成化時代における司禮監の地位

Abstract

In the Ming dynasty, the cabinet (内閣) assisted the emperor in state affairs. But in the Chin-hua period, the emperor ceased to come in close contact with his subjects directly. Therefore, the cabinet and the emperor were in touch with each other through the medium of eunuchs, especially by the chief of the Szu-li-chien (司禮監). At that time, the Szu-Ii-chien, which had power over military affairs, ruled the Imperial Guards, the King-yin (京營), and by controlling the Metropolitan Police Board, the Tong-chuang (東廠), held sway over the judicial power of the police. The Szu-Ii-chien, then, taking an increasingly active role in the above manner, came to hold the position of proxy of the emperor until it was essentially entrusted with supreme power over the administration by the emperor: thus it was entitled to sanction the documents submitted by the cabinet, or to decide the personnel affairs of high government officials, and so on. In short, the influence of the Szu-Ii-chien surpassed the cabinet, practically occupying the premier's position.