Wanli Emperor

The Wanli Emperor (1563 - 1620) was emperor of China (Ming dynasty) between 1572 and 1620. Born Zhu Yijun, he was the Longqing Emperor's son.

Wanli saw the arrival of the first Jesuit missionary in Beijing, Matteo Ricci.

"The Wanli Emperor then became so disenchanted with the moralistic attacks and counterattacks of officials that he was thoroughly alienated from his imperial role. He finally resorted to vengeful tactics of blocking or ignoring the conduct of administration. For years on end he refused to see his ministers or act upon memorials. He refused to make necessary appointments. The whole top echelon of Ming administration became understaffed. In short, Wanli tried to forget about his imperial responsibilities while squirreling away what he could for his private purse. Considering the emperor's required role as the kingpin of the state, this personal rebellion against the bureaucracy was not only bankruptcy but treason." Fairbanks, John King, and Merle Goldman. China A New History. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992.

Wanli Emperor

The Wanli emperor’s reign is representative of the decline of the Ming. He was an unmotivated and avaricious ruler who allowed his country to fall apart under his rule. He seldom met with his Inner Court or filled vacant offices. His reign was plagued with fiscal woes, military pressures, and angry bureaucrats. He also had sent eunuch supervisors to provinces to oversee mining operations which actually became covers for extortion. Discontent with the lack of morals during this time, a group of scholars and political activists loyal to Zhu Xi and against Wang Yangming, created the Donglin Movement, a political group who believed in upright morals and tried to affect the government.