In the history of feudal China, there was an Emperor dubbed the ‘ laziest’, 28 years without conducting court sessions while society remained stable and people’s lives were prosperous and happy. It was only 400 years later that the truth was revealed.
The laziest Emperor in Chinese history
Chinese history records countless kings who indulged in pleasure, but the Emperor Vạn Lịch (1563 – 1620) of the Ming Dynasty was the only one dubbed the “laziest”. He earned this title because during his 48-year reign since ascending the throne at the age of 10, he spent 28 years without conducting court sessions.

There were many rumors about the reason why the king neglected court affairs. The most mentioned reason was that he was disappointed with the excessive pursuit of benefits by the Ming Dynasty officials, so he didn’t want to have much contact with them. However, Emperor Vạn Lịch still handled state affairs “behind the scenes” regularly, and during the 28 years he was absent, society remained stable, and both internal and external wars were victorious. Despite this, the courtiers continued to complain about the king’s strange behavior and he simply responded that he was unwell.
The secret in the tomb of Emperor Vạn Lịch
Until 1955, a team of archaeologists led by historian Quách Mạt Nhược excavated the Định Lăng tomb complex of Emperor Vạn Lịch, intending to transform it into an underground museum. After nearly 1 year of effort, the archaeological team found the entrance inside. Everyone was delighted to find more than 3,000 burial artifacts of the emperor, including countless precious stones, pearls, and many items and silk fabrics.
Notably, when opening the lid of Emperor Vạn Lịch’s coffin and carefully studying his skeleton, everyone was surprised to discover that his legs were of uneven length, specifically, his right leg was slightly longer than his left leg. From this, it was concluded that Emperor Vạn Lịch suffered from a severe muscle atrophy condition that made it difficult for him to walk and sit for long periods on the dragon throne. Moreover, the medical knowledge of that period was not developed enough to cure the king’s illness. In order to maintain the dignity of the sovereign, Emperor Vạn Lịch decided not to meet with his courtiers for 28 years. Thanks to the archaeological work, the king’s injustice has been resolved after 400 years. His successors even more admire this talented king.

Many Chinese historians believe that the Vạn Lịch dynasty was one of the significant causes of the downfall of the Ming Dynasty. He did not fulfill the responsibilities of the emperor to control the court, but instead handed over the supreme power to corrupt officials who built their own influence. Dissatisfied courtiers loyal to Chu Hi and opposed to Vương Dương Minh established the Dong Lam Party, a political organization that believed in the integrity of individuals and sought to influence the court based on the strict principles of Confucianism. However, the failure, conservatism, greed, and favoritism of the emperor, as well as the false military reports of the Dong Lam Party, were among the direct causes of the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty. In many aspects, Emperor Vạn Lịch resembled other emperors in Chinese history who were initially very successful but ended their reigns in decline and were eventually overthrown.