A Study Of The Relationship Between Taoism And Politics During The Chenghua Period In The Ming Dynasty

As the Chinese indigenous religon,compared with Confucianism ruled by the authority,Taoism existed with the identity of paganism since it came into being.During the process of its development,it gradually absorbed the essence of Buddhism and Confucianism to enrich itself.As for its relationship with the ruling class,Taoism rebelled against the ruling class at first,and then yielded and approached it,closely related with politics finally.During over one thousand years from Wei and Jin Dynasties to the early Ming Dynasty,Taoism prospered under the ruling class’ attention and support,and reached the peak in the early and middle Ming Dynasty,as well as more closely related with the politics.In the early Ming Dynasty,for maintaining the political rule,the first emperor of Ming Dynasty,Taizu limited Taoism in a certain range,and actively used it.However,because of personal preference,his successors gradually broke traditions made by him.In the Chenghua period,such phenomenon became more serious.Because Emperor Xianzong of Ming Dynasty liked entertainment,all government officials and civilians tried to win his favor by all means.Since Xianzong hided into the inner court,eunuches and Taoists by his side became the bridges for him to communicate with the outside world.Consequently,they also turned into the people flattered by those opportunists.In order to pursue private interests,some courtiers tried hard to please eunuches and Taoists.Taking official Confucianism into consideration,real scholar-bureaucrats criticized and impeached the misdemeanours of eunuches and Taoists,and persuaded Xianzong about his misconducts.All ministers flattered and critized the Taoists from the perspectives of pragmatism and egoism.Few people among them really changed their beliefs.Because of Xianzong’s acquiescence,Taoism developped cross its field,which caused many political and social changes of Chenghua period.First of all,all religious policies and systems made by Taizu in the early of the Ming Dynasty became just words on a piece of paper,which set an example for his successors to break the established policies.Secondly,officials were appointed by the emperor’s imperial edicts for the emperor’s preference,which interfered the bureaucratic system.Besides,for Xianzong’s favor,the Taoists and alchemists set feet into the center of powers,intervened in the decision making,formd a clique for private interests,crushed courtiers,cultivated cliques,and firstly begun partisan strifes of the Ming Dynasty.Finally,in the name of purchasing goods for Xianzong,the inner court and the outer court bankrupted the national treasury,squeezed the people,feathered their nests and made Chenghua period more corrupt.