Li Dongyang was the first cabinet assistant in the Ming Dynasty. Promotion was slow in the early stage, and he was deeply trusted during the Xiaozong and Wuzong periods of the Ming Dynasty. After his death, the emperor changed his posthumous title to Zheng Wen.
Character file
Name: Li Dongyang
Word: Binzhi
Number: Shia
Posthumous title : Zheng Wen
Country: China
Ethnicity: Han.
Era: Ming Dynasty
Origin: Chalingfu, Changshafu, Huguang
Birthplace: Shijing Xuanwu Lake West Lake
Date of birth: 1447
Date of death: 1516
Occupation: politician, calligrapher, poet
Main achievements: Founding the dynasty for 50 years and governing the country 18 years; core figure of Lingshi School
Representative works: "Huailutang Collection", "Huailutang Poems" and "Yan Duilu"
As the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty cabinet, Li Dongyang also has the title of Prime Minister's Accompanying Food. Accompanying the Prime Minister is naturally not a good title. The reason for such a title is said to be because Li Dongyang not only did nothing when the eunuch Liu Jin was in power, but also showed courtesy to Liu Jin. The resentful literati were very dissatisfied with this, so the saying of mocking companion food came from this poem.
When Xiaozong died, he ordered Li Dongyang, Liu Jian, Xie Qian and others to save their lives and assist the then young Emperor Zhengde. Emperor Zheng was still a child when he succeeded to the throne, so he was inevitably curious and playful. The eunuch Liu Jin at that time led seven other eunuchs to please and amuse Zheng De, so he was favored by Zheng De. These eight eunuchs later became known as the Eight Eunuch Tigers.
Liu Jin, the leader of the Eight Tigers, was deeply favored by Zheng De and became the right prime minister. With the favor of the emperor, Liu Jin seized power wantonly, suppressed ministers who uprightly opposed him, and gained more and more power. Li Dongyang, Liu Jian, Xie Qian and others had no choice but to resign during difficult times.
At first, the emperor did not allow it. Later, he agreed to the resignation of Liu Jian and Xie Qian several times, leaving only Li Dongyang alone. Li Dongyang was very afraid of this and knew that he could not support it alone. He once said: "I am one person with three other people, but I am one person. How could I feel ashamed?" I don't know why. Later, he submitted his resignation many times, but did not get the permission of Emperor Zhengde and was appointed prime minister instead.
The relationship with Li Jin is that Liu Jin admired his literary name very much and said good things about him in front of the emperor many times. So Li Dongyang attached himself to Liu Jin. It is said that Liu Jin built a metaphysics temple outside Chaoyang Gate and wrote an inscription in Dongyang, praising Liu Jin extremely highly. Later, Zhang Yong exposed Liu Jin's crimes, and the court ordered Liu Jin's arrest. The news was leaked in advance. At that time, everyone thought it was Li Dongyang’s ghost.
A student of the Imperial Academy wrote a poem in the dark to mock him, saying: "The name of a talented scholar should be on an equal footing with Dou Shan, and the date of the book in the accompanying food is already in the west." Looking back, the spring river is already green, and partridges are singing. This poem is very ironic. Based on the phrase "the day of accompanying food", later generations named Li Dongyang the Prime Minister of accompanying food.
In fact, it is quite tragic for Li Dongyang. For a person who loves fame, he naturally does not want to be confused with a traitor like Liu Jin. But the situation was difficult, and the court was controlled by Liu Jin. He wanted to resign but could not get the emperor's permission. At the same time, the old ministers of that period had all left North Korea one after another, and things were difficult. Besides avoiding Liu Jin, what else can we do? But it was his inaction that made Li Dongyang spurned by future generations.