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39-508: Zhu Youjiao became emperor at the age of 15, following the death of his father, the Taichang Emperor , who ruled less than a month. He did not pay much attention to state affairs, and was accused of failing in his filial duties to his late father by not continuing the latter's wishes. It is possible that Zhu Youjiao suffered from a learning disability or something more. He was illiterate and showed no interest in his studies. However, he

78-461: A division among officials, with some advocating for the rights of the first son based on legal primogeniture , while others supported Lady Zheng. In response to the widespread support for the eldest son, the emperor delayed making a decision. He justified the delay by stating that he was waiting for a son from the empress. When the request was made to appoint Zhu Changluo as crown prince at the age of eight so that his education could officially begin,

117-538: Is believed that he had two private palaces; one for his female lovers and one for his male lovers. One Confucian moralist group, the Donglin Movement , expressed distress at the conditions of the government. In response, the imperial court, under Wei Zhongxian's control, covertly ordered the execution of a number of officials associated with the Donglin Movement. Living conditions worsened during

156-510: The Donglin Movement , expressed distress at the conditions of the government. In response, the imperial court, under Wei Zhongxian's control, covertly ordered the execution of a number of officials associated with the Donglin Movement. Living conditions worsened during the Tianqi Emperor's reign. The Ming dynasty also faced several popular uprisings. The Tianqi Emperor died heirless on 30 September 1627 due to his only son having died in

195-532: The Donglin movement . The Donglin supporters had largely supported Zhu Changluo during the dispute over the succession in the 1580s and 1590s. Three days after his enthronement, the Taichang Emperor fell ill. On 5 September, his condition worsened, and he called for a physician. During audiences on 8 and 9 September, he appeared unwell and soon took to his bed. On 13 September, he was visited again by

234-587: The Emperor Guangzong of Ming , personal name Zhu Changluo , was the 15th emperor of the Ming dynasty . He was the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and succeeded his father as emperor in 1620. However, his reign came to an abrupt end less than one month after his enthronement when he was found dead one morning in the palace following a bout of diarrhea . He was succeeded by his son, Zhu Youjiao, who

273-566: The Wanggongchang Explosion and was succeeded by his fifth and sole surviving brother, Zhu Youjian. Zhu Youjian was enthroned as the Chongzhen Emperor . Consorts and Issue: In August and September 2009, a 42-hour television series dramatising the events during the reign of the Tianqi Emperor was shown on Chinese television – two hours per night for 21 days. It vividly showed how a hereditary monarchy can lead to

312-673: The 8th month of the Chinese calendar). Many people in Beijing saw this new monarch as a chance for a fresh start. As he was not related to his father, there was hope that he would abandon the Wanli Emperor's policies. On 19 August, 1 million liang (37.3 tons) of silver from the palace treasury was sent to defend the northeastern borders, due to the critical situation in Liaodong , where Nurhaci 's Jurchens were attacking. Additionally,

351-438: The Ming imperial court, with the Tianqi Emperor as merely a puppet ruler. The Tianqi Emperor apparently devoted his time to carpentry. Wei Zhongxian took advantage of the situation and began appointing the people he trusted to important positions in the imperial court. Meanwhile, Madam Ke sought to retain power by removing all other women from the emperor's harem by locking away the emperor's concubines and starving them to death. It

390-583: The Taichang Emperor's favored concubine, clashed with the ministers and Grand Secretaries for control. Despite Lady Li's resistance and that of her eunuchs, the eunuchs loyal to the officials ultimately handed the boy over to them and banished Lady Li to another palace. Zhu Youjiao officially ascended to the throne on 1 October 1620. Consorts and issue: Tianqi Emperor The Tianqi Emperor ( Chinese : 天啓帝 ; pinyin : Tiānqǐ Dì ; 23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627), personal name Zhu Youjiao ( Chinese : 朱由校 ; pinyin : Zhū Yóujiào ),

429-425: The Tianqi Emperor's reign. The Ming dynasty also faced several popular uprisings. The Tianqi Emperor died heirless on 30 September 1627 due to his only son having died in the Wanggongchang Explosion and was succeeded by his fifth and sole surviving brother, Zhu Youjian. Zhu Youjian was enthroned as the Chongzhen Emperor . Consorts and Issue: In August and September 2009, a 42-hour television series dramatising

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468-475: The child, Lady Li convinced him to acknowledge paternity by presenting records of his visits. She also pushed for Lady Wang's promotion to imperial concubine with the title "Consort Gong" ( 恭妃 ). However, the emperor's interest in Lady Wang quickly faded as he became infatuated with another concubine, Lady Zheng , who also bore him a son named Zhu Changxun (1586–1641). As a result, Zhu Changluo, despite being

507-573: The crown prince and rightful heir to the throne. However, even with this formal recognition, intrigue and the emperor's dissatisfaction with the succession persisted. In 1615, the court was rocked by an unusual scandal when a man named Zhang Chai armed himself with a wooden staff and broke into the Forbidden City, specifically targeting the Crown Prince's palace. While the initial investigation deemed him insane, another investigator suggested

546-453: The eldest, was ignored by the emperor. In 1586, the question of succession arose when the emperor promoted Lady Zheng to the rank of "Imperial Noble Consort" ( Huang Guifei ), placing her just below the empress and above his other concubines, including Lady Wang. It was evident to those around him that he preferred Lady Zheng's son Zhu Changxun—his third son (the second had died in infancy)—to succeed him rather than Zhu Changluo. This caused

585-423: The emperor defended himself by saying that princes were traditionally taught by eunuchs. In 1589, the emperor agreed to appoint Zhu Changluo as his successor. However, this decision was met with opposition from Lady Zheng, causing controversy and, two years later, even arrests when a pamphlet was circulated in Beijing accusing her of conspiring against the emperor's eldest son with some high officials. Despite this,

624-399: The emperor tried to portray Lady Zheng in a positive light to the public. The failure to name a successor sparked protests from not only opposition-minded officials, but also high dignitaries such as Grand Secretaries Shen Shixing (in office 1578–91) and Wang Xijue (in office 1584–91 and 1593–94). The empress and Empress Dowager Li also supported the rights of Zhu Changluo. However, it

663-405: The emperor's diseased body. That same day, the imperial guards and eunuchs brought Li Keshao to the emperor, who ordered him to make the pills. In the presence of the aforementioned (thirteen) officials, Li made the pills using lead , autumn mineral, human milk and cinnabar —all tonic drugs in traditional Chinese medicine—which were provided to him by the emperor's eunuchs. He then gave one pill to

702-470: The emperor, while others among the thirteen officials present took a more cautious approach, attempting to absolve themselves of any negligence. The controversy surrounding the red pills—whether they caused the emperor's death intentionally or unintentionally—sparked heated debates and accusations over the next few years. After the Taichang Emperor's death, a power struggle emerged over the succession of his fourteen-year-old successor, Zhu Youjiao . Lady Li,

741-463: The emperor, who felt relieved and became hungry, requesting another pill. However, Li refused, stating that one pill was enough and two would be too many. The emperor then sent Li Keshao and the officials home after midnight. The following morning at dawn, the eunuchs announced that the emperor had died. Some members of the Donglin movement accused Li Keshao and Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe of poisoning

780-533: The events during the reign of the Tianqi Emperor was shown on Chinese television – two hours per night for 21 days. It vividly showed how a hereditary monarchy can lead to the rampant abuse of power. The series ended on 17 September, just two weeks before the 60th anniversary (five 12-year cycles) of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Taichang Emperor The Taichang Emperor (28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), also known by his temple name as

819-527: The heir in whom he trusted and relied upon. Zhu Changluo also confirmed his close relationship with his father and asked for an end to the whole affair. Despite this, the emperor ordered the execution of Zhang Chai and the two eunuchs involved in the case. However, representatives from the Ministry of Justice demanded further investigation and the Grand Secretaries brokered a compromise. Zhang Chai

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858-480: The involvement of two eunuchs close to Lady Zheng. Both eunuchs were swiftly executed, but speculation about the true perpetrators of the plot continued to circulate. The Wanli Emperor died on 18 August 1620, and Zhu Changluo officially ascended the throne as the Taichang Emperor on 28 August. However, just a few days after his coronation, he fell ill and died on 26 September 1620, despite attempts at treatment. The Taichang Emperor's eldest son, Zhu Youjiao , then became

897-422: The market just to see how much they were worth. Because the Tianqi Emperor was unable to read court memorials and uninterested in state affairs, the court eunuch Wei Zhongxian and the emperor's wet nurse Madam Ke seized power and controlled the Ming imperial court, with the Tianqi Emperor as merely a puppet ruler. The Tianqi Emperor apparently devoted his time to carpentry. Wei Zhongxian took advantage of

936-526: The mentioned medicine. Several days passed with Taichang officiating from his bed, but on 17 September, he became overwhelmed and began to speak of his impending death. During a visit from concerned officials, led by Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe, on 25 September, the emperor requested red pills, which he had heard were being produced by Li Keshao, an assistant director in the Court of State Ceremonial. Li later testified that he believed his pills helped strengthen

975-409: The mining and commercial taxes that had been introduced in the 1590s were abolished, and the eunuch tax commissioners, who were responsible for collecting these taxes, were recalled from the provinces. All of these actions were carried out in accordance with the last wishes of the deceased emperor. On 21 August, the Taichang Emperor sent another million liang of silver to Liaodong. Zhu Changluo chose

1014-456: The name Taichang for his era, symbolizing peace and prosperity in contrast to the turmoil of the previous reign. To address the long-standing issue of vacant positions in the administration, the new emperor appointed many critics of the previous government who had been removed from their positions for opposing the Wanli Emperor. Among the first to be summoned were Zuo Yuanbiao ( 鄒元標 ; 1551–1624) and Feng Congwu ( 馮從吾 ; 1556–1627), both associated with

1053-413: The new Ming ruler. The death of the relatively young emperor sparked suspicion, speculation, and recrimination among different court factions. Zhu Changluo was born in 1582, during the tenth year of the Wanli Emperor 's reign, as the emperor's first son. His mother, Lady Wang , was a servant of Empress Dowager Li , the Wanli Emperor's mother. Although the Wanli Emperor initially wanted nothing to do with

1092-435: The physician and a group of officials. The emperor complained of insomnia and loss of appetite. The officials were concerned and when they heard that Cui Wensheng ( 崔文升 ), the eunuch in charge of the imperial clinic, had given the emperor a laxative, they accused him of incompetence. The officials believed that the emperor needed strengthening medicine instead. The emperor refused to accept the accusation, but also stopped taking

1131-406: The situation and began appointing the people he trusted to important positions in the imperial court. Meanwhile, Madam Ke sought to retain power by removing all other women from the emperor's harem by locking away the emperor's concubines and starving them to death. It is believed that he had two private palaces; one for his female lovers and one for his male lovers. One Confucian moralist group,

1170-458: The son of his favorite concubine, Lady Zheng . This led to the Wanli Emperor's intention to appoint Zhu Changxun as crown prince, but it faced strong opposition from the ministers. As a result, the matter remained at a standstill for many years due to the stubbornness of both sides. In 1601, the Wanli Emperor finally succumbed to the pressure of ministers, officials, and above all his mother, and officially appointed nineteen-year-old Zhu Changluo as

1209-525: The stick to resolve a conflict with two eunuchs he did not get along with. Initially, the case was closed and Zhang Chai was executed. However, prison official Wang Zhicai intervened and pushed for a public investigation involving representatives from the Ministry of Justice . This new version of the case suggested that Zhang Chai was mentally sound and had been manipulated by two eunuchs close to Lady Zheng and her brother. This raised suspicions that their goal

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1248-418: Was accused of failing in his filial duties to his late father by not continuing the latter's wishes. It is possible that Zhu Youjiao suffered from a learning disability or something more. He was illiterate and showed no interest in his studies. However, he was an outstanding carpenter and craftsman, often spending vast amounts of time on woodworking and instructing his servants to sell his creations undercover on

1287-411: Was an outstanding carpenter and craftsman, often spending vast amounts of time on woodworking and instructing his servants to sell his creations undercover on the market just to see how much they were worth. Because the Tianqi Emperor was unable to read court memorials and uninterested in state affairs, the court eunuch Wei Zhongxian and the emperor's wet nurse Madam Ke seized power and controlled

1326-505: Was enthroned as the Tianqi Emperor . His reign was the shortest in Ming history. Zhu Changluo was born in 1582, during the tenth year of the Wanli Emperor 's reign. His mother, Lady Wang, was a servant of the emperor's mother. Lady Wang was promoted, but did not gain the favor of the Wanli Emperor, and her son, despite being the emperor's eldest, was ignored by him. Instead, the Wanli Emperor showed preference towards Zhu Changxun ,

1365-445: Was executed the next day, but the suspected eunuchs were to be interrogated. The interrogation did take place, but both eunuchs remained under the supervision of the emperor's eunuchs. On the fifth day after the emperor's speech, the officials were informed that the eunuchs had died. The case then fell silent. On 18 August 1620, the Wanli Emperor died. His son, Zhu Changluo, officially took the throne on 28 August 1620 (the first day of

1404-403: Was not until 1601, under pressure from further protests and requests, that the Wanli Emperor finally appointed Zhu Changluo as crown prince. At the same time, Zhu Changxun was given the title of Prince of Fu, but he was kept in Beijing instead of being sent to the province as originally planned when he turned eighteen in 1604. This fueled rumors that the question of succession was still open. It

1443-441: Was not until 1614, after a long series of appeals and protests, that the emperor's mother intervened and insisted on sending Zhu Changxun to the provincial seat. Related to the succession debates was the "case of the attack with the stick". In late May 1615, a man named Zhang Chai was arrested near the palace of Zhu Changluo for carrying a stick. It was later discovered that Zhang Chai was mentally unstable and had intended to use

1482-443: Was the 16th emperor of the Ming dynasty , reigning from 1620 to 1627. He was the eldest son of the Taichang Emperor and a elder brother of the Chongzhen Emperor , who succeeded him. " Tianqi ", the era name of his reign, means "heavenly opening". Zhu Youjiao became emperor at the age of 15, following the death of his father, the Taichang Emperor , who ruled less than a month. He did not pay much attention to state affairs, and

1521-517: Was to kill the heir and install Lady Zheng's son in his place. The case caused a stir at court and the Wanli Emperor took the unprecedented step of summoning civil and military officials from the Beijing authorities for a meeting. This was the first time the emperor had met with officials from the "outer court" since 1602. He appeared before them with his family, including Zhu Changluo, Zhu Changluo's sons and daughter, and expressed his disappointment and disbelief that they would doubt his relationship with

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