Dynasties of ChinaMing dynastyMing dynasty lineage
Hongzhi · Reign 1487—1505
He hid in the palace when he was young. After he came to the throne, he was diligent and frugal in administration and appointed wise ministers. He only had one queen in his life, which was called "Hongzhi Zhongxing" in history.
Zhu Youtang is the third son of Xianzong, and his biological mother Ji was originally a palace official. In order to avoid Wan Guifei, he was secretly raised in the palace until he was six years old before he recognized his father. In the same year, he was named Crown Prince. His biological mother died suddenly. After he came to the throne in 1487, he dismissed the ministers, punished the local scholar Li Zisheng, the eunuch Liang Fang, etc., dismissed the chief minister Wan'an who was dependent on power, and appointed Wang Shu, Ma Wensheng, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian, etc., and the government was renewed.
Xiaozong was diligent in political affairs, insisted on banquets, and repeatedly summoned cabinet ministers to discuss politics in person; promulgated the "Regulations on Penalties" and compiled the "Da Ming Huidian"; ordered Liu Daxia to regulate the Yellow River, and Ye Qi to reform the Salt Law. He only had one concubine, Zhanghuangzhou, in his life, which was extremely rare among emperors in the past dynasties. However, he was too indulgent to Zhanghuangzhou's brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling, and the eunuch Li Guang was also favored for a time in his later years. He died of illness in 1505 at the age of thirty-six.
Xiaozong is famous for his generosity and diligence. He eliminates bad governance in Chenghua, appoints talents and accepts advice. The relationship between monarch and ministers is harmonious, and the society is relatively stable. It is called "Hongzhi Zhongxing". However, problems such as land annexation, financial difficulties, and lax border preparations were not fundamentally resolved, and he occasionally showed some appeasement to his relatives and eunuchs. Overall, he is one of the few steadfast leaders in the mid-term of Ming Dynasty.
PoliticsEliminate Chenghua’s bad policies
After he came to the throne in September, he deposed a large number of ministers, including the alchemist Li Zisheng, the eunuch Liang Fang, and his wife Wanxi.
PeopleWang Shu takes charge of the Ministry of Personnel
Wang Shu, a veteran minister who was known for his outspoken speech and had been repeatedly marginalized in the Chenghua Dynasty, was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He strictly inspected officials and promoted the good and dismissed the unworthy, becoming the backbone of the political reform in the early years of Hongzhi.
EconomyKaizhongnayin
Ye Qi, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, reformed the Salt Law and allowed salt merchants to pay silver directly to the Transportation Department in exchange for salt, without having to transport grain to the border. The income from the imperial salt class increased significantly, but the border merchant villages declined accordingly, and border reserves increasingly relied on silver allocation.
EconomyLiu Daxia River Control
The Yellow River burst in the Zhangqiu area and broke through the canal. Liu Daxia, the deputy capital censor, was ordered to control the Zhangqiu breach and build the hundreds-mile-long Taihang embankment on the north bank of the Yellow River, allowing the Yellow River to flow south into the Huaihe River and ensuring the smooth flow of water transportation.
PoliticsWenhua Palace Calling
In March, the academicians Xu Pu, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian were summoned to the Wenhua Hall to discuss the handling of the memorial in person, which changed the long-term isolation between the emperor and his ministers in the Xianzong Dynasty. After that, Xiaozong summoned cabinet ministers and ministers to discuss affairs many times.
PoliticsPromulgation of the "Penalty Ordinance"
The "Da Ming Code" was decreed by Zhu Yuanzhang and cannot be changed. New issues in judicial practice can only be supplemented by regulations. Xiaozong ordered the Ministry of Punishment and others to sort out previous regulations and promulgate the "Regulations on Punishment", which was in parallel with the "Da Ming Code" and became customized thereafter.
CultureCompleted the "Da Ming Hui Dian"
Based on "Zhu Si Zhi Zhang" and others, it compiles the laws and regulations of Ming Dynasty since the founding of the People's Republic of China. It was completed in the 15th year of Hongzhi and published during the Zhengde period. After that, it was revised continuously during the Jiajing and Wanli dynasties, and it is the most important official-edited classic for studying the system of the Ming Dynasty.
PoliticsPassed away entrusting the heir
In May, he fell seriously ill, so he summoned Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian to Qianqing Palace to receive orders, and asked them to guide the young and fun-loving Crown Prince to study. He died of illness a few days later at the age of thirty-six, and the fifteen-year-old Crown Prince Zhu Houzhao came to the throne.
He served as an official for more than 40 years. When he was in Chenghua, he was famous all over the world for his outspoken words and repeated disobedience to power. In the early days of Hongzhi, he was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. He inspected officials and recommended talents. He was the main contributor to Hongzhi's resurgence.
Hongzhi first entered the cabinet and later served as the chief assistant. He was a strict man and dared to give direct advice. Together with Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, he assisted the government and was known as "Li Gongmou, Liu Gongjuan, Xie Gongyou Kankan".
He leads the literary world with his poetry and is a representative of the "Chaling School of Poetry". During the Hongzhi and Zhengde dynasties, he was in the cabinet for eighteen years. He was good at planning. When Liu Jin was in power, he had to deal with twists and turns and preserved many upright people.
He made great achievements in regulating the Yellow River, and later served as Minister of the Ministry of War. He rectified the capital camp and cut redundant expenses. He was often called upon by Xiaozong. Zhengde was framed by Liu Jin for the first time and guarded the border at the age of more than seventy years.
Xiaozong's only concubine and Wuzong's biological mother. Xiaozong favored her all his life, and her brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling relied on their favor to be arrogant. During the Jiajing period, he was treated coldly by Shizong, and his later life was miserable.