A Research Into The Career Pursuits Of The Literati And Officialdom Of Ming Dynasty

The middle and the later part of the Ming dynasty assume a vital role in the Chinesehistory, within which were just the reigns of the three emperors, Jiaqiong, Longqing andWanli. This period saw a declining national politics with gloomy status quo and prospect. Thecoming crises and challenges brought forth a group of far-sighted people venturing torevitalize the status quo and seek reforms and breakthroughs. In this critical historical period,the literati and officialdom as a stratum became very active in national politics, whose socialbehaviors and inner value orientations are, therefore, worth analyzing and researching.Based on the perspectives of social and ideological history, this dissertation researchesinto the practical deliberation and value orientation of the literati and officialdom as a stratumwithin the scope of politics and culture. Nurtured in the traditional notion of seeking officialtitles based on their academic excellence, most Chinese intellectuals at that time sought theperfection of themselves and their duties to the family and to the nation while harvestingpersonal achievements and long-standing fame in history. This self-realizing pursuit washighlighted by the social and political milieu under both internal and external tensions. Manya man tried every means to seek personal achievements resulting in even more dangerous andcruel political struggles. The political elites came under great pressure for survival in theintense social competition. It became most urgent for the political elites to find solutions tosurviving and developing in the established government systems. The various effects of socialvicissitudes were historically reflected on every member of the society. His perception andpractice in individual social values, such as life and values, and in the significance of life,exerted real influence on the society of that period.This paper is mainly concerned with some forty years from the 20^th year of EmperorJiaqiong to the 11th year of Emperor Wanli, characterized by rapid changes in the politicallayout of Ming dynasty: New changes emerged in the Dynasty's political layout as a result ofEmperor Jiaqing's inactivity, Emperor Longqing's indifference and Emperor Wanli'schildlessness and frailty;Hence the cabinet's power expanded bringing intense insidestruggles;Law and order was threatened by successive challenges from the frontier minoritiesand incursions of the then-Japanese warriors onto the rich and populous southeast China.Internal crises and external challenges prompted the literati and officialdom to take actions ina time of troubles. Indeed history made it possible for them to realize their career ambitionswhile testing their administrative competence and social conscientiousness. The behaviors inseeking career success and decentralizations of the mainstream education notion ought to bedealt with in their proper historical contexts.In a chaotic social context, the individual choices of the literati and officialdom as astratum matched and contravened the traditional notion of Confucianism. Within the scope ofthis dissertation are the value orientation and perception in individualistic values, the rolechange before and after taking office and the adaptation and contradiction upon the entry tothe political and cultural circles, the inside struggle in the official circles, and the motive andbehavior in seizing and stealing career opportunities. This paper integrates bothmacro-research and micro-analysis into the study of the literati and officialdom as a stratum inthe middle and the later period of Ming dynasty, in an attempt to present a historical view ofthe social, political, cultural vicissitudes.