Period of Yan Song's Dominance

Timeline

1. 1551–1555Beijing · BeijingYan Song gained Emperor Jiajing's trust from the 1540s and was firmly established as Grand Secretary by around 1551, controlling the central government through draft rescripts and appointments; his son Yan Shifan interfered in state affairs and accepted bribes, forming the 'Yan faction' network.
2. 1551–1560Grand Secretariat, Beijing · BeijingAfter Xu Jie entered the Grand Secretariat in 1551, Yan Song both courted and guarded against him; Xia Yan had earlier been ousted and driven to death by Yan Song. In the 1550s, opponents of Yan Song in the Grand Secretariat mostly adopted a patient strategy, with political struggles conducted covertly while Emperor Jiajing secluded himself in the Western Park.
3. 1551–1560Ming realm · ChinaDuring Yan Song's dominance, crises struck in succession: the Gengxu Incident (1550), southeastern wokou raids, and the 1556 Huaxian earthquake; court corruption compounded border and coastal defense pressures. In the early 1560s, Xu Jie and others gradually gained the upper hand; in 1562 Yan Song was dismissed and Yan Shifan executed, ending the period of dominance.