When it comes to Zhu Zhanji, what does everyone think of? Below, the History Encyclopedia editor will introduce the historical story of this person to you.
Ming Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji was the fifth emperor of the Ming Dynasty. His grandfather was Ming Chengzu Zhu Di, and his father was Ming Renzong Zhu Gaochi. He was the eldest son of Zhu Gaochi and his legitimate wife Zhang.
On the night when Ming Xuanzong was born, his grandfather Zhu Di, who was then the King of Yan, had a dream. He dreamed that his father Zhu Yuanzhang gave him a large Gui, which symbolized power in ancient times. Zhu Yuanzhang gave him the Gui and said to him, “A descendant who will be passed down forever will prosper forever. ”After waking up, Zhu Di was recalling the scene in his dream and felt very auspicious.
At this moment, someone suddenly reported that his grandson Zhu Zhanji had been born, and Zhu Di immediately realized that the scene in his dream might be reflected in his grandson’s body. He immediately went to see his grandson and saw that Xiaozhanji looked very much like him, with a heroic aura on his face. Zhu Di was very happy to see him and said, “This is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty. ”
Later, Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign and seized the throne. His father Zhu Gaochi was appointed as the crown prince, and Zhu Zhanji became the eldest grandson of the emperor. After Zhu Di’s death, Zhu Gaochi ascended to the throne as Emperor, known as Emperor Mingren. Emperor Mingren passed away within less than a year of his reign.
At the time of Emperor Mingren’s death, Zhu Zhanji was in Nanjing. Upon learning of the news, his uncle Zhu Gaoxu sent people to wait at the intersection of the road from Nanjing to Beijing, preparing to intercept the Crown Prince on the way and proclaim himself emperor. However, he was defeated and Zhu Zhanji had already safely arrived in Beijing, as if he had known the news of Emperor Mingren’s death beforehand. Therefore, there is a saying that Zhu Zhanji murdered his father, Emperor Zhu Gaochi, before he could pass the throne.
After Zhu Zhanji returned to Beijing, he handled his father’s funeral affairs properly on the one hand, and on the other hand, tightened the security of Beijing to prevent anyone from seizing the opportunity to cause trouble. Then he calmly ascended the throne and became Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty. The following year, he changed the reign to the first year of Xuande, at the age of 27.
Dai Lun, a person from Gaomi, once gave lectures to Zhu Zhanji, the grandson of Emperor Renzong, during the Yongle period. After Emperor Renzong ascended the throne, Zhu Zhanji became the crown prince, and Dai Lun was promoted to the position of washing horses, still serving as a lecturer. Zhu Zhanji also enjoys martial arts and occasionally goes out to ride horses and shoot arrows. However, Dai Lun believed that engaging in recreational activities and hunting was a waste of knowledge, and constantly wrote reports to advise the emperor. After Zhu Zhanji found out, he hated Dai Lun very much.
Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne and bestowed favor upon the officials, promoting Dai Lun to the position of Deputy Minister of War. Soon after, Dailun angered the emperor again for advising on hunting and ordered the counselor to handle military affairs. Not long after, he was arrested and sent to the capital for harboring resentment and was imprisoned in the Jinyiwei Prison. The emperor personally interrogated them, and Dai Lun directly defended himself, angering Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty. He was beaten to death with a beating and his family property was confiscated. Dai Lun’s uncle, Henan Governor Dai Xian, and Taipu Temple Minister Dai Xiwen, were both raided and imprisoned.
Zhu Gaoxu, the second uncle of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, was a very capable person who made outstanding contributions in the Battle of Jingnan. Zhu Zhanji was not at ease, so he had to take action first. He used public opinion to say that his uncle was going to rebel, and in the end, he personally led his uncle and his family to Beijing, deposing him as a commoner and placing him under house arrest in Xiaoyao City inside Xi’an Gate. Finally, he was killed.
Why is Ming Xuanzong still known as a good emperor despite being rumored to have killed his master, uncle, and even father?
Ming Xuanzong continued his father’s series of policies, emphasizing education over punishment, easing social conflicts, promoting rapid development of productive forces, and achieving unprecedented economic growth. Although the combined rule of Ming Xuanzong and his father was only a short eleven years, it was referred to by historians as the “Renxuan Governance”.
It was one of the three great periods of prosperity in the early Ming Dynasty, known as the reign of Ren Xuan, which referred to the 11 year reign of Zhu Zhanji and his father, Emperor Renzong of Ming, Zhu Gaochi. During this period, social productivity improved, the economy prospered, and national strength was strong. Zhu Zhanji continued his father’s series of policies, emphasizing education over punishment, easing social conflicts, and promoting rapid development of productivity.
The reign of Ren Xuan was one of the three great periods of prosperity in the early Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty had a strong national power, so although Zhu Zhanji had many absurd actions, his flaws did not overshadow his merits. His contributions to the Ming Dynasty are indelible.
