Some infamous corrupt officials in history have left behind disastrous legacies — destroying the court’s integrity, harming loyal ministers, and exploiting the people to the extreme. Their downfall is inevitable, a result of their own actions. Figures like Cai Jing and Yan Song once held immense power and indulged in extravagance, only to end up destitute and starving, a stark contrast that serves as a reminder of the law of cause and effect.
Cai Jing’s corrupt reign
Cai Jing held power for 23 years during the Northern Song Dynasty, a period marked as one of the darkest in its history. He engaged in a multitude of nefarious activities. He established institutions like the Yingfeng and Zaizuo Bureaus to drain the treasury, built the extravagant Yanfu Palace at great expense, and created the “Western City Land Tax Office” to confiscate people’s lands. He altered the salt and tea laws to fill the fiscal deficit and minted new coins, devaluing the currency and leading to economic chaos. Moreover, he sold official positions openly, turning bribery into an accepted practice. The atmosphere of corruption spread, with dishonest officials flooding the government, leaving the people in dire straits.
Cai Jing formed factions for personal gain, persecuting loyal officials. Those who supported him were rewarded with promotions and wealth, while those who refused to be complicit were framed, demoted, or even executed. For example, Fang Zhen, a court official who submitted a report exposing Cai Jing’s crimes, was immediately exiled. Cai Jing abolished the Discussion Bureau, granting himself unchecked power. He even persuaded Emperor Huizong to burn down the Jingling Palace, which housed portraits of meritorious officials like Sima Guang and Wen Yanbo, and to ban works by respected scholars.
A humbling downfall
In 1125, the Jurchen Jin army invaded the Song Dynasty, besieging Kaifeng. Emperor Huizong abdicated in favor of his son, Emperor Qinzong. At this time, the entire nation was submitting petitions to impeach Cai Jing. One scholar submitted a petition with multiple signatures, stating: “The reason the Jin army has advanced so easily to Kaifeng is entirely due to the harm caused by Cai Jing and his like. These treacherous officials must be severely punished!” Emperor Qinzong responded by dismissing Cai Jing and exiling him, forbidding him from ever holding office again.
Initially, Cai Jing was unrepentant. He loaded a large boat with his accumulated wealth, believing that money could solve any problem. However, he was wrong. As he traveled the 1,000-mile journey from Kaifeng to Changsha, people refused to sell him food or drink and subjected him to constant insults. Upon reaching Changsha, he had nowhere to stay and ended up in a dilapidated temple on the city’s outskirts. Ill and impoverished, he finally lamented: “I have lost the people’s support; how did it come to this?” He wrote: “Looking back, all that once seemed glorious now appears as a fleeting dream.” Ultimately, he died destitute and starving.
Yan Song’s tyranny: Ruling with unchecked power
Yan Song was a notorious official during the Ming Dynasty. Skilled in flattery, he rose to the positions of Minister of Personnel and Grand Secretary. Once in power, he suppressed dissent, embezzled military funds, and neglected border defense. After turning 70, he handed over control of state affairs to his son, Yan Shifan. The father and son duo engaged in extreme corruption, selling official positions and promotions for bribes. No official post was too small to have a price, and the only criterion for advancement was the size of the bribe. The Imperial Censorate and the Six Ministries were filled with their cronies. Yan Song’s abuse of power led to widespread suffering and resentment.
From riches to rags
In 1562, multiple officials finally succeeded in exposing Yan Song’s crimes, and Emperor Jiajing dismissed him from his position. Yan Shifan was executed, and their entire family fortune was confiscated. The wealth seized from Yan Song’s household was equivalent to the nation’s entire annual revenue. Homeless, Yan Song was reduced to begging near a cemetery, suffering from hunger and cold. He died two years later, without even a coffin to be buried in and no one to mourn him.
A lesson from history
The fate of Cai Jing and Yan Song serves as a warning: Ill-gotten wealth and power will not last. What remains is a legacy of infamy. Their downfall reflects not only earthly justice but also divine retribution. For those in power, self-discipline and integrity are essential. They must act for the welfare of the people and always be guided by conscience and morality, for that is the true path to lasting peace and prosperity.
Translated by Cecilia, Edited by Maria
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