Zhang Cong was the chief cabinet minister of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. He has been thrice friends. In his later years, he fell ill and resigned, and was persuaded to stay by Emperor Jiajing many times. Asking whether Zhang Cong is a good person or a bad person is actually asking whether he is a loyal minister or a traitor. I have such doubts because in "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty", Zhang Cong is really not a good person.
The reason why Zhang Cong is said to be a bad person is probably because during the ceremony, Zhang Cong firmly stood on the side of the emperor. And helped the emperor, forcing the chief assistant Yang Tinghe to leave. Another reason is that after Zhang Cong entered the cabinet, the political reforms he carried out violated the interests of big landowners, big classes and even powerful officials. So in Zhang Cong's case, he was criticized by various people's families. Because Emperor Jiajing was behind him, these criticisms actually had little actual impact on Zhang Cong.
Posterity once said that the party struggle in the Ming Dynasty began with Zhang Cong. Because after Yang Tinghe was defeated by the Li Yi faction led by Zhang Cong, the cabinet records of the Ming Dynasty were replaced by those who defeated the other and then came to power. Defeat Zhang Cong's Yang Tinghe, defeat Zhang Cong, defeat Yan Song, defeat Xu Jie's Yan Song, defeat Gao Gong's Xu Jie, defeat Zhang's Gao Gong, defeat Zhang's party. After all, all this just started with Zhang Cong's party struggle.
But I personally think Zhang Cong is not a traitor and should be considered a good person. Although Zhang Cong confronted his loyal minister Yang Tinghe and forced Yang Tinghe to resign. But that doesn't mean he's a traitor. When one person's position is different, there will naturally be a struggle. The Korean struggle is a battlefield without gunpowder, killing each other regardless of the consequences. Zhang Cong defeated the faction leader Yang Tinghe. He can only be said to be superior, but he cannot be classified as a traitor.
Zhang Cong is a good official who serves the country and the people and safeguards the interests of the people. When he was 50 years old, he wrote a poem that said: "With one meal and three sighs, the Lebanese people are fighting against hunger." The lack of snow is a benefit, and the favorable weather and rain are sad. A few beggars can't even cook food. It's hard to be alone in a hungry year, but officials are too busy to have any leisure time. These poems are all about worrying about the hunger and cold of the people. How could such a person who cares about the people become a corrupt official?
In Zhang Cong's "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty", the author is going to be in trouble. But in fact, in official history, he is highly praised.
: Just be aboveboard and do not shy away from resentment. When you meet the Lord, you also make a statement. If the Qing Dynasty Qi Zhuang Tian, ??then all officials in the world will be guarded, and no one will be tired. He was extremely incorruptible and hated corrupt officials. For a while, he lost his way.
: Fu Jing is upright, honest, dedicated to public service, generous and does not shy away from resentment. The remaining amount is not enough for personal use. According to the ancient law, I show my danger to myself, especially my loyalty. I care about you deeply, so I will never change my words.
It is also said in today's "History of the Ming Dynasty": Zhang Cong has always been honest and self-disciplined, erudite and discerning, and brave in innovation. He can be described as a rare sage in the Jiajing Dynasty and a rare cabinet minister in the Ming Dynasty.
It is really a good book. But when judging a person, individuals prefer to believe official history.
Of course, what can determine a person's character is not just casual identification in history books, but also personal political experience. After Zhang Cong entered the cabinet, he carried out a series of reforms based on the reality of the Ming Dynasty at that time, injecting fresh blood into the development of the Ming Dynasty and revitalizing the Ming Dynasty that had begun to decline.
During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, land annexation was serious and the gap between the rich and the poor was too wide. Zhang Cong ordered an inventory of land and land taxes, and explicitly prohibited the occupation of private land. Land is the foundation for ancient Chinese farmers to settle down and live a life. At that time, a lot of private land was occupied by the landlord class, and farmers who lost their land could only be exploited.
In addition, the reform of the imperial examination was also implemented
To sum up, although Zhang Cong offended many people, he was not a traitor who brought harm to the country and the people. On the contrary, he made great contributions to the continued development of the Ming Dynasty.