[3] He did not pay much attention to state affairs, and was accused of failing in his filial duties to his late father by not continuing the latter's wishes.

However, he was an outstanding carpenter and craftsman, often spending vast amounts of time on woodworking and instructing his servants to sell his creations undercover on the market just to see how much they were worth.

[2] Wei Zhongxian took advantage of the situation and began appointing the people he trusted to important positions in the imperial court.

[4][failed verification] One Confucian moralist group, the Donglin Movement, expressed distress at the conditions of the government.

[5] In response, the imperial court, under Wei Zhongxian's control, covertly ordered the execution of a number of officials associated with the Donglin Movement.