Great rites controversy

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The Great rites controversy took place in 1524 in China.

The young and newly empowered Emperor Shizong (Jiajing Emperor) tried to posthumously give his father the title of emperor in order to legitimize his claim to the throne. Due to complications in the succession process, Shizong was not related to the previous emperor.

His break in tradition caused a huge controversy within the court and pitted Emperor Shizong against the majority of officials who were in agreement with Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe. Eventually, Yang Tinghe retired, and the remaining dissenters were beaten, imprisoned, or banished. Ultimately, this incident is representative of a power struggle between a young emperor and his court; one was trying to gain power and the other refused to give it up.

The unrelated Chinese Rites controversy has a similar name but took place over a hundred years later and concerned Christian stances towards traditional Chinese ceremonies.^[1]