of hypocrisy even as he imposed austerity measures on the rest of the bureaucracy. After his death, Zhang's political opponents quickly accused him and his support Feng Bao of several major charges, including corruption, embezzlement, and factionalism (党争). As a result, his family was purged and his wealth and estate confiscated on the Wanli Emperor's orders, while several of his political allies were forced to retire. Zhang's reputation would only be rehabilitated more than half a century later, just before the downfall of the Ming dynasty. Zhang's commentary on the "Four Books" In 1573, Zhang presented the Wanli Emperor with a commentary on the Four Books of the Confucian canon, entitled "Colloquial Commentary on the Four Books" ("四书直解", Sì Shū Zhíjie). It was published some time between 1573 and 1584. The book was not destroyed during the posthumous disgrace of Zhang, and even enjoyed a measure of renown among the Chinese literati almost a century later, during the early decades of the Qing dynasty, when several editions of it appeared between 1651 and 1683. In the assessment of modern scholars (e.g. D.E. Mungello), Zhang's commentary was, in its content and meaning, not that different from the commentary written by Neo–Confucianist Zhu Xi. The Jesuits rejected the Neo–Confucianism but found Zhang's book more consonant with their view of Confucius' teaching. As a result, there are numerous references to Zhang's work in Confucius Sinarum philosophus, the pioneering Latin translation and commentary of the Confucian classics, which had been gradually created by a large group of Jesuits over several decades and published in Paris in 1687. Literature Zhang Juzheng (Chang Chü–cheng) is an important character in Ray Huang's 1587, a Year of No Significance, a documentary book on the period. Zhang is also a main character in Chinese televesion series Ming Dynasty in 1566. See also Grand Secretary External links Encyclopædia Britannica References 1525 births 1582 deaths Senior Grand Secretaries of the Ming dynasty People from Jingzhou Royal tutors Chinese reformers