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Wan-li: Year 4, Month 1, Day 25

24 Feb 1576

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The Censor Sun Zong, regional inspector of Fu-jian, advised: "In respect of the Guang-dong bandit Lin Feng, orders were received to attack him in a pincer movement and eliminate him. The Fu-jian forces took to sea and destroyed half his ships. However, Jin Zhe, the administration vice commissioner of the Chao-zhou circuit, devoted his efforts to achieving negotiated pacification, and obstructed and sent back the Fu-jian forces. I am afraid that this will eventually lead to calamity for the two provinces." At this time, Zhe had already memorialized that his province's surveillance commission was leading the pursuit of Feng (主捕鳳). Thus, although Fu-jian had reported as above, the Emperor did not charge Zhe with a crime. Instead, he was ordered to handle things in accordance with the former deliberations and he was charged with achieving success. The Censor-in-chief Liu Yao-hui, grand coordinator of Fu-jian, further advised: "The bandit Feng's return to Chao-zhou was entirely due to the attacks by the Fu-jian forces. They sank half his ships and captured or beheaded many of his followers. Zhe was very jealous and accused them of reckless plunder. He thus planned to obstruct the Fu-jian forces. It is requested that an investigation be ordered so as to both illumine and encourage. As to Luzon, although it is not a tributary country, it has been able to incline towards righteousness. The local products offered by the king should be considered as proxy tribute (代進)." The memorial was sent to the Ministry of War which re-submitted a memorial in accordance with what the Fu-jian grand coordinator had proposed. The Emperor said: "If a minister devotes all his efforts to the country, jealousy will not occur." Xiao Yan, a supervising secretary in the Office of Scrutiny for War, also advised: "Lin Feng was attacked by the Fu-jian forces. If the minor remnants are not immediately eliminated, it will demonstrate weakness. This is the first concern. Are they to be pacified or not? This is the second concern. Are they to be settled in the inner territory? This is the third concern. Perhaps he has no desire to heed negotiated pacification and yet we are trying to pacify him through negotiation. This is the fourth concern. Some say that Feng is dead and some claim that Feng is alive. The reports are careless and details are obscure. This is the fifth concern. In brief, Hui-zhou and Chao-zhou are important areas. The post cannot be adequately filled by someone like Zhe who acts without sufficient thought or planning, goes against the majority and considers only his own opinion. It is requested that his transfer to another area be considered." The Ministry of Personnel re-submitted the memorial noting: "Zhe should be retained in his post." The Emperor ordered that the appointment remain as before.

Shen-zong: juan 46.14a-b

Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 98, page 1049/50

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Preferred form of citation for this entry:

Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/reign/wan-li/year-4-month-1-day-25, accessed January 22, 2019