Shen Shixing (1535–1614) was a Ming official who served as a grand secretary and eventually chief grand secretary. His courtesy name was Rumo and his studio name Yaoquan; his late sobriquet appears as either Xiulin Jushi or Xiuxiu Jushi. His registered native place is variously given as Wu County and Changzhou, now part of Suzhou. He was also known as Xu Shixing and Su’an zhuren. He received the posthumous name Wending and was known as the “Taiping Chancellor.”
Life
Shen Shixing was born into a wealthy Shen merchant family. His father was Shen Shizhang. His grandfather’s name is given as either Shen Qian or Xu Qian; he was adopted in childhood into his maternal uncle’s Xu family, took the surname Xu, and later returned to the Shen lineage.
In 1561, he placed third in the Yingtian Prefecture provincial examination and became a juren; in 1562, he ranked twenty-eighth in the metropolitan examination, was selected first at the palace examination, received appointment as a Hanlin Academy compiler, and returned to the Shen lineage.
Initially appointed a Hanlin Academy compiler, he later held the offices of zuo shuzi, director of Hanlin affairs, vice director of the Palace Secretariat, director of the Palace Secretariat, Left Vice Minister of Personnel, deputy examiner for a provincial examination, and chief envoy for the investiture of an imperial consort. In 1578, as Vice Minister of Personnel concurrently serving as an East Pavilion grand secretary, he entered the deliberation of state affairs; in 1583 he became a grand secretary. He also served as Vice Minister of Rites, Right and Left Vice Ministers of Personnel, Left Vice Minister concurrently serving as an East Pavilion grand secretary, Minister of Rites, and Minister of Personnel, and reached the rank of Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Hall; the hall name is also given as Jianji Hall.
His literary talent brought him to Zhang Juzheng’s attention, and he was known for a mild temperament and a refusal to challenge established positions. After Zhang Juzheng’s death, Zhang Siwei became chief grand secretary. When Siwei went into mourning for his father in 1583, Shen Shixing served as acting chief grand secretary; in 1585, Siwei died when his mourning period was nearing completion, and Shen Shixing formally succeeded him.
Government and later years
As chief grand secretary, Shen Shixing pursued a lenient policy and abolished Zhang Juzheng’s performance-assessment system; Li Sancai and others were demoted after criticizing his conduct, but were later somewhat promoted again. His lenient administration led to his being called an elder and the “Taiping Chancellor”; yet his deference to the emperor and inability to establish much were also criticized, and he was viewed as equivocating. He repeatedly urged the Wanli Emperor to designate a crown prince, but regarded the officials’ denunciations of Consort Zheng as overly agitating, and tried to mediate the dispute between the emperor and the remonstrance officials over the succession. In 1591, he was impeached by remonstrance officials over the succession question, resigned, and returned to Suzhou to live in retirement. He died in 1614. He was posthumously granted the title Grand Preceptor, received the posthumous name Wending, and was given burial south of Mount Wu.
During his tenure as chief grand secretary, he initiated the practices of retaining memorials without action and cancelling the palace lectures in favor of presenting lecture notes. Their original purpose was to save Luo Yuren and to allow the Wanli Emperor, who would not attend lectures by his ministers, to read the texts himself; these practices were later regarded as having contributed to Wanli indolence and as having cut off communication between the emperor and his ministers.
Works
Shen Shixing’s literary style was graceful and polished, and he was judged unequalled among the men of letters at court. His works include 《賜閒堂集》, 《綸扉簡牘》, and 《羣書纂粹：八卷》.
Family and associations
His relatives included the nephews Shen Yongming and Shen Shiqian, who died in 1569. His sons were Shen Yinrong, Shen Yongmao (1560–1638), Shen Yongjia, and Shen Zhaoqiu. His grandchildren included Shen Shaofang (1591–1653), Shen Tingfang, Shen Chengding, and Shen Lianbi, as well as his granddaughter Shen Hui (1644–1691). Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue were examination-year friends. He recommended Zhang Wei for the posts of Left Vice Minister of Personnel and East Pavilion grand secretary; Li Guan later listed ten charges against him and also implicated Wang Xijue.
References
- CBDB Shen Shixing (123973)
- 搜韵 申時行 (51224)
- 法鼓佛教人名规范数据库 申時行 (A008121)
- Wikidata Shen Shixing (Q15914767)