Wang Zhi - Ouchoku

Date of birth and death unknown. A eunuch in the Chenghua period (1465-87) of the Ming Dynasty in China. He was of the Yao ethnic group in Datengxia (Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region). He served Consort Wan of the Chenghua Emperor, and later became the Eunuch of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. In 1477, he was appointed to head the newly established Western Branch, which was responsible for prosecuting prisons. He initially gained the emperor's trust by uncovering the crimes of Nanjing Town Superintendent Tan Lipeng, who was involved in the private sale of salt, but he gradually began to use his confidants to imprison innocent people, taking advantage of the emperor's favor, and was temporarily demoted due to the negative effects of this, and the Western Branch was abolished. Nevertheless, he soon made a comeback and conspired with his trusted subordinates Chen Yue and Wang Yue to set up operations in the Liaodong and Datong areas, seizing military power and becoming extremely tyrannical. In response, he was criticized by cabinet ministers such as Wan An, and the emperor's favor waned, leading to his downfall.

[Mamoru Kawakatsu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年不詳。中国、明(みん)の成化年間（1465～87）の宦官(かんがん)。大藤峡（広西チワン族自治区）の瑤(よう)族の出身。成化帝の万貴妃に仕え、のち御馬監太監(ぎょばかんたいかん)となる。1477年、検察刑獄を担当する西廠(せいしょう)の新設とともに責任者に任じられた。当初、南京(ナンキン)鎮監覃力朋(たんりきほう)の私塩に絡まる悪事を摘発して帝の信用を得たが、しだいに帝の寵(ちょう)を背景に、腹心を使って無実の人を投獄するようになり、その弊害のため一時左遷され、西廠も廃止された。それでもまもなく復活し、腹心の陳鉞(ちんえつ)、王越らと謀り、遼東(りょうとう)、大同方面に事を構えて軍事権をも掌握して専横を極めた。これに対し、閣臣萬安(ばんあん)らの非難が出、帝の寵も衰え、失脚した。

［川勝　守］

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