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Hai Rui

Type Figure Region China Time 1514–1587 Also known as Hai Gangfeng、Hai Ruxian

A famous upright official of the mid-to-late Ming dynasty, sobriquet Gangfeng, who served as county magistrate, Ministry of Revenue official, and Yin…

Timeline

  1. 1565–1567Beijing · BeijingIn the forty-fifth year of Jiajing he submitted the Memorial on Governance, bluntly accusing the Shizong emperor of obsessing over Daoist alchemy, employing sycophants, and tolerating court corruption; enraged, the emperor imprisoned him with a death sentence. After the Muzong emperor ascended he was released, restored to office, and his fame soared.
  2. 1569–1573Nanjing · NanjingGovernor of the ten prefectures of Southern Zhili, he dredged the Wusong River and Baimao River, implemented the Single Whip Reform, curbed the powerful, and redressed wrongful convictions, winning deep affection in Jiangnan. Having offended powerful interests, he was dismissed and sent home soon after.
  3. 1585–1587Nanjing · NanjingIn the thirteenth year of Wanli he returned to office at the age of seventy-three as Right Censor-in-Chief of the Nanjing Censorate. Falling ill en route, he died in Nanjing, was posthumously granted the title Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and received the posthumous name Zhongjie.

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