Wanli (simplified Chinese: 万历; traditional Chinese: 萬曆; pinyin: Wànlì; Wade–Giles: Wan-li; lit. 'ten thousand calendars'; 2 February 1573 – 27 August 1620; Qing dynasty avoided the naming taboo of Hongli 弘曆, the Qianlong Emperor, and wrote 曆 as 歷, 厯, 厤) was the era name (nianhao) of the Wanli Emperor, the 14th emperor of Ming dynasty. The Wanli era lasted for 48 years, making it the longest era of the Ming. During the early years of the Wanli era, Zhang Juzheng implemented a series of reform measures that resulted in continuous social and economic development and military victories, and the imperial court showed a restoration atmosphere. This period of prosperity became known as the "Wanli Restoration" (萬曆中興). However, a dispute over succession (國本之爭) arose, and the Wanli Emperor was prevented by his powerful advisors from naming his beloved son as crown prince. In a fit of anger, he refused to attend court for thirty years, resulting in a period of neglect known as the "Wanli's negligence" (萬曆怠政). During this time, factionalism among government officials was allowed to rise, leading to the Donglin factional strife (東林黨爭) and the use of the Three Cases of the Late Ming (明末三案) to further their own agendas. These actions ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Ming dynasty.
On 28 August 1620 (Wanli 48, 1st day of the 8th month), the Taichang Emperor ascended to the throne and continued to use the Wanli era name. The following year, the era was changed to Taichang. However, the Taichang Emperor died on 26 September (1st day of the 9th month) and reigned for only 30 days. On 1 October (6th day of the 9th month), the Tianqi Emperor ascended to the throne, and on 25 October (20th day of the 9th month), he issued an edict to change the era to "the first year of the Taichang era" from "the 8th month of the 48th year of the Wanli era" onwards, and the following year, the era was changed to Tianqi.[1][2]
Comparison table
edit| Wanli | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD | 1573 | 1574 | 1575 | 1576 | 1577 | 1578 | 1579 | 1580 | 1581 | 1582 |
| Sexagenary cycle | Guǐyǒu (癸酉) | Jiǎxū (甲戌) | Yǐhài (乙亥) | Bǐngzǐ (丙子) | Dīngchǒu (丁丑) | Wùyín (戊寅) | Jǐmǎo (己卯) | Gēngchén (庚辰) | Xīnsì (辛巳) | Rénwǔ (壬午) |
| Wanli | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| AD | 1583 | 1584 | 1585 | 1586 | 1587 | 1588 | 1589 | 1590 | 1591 | 1592 |
| Sexagenary cycle | Guǐwèi (癸未) | Jiǎshēn (甲申) | Yǐyǒu (乙酉) | Bǐngxū (丙戌) | Dīnghài (丁亥) | Wùzǐ (戊子) | Jǐchǒu (己丑) | Gēngyín (庚寅) | Xīnmǎo (辛卯) | Rénchén (壬辰) |
| Wanli | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| AD | 1593 | 1594 | 1595 | 1596 | 1597 | 1598 | 1599 | 1600 | 1601 | 1602 |
| Sexagenary cycle | Guǐsì (癸巳) | Jiǎwǔ (甲午) | Yǐwèi (乙未) | Bǐngshēn (丙申) | Dīngyǒu (丁酉) | Wùxū (戊戌) | Jǐhài (己亥) | Gēngzǐ (庚子) | Xīnchǒu (辛丑) | Rényín (壬寅) |
| Wanli | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| AD | 1603 | 1604 | 1605 | 1606 | 1607 | 1608 | 1609 | 1610 | 1611 | 1612 |
| Sexagenary cycle | Guǐmǎo (癸卯) | Jiǎchén (甲辰) | Yǐsì (乙巳) | Bǐngwǔ (丙午) | Dīngwèi (丁未) | Wùshēn (戊申) | Jǐyǒu (己酉) | Gēngxū (庚戌) | Xīnhài (辛亥) | Rénzǐ (壬子) |
| Wanli | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | ||
| AD | 1613 | 1614 | 1615 | 1616 | 1617 | 1618 | 1619 | 1620 | ||
| Sexagenary cycle | Guǐchǒu (癸丑) | Jiǎyín (甲寅) | Yǐmǎo (乙卯) | Bǐngchén (丙辰) | Dīngsì (丁巳) | Wùwǔ (戊午) | Jǐwèi (己未) | Gēngshēn (庚申) |
Other regimes' era names that existed during the same period
edit- China
- Vietnam
- Gia Thái (嘉泰, 1573–1577): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Lê Thế Tông
- Quang Hưng (光興, 1578–1599): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Lê Thế Tông
- Thận Đức (慎德, 1600): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Lê Kính Tông
- Hoằng Định (弘定, 1600–1619): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Lê Kính Tông
- Vĩnh Tộ (永祚, 1619–1629): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Lê Thần Tông
- Sùng Khang (崇康, 1568–1578): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Mậu Hợp
- Diên Thành (延成, 1578–1585): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Mậu Hợp
- Đoan Thái (端泰, 1585–1588): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Mậu Hợp
- Hưng Trị (興治, 1588–1591): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Mậu Hợp
- Hồng Ninh (洪寧, 1591–1592): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Mậu Hợp
- Vũ An (武安, 1592): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Toàn
- Bảo Định (寶定, 1592): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Kính Chỉ
- Khang Hựu (康佑, 1593): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Kính Chỉ
- Càn Thống (乾統, 1593–1625): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Kính Cung
- Long Thái (隆泰, 1618–1625): Mạc dynasty—era name of Mạc Kính Khoan
- La Bình (羅平, 1594): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Vũ Đăng (武登)
- Phúc Đức (福德, 1596–1597): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Nguyễn Đương Minh (阮當明)
- Đại Đức (大德, 1595–1597): Later Lê dynasty—era name of Nguyễn Minh Trí (阮明智)
- Japan
- Genki (元亀, 1570–1573): era name of Emperor Ōgimachi
- Tenshō (天正, 1573–1592): era name of Emperor Ōgimachi and Emperor Go-Yōzei
- Bunroku (文禄, 1592–1596): era name of Emperor Go-Yōzei
- Keichō (慶長, 1596–1615): era name of Emperor Go-Yōzei and Emperor Go-Mizunoo
- Genna (元和, 1615–1624): era name of Emperor Go-Mizunoo
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ History of Ming, Volume 21: "〔萬曆〕四十八年七月，神宗崩。……八月丙午朔，即皇帝位。大赦天下，以明年為泰昌元年。……熹宗即位，從廷臣議，改萬曆四十八年八月後為泰昌元年。" Volume 22: "〔萬曆四十八年〕九月乙亥，光宗崩，遺詔皇長子嗣皇帝位。……庚辰，即皇帝位。詔赦天下，以明年為天啟元年。"
- ^ "Wang Xiaohu's (汪小虎) "Da Ming Taichang yuan nian Tatong li" kao (《大明泰昌元年大统历》考)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2021-10-24.
Bibliography
edit- Li, Chongzhi (December 2004). 中國歷代年號考 [Zhongguo Lidai Nianhao Kao] (in Chinese). Beijing: Zhonghua Book Co. ISBN 7101025129.
- Deng, Hongbo (March 2005). 東亞歷史年表 [Chronology of East Asian History] (in Chinese). Taipei: National Taiwan University Program for East Asian Classics and Cultures. ISBN 9789860005189. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2021.