Hongzhi Emperor

Zhu Jianshen, a son of the Zhengtong Emperor, 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, had taken over while his father 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.

Known as the Chenghua Emperor, he had ascended the throne at the age of sixteen.

During the early part of his administration, he has carried out new government policies to reduce tax and strengthen the Ming dynasty.

However these do not last and by the closing years of his reign, governmental affairs will once again fall into the hands of eunuchs, notably Wang Zhi.

Peasant uprisings occur throughout the country and are violently suppressed.

The Chenghua Emperor's reign is also more autocratic than his predecessors' and freedom is sharply curtailed when the emperor establishes 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, administers punishment to those whom they suspected of treason.

The Western Depot will eventually be shut down but it is the start of a dangerous trend, and the Chenghua Emperor's descendants will again revive the Western Depot during the sixteenth century.

The Chenghua Emperor is also under the influence of Lady Wan, who is an imperial concubine more than twice his age.

Lady Wan had been a mother figure to the young emperor but after he ascended the throne she had quickly become the emperor's favorite consort after giving birth to a child in 1464.

The child had soon died; however, Lady Wan holds sway over the imperial harem and prevents the young emperor from bearing any offspring.

Lady Wan and her eunuchs either induce abortion to those who are about to bear the emperor's child or administer poison to mother and child if birth occurs.

It is not until 1475 that the Chenghua Emperor discovers that he has a son (later the Hongzhi Emperor) who survives and is raised in secrecy.

Zhu Youcheng was born in an era where the royal concubine Lady Wan and her associates were on the lookout to murder any child born to the Chenghua Emperor.

The young prince, hidden away by the former empress of the Chenghua Emperor, had escaped death only through a stroke of luck.

Zhu Youcheng was only introduced to his father at the age of five, in 1475, and was created crown prince.

He had been a brilliant child early on and received the best education offered at that time.

Immersed in Confucian education, he had excelled in his studies.

After ascending the throne in 1487 as the Hongzhi Emperor, Zhu Youcheng models his administration after Confucian ideology and he becomes a hardworking and diligent emperor.

He closely supervises all affairs of state, lowers taxes, reduces government spending and makes wise appointments of ministers to government posts.

Individuals such as Liu Jian, Xie Qian and Wang Shu work closely with the Hongzhi Emperor, thus creating a seldom-seen atmosphere of cooperation within the government.

In addition, the emperor also encourages his ministers to be open about all issues, even acknowledging criticisms directed towards the emperor himself.

This creates a more transparent government and introduces fresh energy into the Ming dynasty.

As a result, the populace once again prospers.

It is said that the power of individual eunuchs was curtailed and palace intrigues, prevalent in previous reigns, were absent during his reign.

The Hongzhi Emperor has been compared to the Hongwu Emperor and Yongle Emperor as one of the most brilliant emperors of the Ming dynasty.

In the spring of 1488, the shipwrecked Korean crew of the Jeju-do official Choe Bu are traveling up the Grand Canal while escorted by the Ming courier service en route back to Korea.

Choe observes ferry ships passing by, holding officials who are from the Ministries of War, Justice, and Personnel.

When he asked what is going on, it is explained to him that the new Hongzhi Emperor is ridding his government of corrupt and incompetent officials, and this is a final gesture of good will by the emperor in providing them with a comfortable passage back home by ship.