Ming · Ming Grand Secretary and Ritual Scholar

Zhang Cong 張璁

Attested AD 1521 - AD 1529

Passages: 19
Chapters: 3
Histories: 1

Overview

Zhang Cong was a Ming Grand Secretary and Ritual Scholar.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1528 嘉靖七年
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 66, passages 172-173
AD 1529 嘉靖八年
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passage 81
AD 1528 嘉靖七年
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 104
AD 1521 嘉靖初
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 81
AD 1525 嘉靖四年四月
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 52, passages 141, 148

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Academician 學士
Held
Directly stated · History of Ming 52, passage 148
Grand Secretary 閣臣
Held
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passages 81, 144

Places and affiliations

Polity Ming 明 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · History of Ming 52, passage 148

Learning and skills

Held
Credential Presented Scholar 進士
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 81

Works and attributed material

Questions on the Great Rites 大禮或問
Relation Author
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 86
Great Canon of Ming Moral Relations 明倫大典
Relation Compiler
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 104
AD 1528 嘉靖七年
Memorial · Author · Paraphrased · With Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passages 174-175
AD 1528 嘉靖七年
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Shizong (世宗)
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 66, passages 177-180
AD 1529 嘉靖八年
Memorial · Author · Paraphrased · With Shizong (世宗)
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 66, passage 149
AD 1529 嘉靖八年
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passages 82-85

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 1529 嘉靖八年
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Shizong (世宗)
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 66, passages 93-98, 146-148, 155-157
Deliberation · Speaker
Directly stated · History of Ming 52, passage 148
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · History of Ming 115, passage 81

Events and relationships

researched ancient dress regulations and submitted illustrated proposals 考古帝王燕居法服之制，圖注以進
AD 1528 to AD 1529 嘉靖七年至八年 · Ritual · Adviser · Researched and designed · With Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passages 82, 149, 173-175
Thought enshrinement impermissible
Political · Opponent
Directly stated · History of Ming 52, passage 148
Adviser · With Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passages 81-82

References in the histories

Search passages

History

19 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 52Volume 52 Treatises 28: Rites 6 · 1 passage

學士張璁、桂萼亦皆以爲不可，書復密疏爭之。 Academicians Zhang Cong and Gui E also all thought it could not be done; Shu again sent a secret memorial arguing against it.

History of Ming, Chapter 66Volume 66 Treatises 42: Carriages and Clothing 2 · 13 passages

嘉靖八年，諭閣臣張璁：「袞冕有革帶，今何不用？」 In Jiajing 8 (1529) the emperor instructed Grand Secretary Zhang Cong, "The ceremonial crown and robe include a leather belt—why is it no longer used?"

璁對曰：「按陳祥道《禮書》，古革帶、大帶，皆謂之鞶。 Cong replied, "According to Chen Xiangdao's Book of Rites, in antiquity the leather belt and the great belt were both called the sash-girdle.

已，又諭璁以變更祖制為疑。 Shortly afterward he again expressed to Cong his concern about altering the ancestral regulations.

璁對曰：「臣考禮制，衣不掩裳，與聖意允合。 Cong replied, "Your subject has examined the ritual regulations: the robe does not cover the skirt, which fully accords with Your Majesty's intent.

因復諭璁曰：「衣有六章，古以繪，今當以織。 He then again told Cong, "The robe has six emblems; in antiquity they were painted, but today they should be woven.

嘉靖八年諭閣臣張璁云：「《會典》紀親徵、類禡之祭，皆具武弁服。 In Jiajing 8 (1529) the emperor instructed Grand Secretary Zhang Cong, "The Collected Statutes record that personal campaigns and pre-battle prayer sacrifices all require the military cap dress.

璁對：「《周禮》有韋弁，謂以韎韋為弁，又以為衣裳。 Cong replied: "The Rites of Zhou describes the hide cap, by which crimson leather was used for the cap and also for the robe and skirt.

璁對：「自古服冕弁俱用革帶，以前系韍，後系綬。 Cong replied, "From antiquity, ceremonial crowns and caps were always worn with a leather belt, the knee cover fastened in front and the sash behind.

帝復報璁：「冠服、衣裳、韠舄俱如古制，增革帶、佩綬及圭。」 The emperor wrote back to Cong, "The cap, robe, skirt, knee-flap, and shoes should all follow the ancient regulations, with a leather belt, pendant sash, and jade tablet added."

初，帝以燕居冠服，尚沿習俗，諭張璁考古帝王燕居法服之制。 At first, finding that the emperor's dress for private residence still followed ordinary custom, he instructed Zhang Cong to investigate how ancient emperors dressed for ritual occasions at leisure.

璁乃採《禮書》「玄端深衣。」 Cong then drew from the Book of Rites the passage, "Dark robe and deep garment."

帝為參定其制，諭璁詳議。 The emperor had him work out the regulations and instructed Cong to submit a detailed proposal.

璁言：「古者冕服之外，玄端深衣，其用最廣。 Cong said, "In antiquity, apart from the court robes and crown, the dark robe and deep garment were the most widely worn garments.

History of Ming, Chapter 115Volume 115 Biographies 3: Emperor Xingzong Xiaokang, Emperor Ruizong Xingxian · 5 passages

進士張璁上書請考興獻王，帝大悅。 Presented scholar Zhang Cong memorialized to worship Prince Xingxian; Jiajing was delighted.

璁更為《大禮或問》以進，而主事霍韜、桂萼，給事中熊浹議與璁合。 Zhang Cong also wrote "Questions on the Great Rites"; Huo Tao and Gui E, section directors, and Xiong Jia, supervising secretary, agreed with him.

璁、萼等既驟貴，幹進者爭以言禮希上意。 Once Zhang Cong and Gui E were suddenly elevated, careerists competed to opine on ritual to please Jiajing.

七年，命璁等集《明倫大典》，成，加上尊諡曰恭睿淵仁寬穆純聖獻皇帝。 In the seventh year Zhang Cong and others compiled the Great Canon of Ming Moral Relations; on completion the emperor received the extended posthumous title Respectful, Sagacious, Profound, Benevolent, Broad, Solemn, Pure, and Holy Xian Emperor.

是年秋，用張璁等言，尊為聖母章聖皇太后。 That autumn, on Zhang Cong's advice, she was honored as Holy Mother, Empress Dowager Zhangsheng.