Chenghua Emperor
Chenghua Emperor 成化帝 | |||||||||||||||||
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Emperor of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
Reign | 28 February 1464 – 9 September 1487 | ||||||||||||||||
Enthronement | 28 February 1464 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Emperor Yingzong (Tianshun Emperor) | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Hongzhi Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
Crown Prince of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
First tenure | 1449–1452 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Zhu Jianji, Crown Prince Huaixian | ||||||||||||||||
Second tenure | 1457–1464 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Zhu Jianji, Crown Prince Huaixian | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Zhu Youji, Crown Prince Daogong | ||||||||||||||||
Prince of Yi | |||||||||||||||||
Tenure | 1452–1457 | ||||||||||||||||
Born | Zhu Jianshen (朱見深) 9 December 1447 Zhengtong 12, 2nd day of the 11th month (正統十二年十一月初二日) | ||||||||||||||||
Died | 9 September 1487 Chenghua 23, 22nd day of the 8th month (成化二十三年八月二十二日) | (aged 39)||||||||||||||||
Burial | Maoling Mausoleum, Ming tombs, Beijing, China | ||||||||||||||||
Consorts | Empress Xiaomu
(m. 1466; died 1475)Empress Xiaohui (before 1487) | ||||||||||||||||
Issue |
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House | Zhu | ||||||||||||||||
Dynasty | Ming | ||||||||||||||||
Father | Emperor Yingzong | ||||||||||||||||
Mother | Empress Xiaosu |
The Chenghua Emperor (Chinese: 成化帝; pinyin: Chénghuà Dì; 9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xianzong of Ming (Chinese: 明憲宗), personal name Zhu Jianshen (朱見深), changed to Zhu Jianru (朱見濡) in 1457, was the ninth emperor of the Ming dynasty, who reigned from 1464 to 1487. He succeeded his father, Emperor Yingzong. After ascending the throne, he announced that the Chinese New Year of 1465 would be the beginning of the era of "Accomplished Change", Chenghua.
He was born Zhu Jianshen to Emperor Yingzong in 1447. Two years later, his father was captured by the Mongols at the Battle of Tumu, deposed, and after returning from captivity by the new Jingtai Emperor, Yingzong's younger brother, relegated to seclusion and house arrest. At the time of his father's captivity, Zhu Jianshen was appointed crown prince, but after three years he lost the position of heir to the throne. It was only after the Jingtai Emperor's overthrow and death in 1457 that Yingzong returned to the throne and Zhu Jianshen, now renamed Zhu Jianru, once again became crown prince.
He succeeded his father to the throne in February 1464 at the age of sixteen. In the first years of his reign, he introduced a new policy involving tax cuts and strengthening the power of the state. However, over time, the positive effects of the changes wore off, and in the last years of his reign, eunuchs, the infamous Wang Zhi and Liang Fang, began to dominate the Forbidden City. The positive aspects of the emperor's rule were gradually undermined by his tendency to favor favorites instead of promoting the able. This led to the spread of corruption and the enrichment of patrons at the expense of the state treasury. Peasant revolts broke out all over the country and were forcefully suppressed. The emperor ruled more autocratically than his predecessors, strengthening the secret police to monitor the mood of the country.
Wan Zhen'er, a palace lady who was older than him, had great influence over the emperor. She became his favorite woman, especially after the birth of a son in 1464; the child soon died, but Lady Wan maintained her power over the emperor and his harem. With loyal eunuchs, she forced other women to have abortions if they became pregnant with the emperor, and did not hesitate to poison mothers and children if they gave birth. It was not until 1475 that the emperor learned of the existence of his five-year-old son, Zhu Youcheng, who had been living in secret until then.
The Chenghua Emperor considered himself a great warrior and paid great attention to the army. In the 1470s, the reorganized Ming troops achieved significant victories in their fight against the Mongols, the first since 1449. Defensive walls were built in Shaanxi and Shanxi, forming the foundation of the surviving Great Wall of China. Allied with Korea, the Chinese successfully waged war against the Jurchen tribes in eastern Manchuria.
The Chenghua Emperor died in 1487 after 23 years of rule, and Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne as the Hongzhi Emperor.
Childhood
Zhu Jianshen was a son of the Zhengtong Emperor (also known as the Tianshun Emperor). He was only two years old when his father was captured by the Oirat Mongols and held captive in 1449. After that, his uncle, the Jingtai Emperor, took over the throne whilst his father was released from Oirats and returned to Beijing in 1450 and was put under house arrest for almost seven years. During this time, Zhu Jianshen lived under his uncle's shadow and even had his title of crown prince removed while the Jingtai Emperor installed his own son as heir. Zhu Jianshen was only reinstated as crown prince on the eve of the death of the Jingtai Emperor in 1457.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Mother_Hen_and_Chicks%2C_Song_Dynasty.jpg/200px-Mother_Hen_and_Chicks%2C_Song_Dynasty.jpg)
Reign as emperor
The Chenghua Emperor ascended the throne at the age of 17.[2] During the early part of his administration, he carried out new government policies to reduce tax and strengthen the Ming dynasty. However these did not last and by the closing years of his reign, governmental affairs once again fell into the hands of eunuchs, notably Wang Zhi. Peasant uprisings occurred throughout the country; however, they were violently suppressed. The Chenghua Emperor's reign was also more autocratic than his predecessors' and freedom was sharply curtailed when the emperor established institutes such as the Western Depot (to complement the existing Eastern Depot), monitoring all civilians' actions and words. This institute, not unlike a spy agency, would administer punishment to those whom they suspected of treason. The Western Depot would eventually be shut down but it was the start of a dangerous trend and the Chenghua Emperor's descendants would again revive the Western Depot during the 16th century.
Consort Wan
The Chenghua Emperor spent most of his reign under the influence of Consort Wan, an imperial concubine who was seventeen years older than him.[3] Lady Wan had been a mother figure to the young emperor, rearing and protecting the young prince.[2] After he ascended the throne, she quickly became the emperor's favourite consort. She gave birth to a child in 1466, but he died shortly thereafter.[4] She would come to dominate the Emperor's harem for nearly two decades. Lady Wan would employ eunuchs to oversee the harem and report back to her if any concubines became pregnant. Tactics including the forced abortions and even murders of members of the harem resulted in the Chenghua Emperor lamenting that by the age of thirty-one he still lacked a male heir. It was only then revealed to the Emperor that a male heir, the future Hongzhi Emperor, was secretly saved and raised in a secure location outside the palace. After reuniting with the young prince, Zhu Youcheng was created crown prince. Consort Wan died in 1487, and shortly after, the Chenghua Emperor died in the same year, after 23 years on the throne. He was buried in the Maoling Mausoleum of the Ming tombs.
Legacy
The Chenghua Emperor's reign can be distinguished by his early attempts to reform the government and trying his best to rule the country. His reign also saw a cultural flourishing with famous persons such as Hu Juren and Chen Baisha dominating the academic scene. However, the Chenghua Emperor's reign was prone to dominating individuals in the government and the emperor was easily influenced into granting favours based on who he liked rather than their abilities. This led to the degradation of the ruling class and wasteful spending by corrupt individuals which eventually depleted the Ming government's coffers.
Family
Consorts and Issue:
- Deposed Empress, of the Wu clan (廢后 吳氏; d. 1509)
- Empress Xiaozhenchun, of the Wang clan (孝貞純皇后 王氏; d. 1518)
- Empress Xiaomu, of the Ji clan (孝穆皇后 紀氏; 1451 – July 1475), personal name Tangmei (唐妹)
- Zhu Youcheng, the Hongzhi Emperor (弘治帝 朱佑樘; 30 July 1470 – 9 June 1505), third son
- Empress Xiaohui, of the Shao clan (孝惠皇后 邵氏; d. 1522)
- Zhu Youyuan, Emperor Ruizong (睿宗 朱佑杬; 22 July 1476 – 13 July 1519), fourth son (father of the Jiajing Emperor)
- Zhu Youlun, Prince Hui of Qi (岐惠王 朱佑棆; 12 November 1478 – 2 December 1501), fifth son
- Zhu Youyun, Prince Jing of Yong (雍靖王 朱佑枟; 29 June 1481 – 17 January 1507), eighth son
- Imperial Noble Consort Gongsu, of the Wan clan (恭肅皇貴妃 萬氏; 1428–1487), personal name Zhen'er (貞兒)
- First son (14 February 1466 – November 1466)
- Consort Duanshunxian, of the Bo clan (端順賢妃 柏氏; d. 1527)
- Zhu Youji, Crown Prince Daogong (悼恭皇太子 朱佑極; 7 June 1469 – 5 March 1472), second son
- Consort Zhuangjingshun, of the Wang clan (莊靖順妃 王氏; 22 April 1448 – 9 January 1495)
- Princess Renhe (仁和公主; 1476–1544), first daughter
- Married Qi Shimei (齊世美; d. 1503) in 1489, and had issue (five sons)
- Princess Renhe (仁和公主; 1476–1544), first daughter
- Consort Gonghuihe, of the Liang clan (恭惠和妃 梁氏; d. 1533)
- Consort Duanrongzhao, of the Wang clan (端榮昭妃 王氏)
- Consort Jingshunhui, of the Guo clan (靖順惠妃 郭氏; d. 1491)
- Princess Yongkang (永康公主; 1478–1547), second daughter
- Married Cui Yuan (崔元) in 1493, and had issue (two sons, two daughters)
- Princess Yongkang (永康公主; 1478–1547), second daughter
- Consort Zhuangyide, of the Zhang clan (莊懿德妃 張氏; d. 1497)
- Zhu Youbin, Prince Duan of Yi (益端王 朱佑檳; 26 January 1479 – 5 October 1539), sixth son
- Zhu Youhui, Prince Gong of Heng (衡恭王 朱佑楎; 8 December 1479 – 30 August 1538), seventh son
- Zhu Youpeng, Prince An of Ru (汝安王 朱佑梈; 13 October 1484 – 1541), 11th son
- Consort Duanyi'an, of the Yao clan (端懿安妃 姚氏; d. 1491)
- Zhu Youzhi, Prince Ding of Shou (壽定王 朱佑榰; 2 December 1481 – 1545), ninth son
- Consort Ronghuigong, of the Yang clan (榮惠恭妃 楊氏)
- Zhu Youshun, Prince Jian of Jing (涇簡王 朱佑橓; 31 March 1485 – 10 July 1537), 12th son
- Zhu Youkai, Prince Yi of Shen (申懿王 朱佑楷; 3 February 1487 – 20 August 1503), 14th son
- Consort Kangshunduan, of the Pan clan (康順端妃 潘氏; d. 1538)
- Zhu Youshu, Prince Zhuang of Rong (榮莊王 朱佑樞; 22 January 1486 – 16 February 1539), 13th son
- Consort Gongyijing, of the Wang clan (恭懿敬妃 王氏; 1465–1510)
- Tenth son (19 August 1483 – 8 October 1483)
- Consort Zhaoshunli, of the Zhang clan (昭順麗妃 章氏; d. 1501)
- Princess Deqing (德清公主; 17 August 1478 – 17 July 1549), third daughter
- Married Lin Yue (林岳; d. 1518) in 1496, and had issue (two sons)
- Princess Deqing (德清公主; 17 August 1478 – 17 July 1549), third daughter
- Consort Hehuijing, of the Yue clan (和惠靜妃 岳氏; 1465–1534)
- Princess Xianyou (仙遊公主; d. 1492), sixth daughter
- Consort Jingxirong, of the Tang clan (靖僖榮妃 唐氏; d. 1524)
- Unknown
- Fourth daughter
- Princess Changtai (長泰公主; d. 1487), fifth daughter
Ancestry
Yongle Emperor (1360–1424) | |||||||||||||||||||
Hongxi Emperor (1378–1425) | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Renxiaowen (1362–1407) | |||||||||||||||||||
Xuande Emperor (1399–1435) | |||||||||||||||||||
Zhang Qi | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Chengxiaozhao (1379–1442) | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Tong | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Yingzong of Ming (1427–1464) | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun Shiying | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun Zhong (1368–1452) | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Ding | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Xiaogongzhang (1399–1462) | |||||||||||||||||||
Dong Yangong | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Dong | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Qi | |||||||||||||||||||
Chenghua Emperor (1447–1487) | |||||||||||||||||||
Zhou Deqing | |||||||||||||||||||
Zhou Fushan | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Du | |||||||||||||||||||
Zhou Neng | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Guo | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Xiaosu (1430–1504) | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Zhen | |||||||||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ His original given name Jianshen was changed into Jianru in 1457 when his father Emperor Yingzong of Ming restored on the throne as Tianshun Emperor.
- ^ a b Weatherford, Jack (2010). The secret history of the Mongol queens : how the daughters of Genghis Khan rescued his empire (1st ed.). New York: Crown Publishers. p. 169. ISBN 9780307407153. OCLC 354817523.
- ^ Weatherford 2010, p. 169-170.
- ^ Weatherford 2010, p. 170.
Sources
- Imperial China – 900–1800, F.W. Mote, Page 630, First Harvard University Press, 2003.