Hongxi Emperor

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Hongxi Emperor : biography

16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425

The Hongxi Emperor (洪熙 ; 16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425), personal name Zhu Gaochi (朱高熾), was the fourth emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China. He succeeded his father, the Yongle Emperor, in 1424. His era name means "Vastly bright".

Biography

Hongxi was born on 16 August 1378 and was educated by prominent Confucian tutors. He often acted as regent in Nanjing or Beijing during his father’s northern military campaigns.

Already in May 1421, during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, an order was issued for the suspension of Zheng He’s maritime expeditions, apparently on account of their cost (although the order apparently did not affect the 6th voyage of Zheng He, staged around that time). Zhu Gaochi, as soon as he became the Hongxi Emperor in September 1424, canceled Zheng He’s maritime expeditions permanently, burned down the fleet, and abolished frontier trade of tea for horses as well as missions for gold and pearls to Yunnan and Vietnam. He restored disgraced Confucian officials, such as Yongle’s minister of revenue Xia Yanji (imprisoned since 1421), and reorganized the administration to give high ranks to his close advisors. Hanlin academicians became grand secretaries, and they dismantled his father’s unpopular militaristic policies to restore civil government. Hongxi improved finances by canceling requisitions for lumber, gold, and silver. Taxes were remitted so that vagrant farmers could return home, especially in the overburdened Yangtze River Delta. Hongxi appointed a commission to investigate taxes. He overruled his secretaries by ordering that grain should be sent immediately to relieve disaster areas.

Emperor Hongxi ordered that the capital be moved back to Nanjing from Beijing (which had been made the capital by the Yongle Emperor in 1421). However he died, probably of a heart attack, a month later in May 1425. His son had been declared heir apparent and became the Xuande Emperor at age 26. Although Hongxi had a short reign, he is credited with reforms that made lasting improvements, and his liberal policies were continued by his son.

Notes

Personal information

  • Father
    • Yongle Emperor
  • Mother
    • Empress Ren Xiao Wen (birth name: Xu Yihua)

Consorts

Formal Title Maiden Name Born Died Father Mother Issue Notes
Empress Cheng Xiao Zhao誠孝昭皇后 Family name: Zhang (張) Yongcheng, Henan 1442 Zhang Qi張麒 Zhu Zhanji, Xuande EmperorZhu Zhanyong, Prince Jing of YueZhu Zhanshan, Prince Xian of XiangPrincess Jiaxing Was Empress Dowager during the reign of her son, the Xuande Emperor, and Grand Empress Dowager during the first reign of her grandson, the Zhengtong Emperor
Noble Consort Gong Su恭肅貴妃 Family name: Guo (郭) 1425 Zhu Zhankai, Prince Huai of TengZhu Zhanji, Prince Zhuang of LiangZhu Zhanyan, Prince Gong of Wei Was buried with Hongxi after his death
Consort Zhen Hui Su貞惠淑妃 Family name: Wang (王) 1425 Was buried with Hongxi after his death
Consort Hui An Li惠安麗妃 Family name: Wang (王) 1425 Was buried with Hongxi after his death
Consort Gong Xi Shun恭僖順妃 Family name: Tan (譚) 1425 Was buried with Hongxi after his death
Consort Gong Jing Chong恭靖充妃 Family name: Huang (黃) 1425 Was buried with Hongxi after his death
Consort Zhen Jing Jing貞靜敬妃 Family name: Zhang (張) Zhang Fu, Duke of Ying英國公張輔 Her father’s younger sister was Noble Consort Zhao Yi, one of the Yongle Emperor’s concubines
Consort Dao Xi Li悼僖麗妃 Family name: Li (李)
Consort Zhen Jing Shun貞靜順妃 Family name: Zhang (張)
Consort Xian賢妃 Family name: Li (李) Zhu Zhanxun, Prince Jing of ZhengZhu Zhanyin, Prince Xian of QiZhu Zhanyu, Prince Jing of HuaiPrincess Zhending
Consort Shun順妃 Family name: Zhang (張) Zhu Zhangang, Prince Xian of Jing
Consort Hui惠妃 Family name: Zhao (趙) Zhu Yuantong, Princess Qingdou