軍機進退和賞罰章程多由李善長決定。朱元璋改樞密院為大都督府,命李善長兼領府司馬,晉升為行省參知政事。
至正二十四年(1364年),朱元璋自立為吳王,以李善長為右相國。李善長曾請求專賣兩淮之鹽,設立茶法,都是在再三斟酌元朝制度、去其弊端之後提出來的。恢復製錢法,開礦冶鐵,制定魚稅,國家財富日益增長,百姓也不再貧困。吳元年(1367年)九月,朱元璋論平吳之功,封李善長為宣國公、左相國。朱元璋渡江時,經常使用嚴刑峻法。有一天,他對李善長說:「法有連坐三條,不是太過分了嗎?」李善長因此請求除大逆之罪外,全部免去連坐之罪。朱元璋于是命令他與御史中丞劉伯溫等裁定律令,頒示朝中內外。
明朝建國後
朱元璋稱帝後,追封自己祖先及冊立后妃、太子、諸王,都由李善長擔任大禮使。朱元璋設置東宮官屬,以李善長兼太子少師,授為銀青榮祿大夫、上柱國,參與決定國家大政,其他仍然如故。不久,率禮官制定郊社宗廟之禮。李善長請求按照元朝制度,由皇太子兼任中書令,但未被朱元璋批准。朱元璋巡視開封時,由李善長留守,一切事情李善長都可以不經請示靈活處理。不久,李善長上奏確定六部官制,商議官民喪服及朝賀東宮禮議,奉命監修《元史》,編寫《太祖訓錄》、《大明集禮》等書。確定天下山川神癨封號,封立諸王,爵賞功臣,事無巨細,朱元璋都委託李善長與諸儒臣商議執行。
洪武三年(1370年),朱元璋冊封功臣,說:「李善長雖無輝煌戰功,但跟隨我多年,供給軍糧後勤,功勞很大,應當晉封大國。」于是授他為開國輔運推誠守正文臣、特進光祿大夫、左柱國、太師、中書省左丞相,封為韓國公,年祿四千石,子孫世襲。並授予丹書鐵券,免除李善長二死,其子免一死。當時被封公者,李善長位居首位,詔書中將他比作蕭何,對他褒獎備至。李善長外表寬厚溫和,卻為人善妒,待人苛刻表裡不一。參議李飲冰、楊希聖,只是稍微冒犯了他的權威,李善長馬上將其罪上奏朱元璋,黜免二人。李善長與劉基爭論法令,以至于辱罵劉基,劉基內心不安,便請求告老還鄉。李善長權勢地位到了頂點,心裡慢慢變得傲慢起來,朱元璋開始對他有所反感。洪武四年(1371年),李善長因病辭官歸居,朱元璋賜臨濠地若干頃,設置守墳戶一百五十家,賜給佃戶一千五百家,儀仗士二十家。一年後,李善長病癒,朱元璋便命他負責修建臨濠宮殿,將江南富民十四萬人遷徙到濠州耕種,讓李善長管理他們,留在濠州數年。洪武七年,朱元璋提升李善長之弟李存義為太僕丞,李存義之子李伸、李佑都為群牧所官。
洪武九年(1376年),朱元璋以臨安公主下嫁其子李祺,授為駙馬都尉。李家受寵顯赫,時人極為羨慕。李祺與公主結婚一個月後,御史大夫汪廣洋、陳寧上疏說:「李善長恃寵自縱,陛下因病幾乎十日不能上朝,他不來問候。駙馬都尉李祺也六日不來朝見,召他至殿前,又不認罪,這是對陛下極大的不敬。」李善長因此獲罪,被削年祿一千八百石。不久,朱元璋又命李善長與曹國公李文忠一起統領中書省、大都督府、御史台,同議軍國大事,監督圜丘之工程。
獲罪身死
胡惟庸早年任寧國知縣,因為李善長的推薦,被擢為太常寺少卿,後升任左丞相,兩人因此互相往來。而李善長的弟弟李存義之子李佑,又是胡惟庸的侄女婿。洪武十三年(1380年),胡惟庸案發生,受牽連而處死者甚多,但李善長仍然如故。此時御史中丞空缺,李善長暫時管理御史台事務,多次向朱元璋提出建議。洪武十八年(1385年),有人告發李存義父子實為胡惟庸的黨羽,朱元璋下詔免死,將他們安置在崇明,但李善長沒有表示感謝,朱元璋因而懷恨在心。
洪武二十三年(1390年),李善長曾想建造府宅,從信國公湯和處借衛士三百人,湯和悄悄告訴朱元璋他所聽到的事。四月,應天府有百姓受株連而被發配到邊疆,李善長屢次請求赦免其親戚丁斌等。朱元璋大怒,將丁斌治罪。丁斌以前在胡惟庸家做事,他供出李存義等過去與胡惟庸互相交往的情況。于是朱元璋下令將李存義父子逮捕審訊,他們的供詞牽連到李善長,供詞上說:「胡惟庸企圖謀反,派李存義暗地裡勸說李善長。李善長驚叱道:『你這麼說到底為了什麼?你們一定要慎重,否則九族都要被滅。』不久,又派李善長的老友楊文裕去勸他說:『事成之後,當以淮西之地封你為王。』李善長驚駭不已,仍不同意,卻又頗為心動。胡惟庸于是親自去勸說李善長,仍然不同意。過了一段時間後,胡惟庸又派李存義去勸說,李善長嘆道:『我已經老了。我死之後,你們好自為之。』」
有人又告發李善長說:「將軍藍玉率軍出塞,到捕魚兒海時,俘獲胡惟庸私通沙漠使者封績,李善長卻匿而不報。」于是,御史競相上奏彈劾李善長。而李善長的奴僕盧仲謙等,也告發李善長與胡惟庸之間互相賄贈,經常偷偷私語。証據確鑿,說李善長雖是皇親國戚,知道有叛逆陰謀卻不揭發檢舉,而是徘徊觀望,心懷兩端,大逆不道。當時正好有人說將要發生星變,會有災禍發生,占卜的結果是災禍應當降臨在大臣身上。于是,朱元璋便將李善長賜死,將其妻女弟侄等全家七十餘人一併處死。朱元璋親自下詔羅列他們的罪狀,加在獄辭裡面,纂成《昭示奸黨三錄》,布告天下。李善長之子李祺與公主被遷徙至江浦,過了一段時間後死去。李祺之子李芳、李茂,因公主之恩未被牽累判罪。李芳任留守中衛指揮,李茂任旗手衛鎮撫,但被取消世襲韓國公的權利。
李善長死後第二年,虞部郎中王國用上書為之辯冤,認為李善長「謀反」的罪名難以成立,他指出李善長與朱元璋同心協力,出生入死開國平天下,功居勛臣第一,生得封公,死得封王。他的兒子李祺被朱元璋招為駙馬,眾多的親戚也紛紛拜官封爵。作為一位人臣,他已安享了萬全富貴,其榮譽已臻于極致,絕不會冒險謀反以圖僥倖。再者來說,倘若有人說他要圖謀不軌,自立為帝,這一罪名或許還能成立;但現在竟說他要襄助胡惟庸謀反,則大謬不然。李善長與胡惟庸只是侄兒、侄女輩的親家,而與朱元璋卻是兒女親家。不僅兩家的親疏不可同日而語,而且,即使李善長幫助胡惟庸謀反成功,他至多也不過仍是個「勛臣第一」罷了,其地位絕對不會比他在朱元璋手下更高。王國用的這些話說的句句在理,連朱元璋也被駁得啞口無言,不再罪責王國用。崇禎十七年(1644年),明安宗追謚其為「襄愍」。
The text above has been excerpted automatically from Wikipedia - please correct any errors in the
original article.