So what's so special about Wanli 15? What is the value that historians are scrambling to study? The special feature of the fifteen years of Wanli is that two famous figures appeared in this period, one is the cabinet assistant Zhang, and the other is the filial piety queen. When he ascended the throne at the age of ten, because he was too young to take on the responsibility of managing the country, all state affairs were handled and recorded by Zhang in the ten years after he ascended the throne. Therefore, in the process of his growth, Zhang became an indispensable part of his life and greatly influenced it.
During the reign of Ming Shenzong, the late Ming Dynasty gradually became unpopular. In order to maintain the rule of the Ming Dynasty, reforms must be carried out. Therefore, Empress Dowager Filial Piety and Cabinet Minister Zhang began to carry out a series of political reforms. This reform began in the first year of Wanli and lasted until the tenth year of Wanli. Zhang's reform is also quite effective. Successfully changed the backward situation of politically corrupt countries in the Ming Dynasty, and the national strength was temporarily restored. The social economy of the Ming Dynasty has also been greatly developed, people can live and work in peace and contentment, and the quality of life has improved a lot. This period is also a very famous Wanli 15 in history.
In the tenth year of Wanli, Zhang died of illness, and Emperor Wanli began his pro-government era. He also made great contributions during the pro-government period, but Zhang's death also made various forces out of control, and the most harmful party struggle began to appear, which caused serious harm to the late Ming Dynasty. Endless quarrels made Zongshen tired of state affairs, coupled with his leg disease, that is, from this year on, Wanli did not enter the court for 20 years. In addition, after Zhang's death, Qi Jiguang was demoted, and Wanli died of depression in fifteen years. The Ming dynasty not only lost Zhang's checks and balances, but also lost a generation of famous soldiers. The fifteen years of Wanli are important because it was a year of calm and undercurrent. From this year on, the Ming Dynasty went into decline. How to evaluate Fifteen Years of Wanli?