Considering traditionally emperors had important duties like appointing the highest ministers, approving or annulling executions, holding and presiding over examinations, carrying out spring planting rites, etc, how did government carry on? Did they just put all these things on hold for years at a time?
And just how important was the person of the emperor to government function?
The Jiajing emperor left the running of the state to his grand secretary and other chief bureaucrats. Under the Chinese imperial system the emperor may or may not hold a significant degree of power in politics depending on the state of court politics as well as the personality and strength of the emperor in question. It is not altogether uncommon for the bureaucracy, Eunuchs, or even other members of the imperial clan to have a bigger role in running the state than the emperor himself when the emperor is weak or uninterested in ruling.