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Hongxi Emperor
洪熙帝
Portrait assis de l'empereur Ming Renzong.jpg
Palace portrait on a hanging scroll, kept in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Emperor of the Ming dynasty
Reign 7 September 1424 – 29 May 1425
Enthronement 7 September 1424
Predecessor Yongle Emperor
Successor Xuande Emperor
Crown Prince of the Ming dynasty
Tenure 12 May 1404 – 7 September 1424
Predecessor Zhu Wenkui, Crown Prince Hejian
Successor Imperial Grandson-heir Zhu Zhanji
Hereditary Prince of Yan
Tenure 4 November 1395 – 17 July 1402
Born 16 August 1378
Hongwu 11, 23rd day of the 7th month
(洪武十一年七月二十三日)
Died 29 May 1425(1425-05-29) (aged 46)
Hongxi 1, 12th day of the 5th month
(洪xi元年五月十二日)
Hall of Imperial Peace, Forbidden City, Beijing, Ming dynasty
Burial Xianling Mausoleum, Ming tombs, Beijing, China
Consorts
(m. 1396⁠–⁠1425)
Issue
  • Xuande Emperor
  • Zhu Zhanjun, Prince Jing of Zheng
  • Zhu Zhanyong, Prince Jing of Yue
  • Zhu Zhanyin, Prince Xian of Qi
  • Zhu Zhanshan, Prince Xian of Xiang
  • Zhu Zhangang, Prince Xian of Jing
  • Zhu Zhan'ao, Prince Jing of Huai
  • Zhu Zhankai, Prince Huai of Teng
  • Zhu Zhanji, Prince Zhuang of Liang
  • Zhu Zhanshan, Prince Gong of Wei
  • Princess Jiaxing
  • Princess Qingdu
  • Princess Qinghe
  • Princess De'an
  • Princess Yanping
  • Princess Deqing
  • Princess Zhending
  • Unnamed daughter
Full name
Zhu Gaochi
(朱高熾)
Era name and dates
Hongxi (洪熙): 20 January 1425 – 7 February 1426
Posthumous name
Emperor Jingtian Tidao Chuncheng Zhide Hongwen Qinwu Zhangsheng Daxiao Zhao
(敬天體道純誠至德弘文欽武章聖達孝昭皇帝
Respecter of Heaven, Embodiment of the Way, Pure in Sincerity, Perfect in Virtue, Extensive in Culture, Dominant in Militancy, Standard of Sageliness, Thorough in Filial Piety, Luminous Emperor)
Temple name
Renzong (仁宗)
House House of Zhu
Dynasty Ming
Father Yongle Emperor
Mother Empress Renxiaowen
Hongxi Emperor
Chinese 洪熙帝
Literal meaning “Vastly Bright”
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Hóngxī Dì
IPA [xʊ̌ŋ.ɕí tî]

The Hongxi Emperor (born 16 August 1378 – died 29 May 1425), whose personal name was Zhu Gaochi, was the fourth emperor of the Ming dynasty. He ruled for a short time, from 1424 to 1425. He was the oldest son of the Yongle Emperor and Empress Renxiaowen. His special name as emperor, "Hongxi," means "vastly bright."

Life as a Prince and Emperor

Zhu Gaochi was born in 1378. He received a good education from wise teachers who followed the ideas of Confucianism. This was a system of beliefs and values that guided how people should live and how the government should work.

Becoming a Leader

Even before he became emperor, Zhu Gaochi often helped his father rule. He acted as a regent, which means he governed the country when his father was away fighting wars in the north. He did this from cities like Nanjing and Beijing. Unlike his father, Zhu Gaochi was not very interested in military matters. However, he was skilled at archery.

Important Changes as Emperor

When Zhu Gaochi became the Hongxi Emperor in September 1424, he quickly made many important changes. His father had started very expensive sea voyages led by Zheng He. The Hongxi Emperor stopped these voyages for good. He also ended other costly activities, like trading tea for horses at the borders and sending missions to get gold and pearls from far-off places like Yunnan and Vietnam.

He brought back government officials who had been removed from their jobs, like Xia Yuanji, a minister who had been in prison. He also changed how the government was organized, giving important roles to his trusted advisors. Scholars from the Hanlin Academy became powerful grand secretaries. They worked to undo some of his father's unpopular policies that focused too much on the military. Instead, they wanted to bring back a strong civil government, which means a government run by non-military officials.

Improving Life for People

The Hongxi Emperor also worked to improve the country's money situation. He stopped demanding lumber, gold, and silver from the people. He also lowered taxes, which helped farmers who had been struggling. This allowed many farmers who had left their homes to return, especially in the Yangtze River Delta area, which had been heavily taxed. He even set up a group to look into taxes and make them fairer. When there were natural disasters, he made sure that grain was sent right away to help the affected areas.

A Short but Important Reign

The Hongxi Emperor planned to move the capital city back to Nanjing from Beijing. Beijing had become the capital under his father. However, he died just a month later, in May 1425, likely from a heart attack. His son, who was 26 years old, became the next ruler, known as the Xuande Emperor. Even though the Hongxi Emperor ruled for a very short time, he is remembered for his important reforms. These changes made lasting improvements to the country, and his son continued many of his helpful policies.

Family

仁宗昭皇帝
Portrait of the Hongxi Emperor in daily dress

The Hongxi Emperor had many children with his empress and other consorts. His main wife was Empress Chengxiaozhao. Together, they had his first son, Zhu Zhanji, who later became the Xuande Emperor.

  • Empress Chengxiaozhao (1379 – 1442)
    • Xuande Emperor (1399 – 1435), his first son.
    • Zhu Zhanyong, Prince Jing of Yue (1405 – 1439), his third son.
    • Zhu Zhanshan, Prince Xian of Xiang (1406 – 1478), his fifth son.
    • Princess Jiaxing (1409 – 1439), his first daughter.

He also had other children with different consorts, including many sons who became princes and several daughters who became princesses.

See also

  • Chinese emperors family tree (late)
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