HIST 208 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Hongwu Emperor, Ming Dynasty, Song Lian
29 Jul 2016
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Ming empire administratively divided into 13 provinces; nine more loosely controlled defense areas, two metropolitan areas. Within those, units called prefectures with long history. Song lian reports, zhang yulin, prefect of yingtian, response to heaven, had placed the melons in a plain box, painted picture or diagram of them on outside, and asked ministry of rites to present them to emperor. Only guess at his motive in presenting them to taizu. Perhaps, he was impressing yingtian prefecture;s gratitude for a tax exemption or he was angling for a promotion. But in any case, yingtian prefectural office was in capital, not in jurong country, how did zhang yulin get the melons. Traveled to nanjing, skipping intermediate level of magistrate, and carried them to prefect zhang"s office. 1372, ministers" use of melons as flattery, or propaganda, or as intervention in policy debates premised on the commoner"s having brought them to court.
