明代东厂新证三说

The New Opinions on Dong Chang

督东厂官校缉事,是明代宦官掌握的一项重要权力。一般认为,宦官刺事始于永乐朝。事实上,太祖朱元璋已开始用宦官刺察外事。成祖朱棣夺位后,营建北京,始正式建立东厂。正统以前,东厂"行事权"尚有限。景泰帝代位后,大大强化了这一权力。而复辟的天顺朝,却是锦衣卫权势大张的时期。成化初年,再命内臣领校尉缉事,东厂始为定制。

This article puts forward new views on the establishment time and the reason of the Dong Chang in the Ming Dynasty.Eunuch did detective works during the rule of the Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.In the seventh year of Yongle（1409）,when Emperor Zhu Di inspected Beijing,he awarded the detective rights to eunuchs.In the period of Jingtai,the rights were strengthened,but the Jinyiwei expanded its influences in the following Tianshun times.In the Chenghua period,eunuchs were again authorized to spy outer matters and the Dong Chang was established at the same time.