Liu Jin's Anti-Buddhist Policy (1509)

Timeline

1. 1509Forbidden City · BeijingLiu Jin argued that temples drained the treasury and monks did not produce, using the Directorate of Ceremonial's authority to push an anti-Buddhist edict. Emperor Zhengde ordered officials to investigate and ban temples nationwide, melt down gold and silver Buddhist images, and restrict clergy quotas.
2. 1509–1510Provinces of the Ming dynasty · ChinaLocal authorities, following the edict, confiscated gold and silver vessels from temples, forced monks and nuns to secularize, and revoked ordination certificates. Temple lands everywhere were investigated, and Buddhist worship was greatly affected. Some scholar-officials memorialized in opposition, saying the policy 'harmed benevolent governance.' After Liu Jin's execution, the court partially restored Buddhist policies.