[1] Influenced by the Mongol raids of the 1550s, Zhang Juzheng aimed to "enrich the country and strengthen the army" through legalistic methods rather than Confucian principles.

In 1572, shortly after the Longqing Emperorg's death and the accession of his son, the Wanli Emperor, to the throne, the eunuch Feng Bao, head of the Directorate of Ceremonial (司禮監太監; Silijian taijian), worked with Zhang Juzheng to depose the then Senior Grand Secretary, Gao Gong.

[6] During his rule, he relied heavily on the support of eunuchs, particularly Feng Bao, and the emperor's mother, Empress Dowager Li,[7] who acted as regent.

[8] This allowed him to personally select his colleagues in the Grand Secretariat;[a] he also exerted informal control over the Ministry of Rites and the Censorate, appointing his followers to important positions in both central offices and regional areas.

Through these tactics, Zhang gained significant influence in the government, despite lacking the authority to give orders or make demands due to his position.

[6] He sought to consolidate the power of the central government and elevate the role of the emperor by streamlining the administration and bolstering the military, often at the expense of local interests.

[9] He wielded his influence in the Censorate to enforce stricter discipline within the bureaucracy, redirecting their focus from internal conflicts to tasks such as tax collection and suppression of bandits.

To assess the effectiveness of the administration, monthly and semi-annual reports were compiled for each county and prefecture, measuring their success in these areas.

This led to a period of peak efficiency in the Ming state administration from 1572 to 1582,[10] a level typically only seen in the early years of the empire.

[11] In contrast to the focus on internal self-improvement advocated by the followers of Wang Yangming's teachings, Zhang presented an alternative program based on pragmatic pursuit of the state's interests.

[13] Zhang justified his actions against intellectuals who were preoccupied with debates about morality and introspection by claiming that he was defending the interests of the empire rather than seeking personal gain.

He viewed these individuals not as moral role models, but as irresponsible slackers,[14] and thus attempted to suppress government-uncontrolled discussion gatherings of opposition-minded educated people.

[14] Zhang Juzheng's actions, while within the bounds of existing legislation, were seen by his critics as an abuse of power to promote his followers and exert illegitimate pressure on officials.

According to the law, Zhang was supposed to leave his office to mourn, and it was proposed that Xu Jie, who retired in 1568, be recalled to take charge of the Grand Secretariat.

In an effort to suppress the opposition, Zhang enforced an extraordinary self-evaluation of all high-ranking officials,[16] which allowed him to eliminate around fifty opponents.

The traditional system of natural taxes and mandatory labor at the county level was being replaced by silver payments and additional fees, known as the Single whip reform.

With the publication of the revised lists of obligations, now converted into a unified silver payment, the Single whip reform was officially implemented throughout the empire.

[10] As part of administrative reforms, insignificant activities were abolished or limited, the number of Confucian students receiving state support was reduced, and provincial authorities were urged to only require one-third of the previous labor demands.

However, he was concerned about the potential negative impact of fluctuations in imports on the economy, and therefore deemed silver to be an insufficient medium of currency.

[23] The production of coins faced immediate challenges, including a shortage of copper for casting and difficulties in hiring qualified personnel.

This was partly due to the state's inability to circulate high-quality coins from Beijing, as a significant portion remained in the treasuries of the Ministry of Revenue and the emperor.

On the other hand, supporters of state coinage argued that while silver may serve as a store of value, coins are essential as a medium of exchange.

They believed that even if the production of coins resulted in losses, it would ultimately lead to economic recovery and profit in the long run.

He strategically placed capable military leaders, such as Qi Jiguang, Wang Chonggu (王崇古), Tan Lun, Liang Menglong (梁夢龍), and Li Chengliang, in positions of responsibility.

[18] This decision ultimately led to a reduction in the northern border army and the return of surplus soldiers to their family farms.

Following his death, he was accused of the common transgressions of high-ranking officials, including bribery, indulgent living, favoring unqualified supporters, abuse of authority, and suppressing dissent.

[34] This can be attributed to the close relationship between the commanders of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, specifically Liu Shouyou and Shi Jishu, and Zhang.

While he did support General Qi Jiguang in implementing new recruitment, training, and tactics, he was unable to extend these changes to other Ming armies.