传衣钵:明代中后期内阁辅臣新型关系考论

Political Succession:A Study of the New Relationship between the Cabinet Ministers in the Mid and Late Ming Dynasty

随着明代中后期内阁首辅制渐趋成熟,内阁辅臣为争夺这一要职发生过激烈的政治斗争,同时也牵动了朝野各方政治势力的此消彼长。当申时行接任首辅后,通过政策调整和个人风格影响,使得内阁辅臣关系呈现出新的变化,即以"传衣钵"的方式塑造了前后首辅之间的政治继承关系,极大地稳定了当时的中枢政局。但随着时局的变迁,尤其是朝野政治对立的进一步加剧,"传衣钵"式的阁辅关系也发生了异化,成为垄断权力、排除异己的"护身符"。

With the senior secretary system coming into being in the middle and late Ming Dynasty,the competence between cabinet ministers were fierce for this important position,which also shifted the political power from one party to another.After Shen Shixing took over the post of the senior secretary,the relationship between the cabinet’s ministers took on a new course through his policy adjustment and influence of personal style.That is,the relationship of political succession between the former and the current minister was shaped by the way of inheritance,which greatly stabilized the central political situation at that time.However,with the changes of the social situation,especially the further aggravation of the political opposition between the government and the public,the hereditary relationship between cabinet ministers was polarized,and was taken advantage for monopoly power and eliminating dissidents.