Mei Yin
| Mei Yin 梅殷 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Died | 1405 | ||||||||
| Spouse | Princess Ningguo | ||||||||
| Issue Detail | 3 sons | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Mei Yin (Chinese: 梅殷; pinyin: Méi Yīn; died 1405), courtesy name Boyin (伯殷), was the son of Mei Sizu, Marquis of Runan's brother,[1] and the son-in-law of the Hongwu Emperor, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty of China.
Mei Yin was known for his sincerity, integrity, maturity, and cautiousness in handling affairs. He was also highly skilled in horsemanship, archery, and strategic planning. His extensive knowledge of Confucian classics and history earned him the title of "Master of Confucianism" among his peers. In 1378, the Hongwu Emperor arranged for his second daughter, Princess Ningguo, to marry Mei Yin. Out of all his sons-in-law, the Hongwu Emperor held Mei Yin in the highest regard and even entrusted him with assisting his grandson and designated heir, Zhu Yunwen. When the Jingnan campaign broke out, Mei Yin was ordered to defend Huai'an against the advancing forces of Zhu Di, Prince of Yan. In one instance, he cut off the ears and nose of an envoy sent by the Prince of Yan, which led to a deep enmity between them. In 1405, while Mei Yin was on his way to the imperial palace, he was pushed off a Nanjing bridge by two officers, Tan Shen and Zhao Xi. He drowned as a result of this incident. Afterwards, Zhao Xi falsely reported that Mei Yin had committed suicide.
Biography
In 1378, Mei Yin married Princess Ningguo, the second daughter of the Hongwu Emperor, and was granted the title of Commandant-escort (駙馬都尉).[2] Among the sixteen sons-in-law of the Hongwu Emperor, Mei Yin was a particular favorite. At the time, Li Wenzhong, who was the emperor's nephew, oversaw the Imperial Academy, while Mei Yin was appointed as Provincial Educational Commissioner of Shandong. The emperor issued an edict praising Mei Yin for his mastery of Confucian classics and history, earning Mei Yin great respect among court officials.[3] During the late years of the Hongwu Emperor's reign, as the princes grew increasingly powerful, the emperor entrusted Mei Yin with assisting his grandson and designated heir, Zhu Yunwen.[4][5]
In 1379, Mei Yin's annual salary was set at 600 dan of grain.[6] He was also granted a residence and 2,000 dan of land rent from Jiangxi in 1382.[7] In October 1384, he was ordered to go to Beiping (present-day Beijing) to provide disaster relief due to floods in the area.[8] In 1395, Mei Yin was tasked with inspecting the troops of the Fengyang Garrison Command.[9]
In 1398, the Hongwu Emperor died and Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne as the Jianwen Emperor. The new emperor implemented a policy of "reducing the feudatories" to eliminate the influence of the princes, sparking a rebellion in August 1399 by his uncle Zhu Di, Prince of Yan. Mei Yin remained loyal to the Jianwen Emperor and supported his cause.[3]
In December 1401, he was ordered to defend Huai'an, where he diligently focused on fortifications and enforced strict military discipline.[4]
In April 1402, Zhu Di decisively defeated the Jianwen Emperor's army and captured several generals, including Ping An, Ma Pu, and Xu Zhen. He then sent an envoy to Huai'an, claiming to offer incense, in an attempt to pass through the city. Mei Yin refused to allow the passage, citing, "The late emperor [the Hongwu Emperor] forbade such incense offerings. Those who disobey are unfilial". Enraged by this response, Zhu Di wrote to Mei Yin, stating, "Now that I have raised an army to purge the evil around the emperor (qing jun ce), it is in accordance with Heaven’s will—not something ordinary men can stop". In retaliation, Mei Yin then cut off the ears and nose of the messenger, but left him alive to deliver a message to Zhu Di: "I’ll spare your mouth so you can tell the Prince of Yan about the principles of loyalty between ruler and subject". Despite his anger, Zhu Di had no choice but to continue his march towards Nanjing through Yangzhou.[3]
In June 1402, Zhu Di captured Nanjing and the Jianwen Emperor went missing. The following month, Zhu Di ascended the throne as the Yongle Emperor. At that time, Mei Yin was still stationed in Huai'an. The Yongle Emperor compelled Princess Ningguo to write a blood letter urging Mei Yin to surrender. Upon receiving the letter, Mei Yin wept in profound grief and asked the messenger about the Jianwen Emperor's fate. The messenger replied, "He has perished". Mei Yin said, "I should have shared my sovereign’s fate in life and death, but for now, I must endure". Following Huang Yanqing’s advice, he held a funeral for the Jianwen Emperor, posthumously honoring him as Emperor Xiaomin and bestowing upon him the temple name Shenzong, before proceeding to Nanjing. When Mei Yin arrived in Nanjing, the Yongle Emperor personally greeted him, saying, "You have endured much hardship, Prince Consort" Mei Yin replied, "Labor without achievement only invites disgrace!" The emperor fell silent. Mei Yin's resentment towards the Yongle Emperor never subsided and he frequently expressed his discontent through both words and demeanor. In response, the emperor often sent spies to infiltrate Mei Yin's residence at night. Upon discovering this, Mei Yin grew even angrier and the rift between them became irreconcilable.[3][10]
In 1404, Censor-in-Chief Chen Ying accused Mei Yin of cultivating a group of loyalists and colluding with the female scholar Liu Shi to curse the emperor. As a result, the Yongle Emperor ordered the Ministry of Revenue to review the number of attendants and guards allocated to dukes, marquises, prince consorts, and barons. Furthermore, he dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard to escort Mei Yin's family members to Liaodong.[3]
In October 1405, Mei Yin returned to the capital. While crossing Da Bridge in Nanjing, he was pushed into the water by Tan Shen, the Assistant Commissioner-in-Chief of the Front Army, and Zhao Xi, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, among others, and drowned. Two officers reported that Mei Yin had drowned himself by jumping into the river,[11] but later, Xu Cheng, the Vice Commissioner-in-chief, exposed the truth. The Yongle Emperor ordered the execution of Tan Shen and Zhao Xi, the confiscation of their families' properties, and dispatched officials to oversee Mei Yin's funeral. Mei Yin was given the posthumous name "Rongding" (榮定).[3]
When Princess Ningguo received news of Mei Yin's death, she became convinced that the emperor had indeed killed him, and grabbed onto the Yongle Emperor's robes and cried in sorrow. In response, the emperor gave official positions to Mei Yin's two sons.[12]
Family
- Uncle: Mei Sizu, Marquis of Runan (汝南侯 梅思祖; d. 1382), the younger brother of Mei Yin's father
- Cousin: Mei Yi (梅義), Military Commissioner-in-chief of Liaodong, son of Mei Sizu. He was involved in the Hu Weiyong case and his family was persecuted.
- Wife: Princess Ningguo (寧國公主; 1364–1434), the second daughter of the Hongwu Emperor and the eldest daughter of Empress Ma. She was also the favourite sister of the Yongle Emperor.[5]
References
Citations
- ^ History of Ming, Vol. 131.
- ^ Taizu Shilu, Vol. 120.
- ^ a b c d e f g h History of Ming, Vol. 121.
- ^ a b History of Ming, Vol. 4.
- ^ a b Tsai (2002), p. 75.
- ^ Taizu Shilu, Vol. 122.
- ^ Taizu Shilu, Vol. 148.
- ^ Taizu Shilu, Vol. 166.
- ^ Taizu Shilu, Vol. 236.
- ^ Mingshi jishi benmo, Vol. 18.
- ^ History of Ming, Vol. 6.
- ^ Taizong Shilu, Vol. 47.
- ^ Taizong Shilu, Vol. 49.
Works cited
- Gu, Yingtai (1658). Mingshi jishi benmo 明史紀事本末 [Historical events from the Ming period in their entirety] (in Literary Chinese).
- Tsai, Shih-Shan Henry (2002). Perpetual Happiness: The Ming Emperor Yongle. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-98124-5.
- Taizu Shilu 太祖實錄 [Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu] (in Literary Chinese).
- Taizong Shilu 太宗實錄 [Veritable Records of Emperor Taizong] (in Literary Chinese).
- Zhang, Tingyu (1739). Ming Shi 明史 [History of Ming] (in Literary Chinese).