32 Facts About Chenghua Emperor

The Chenghua Emperor, known by his temple name as the Emperor Xianzong of Ming, personal name Zhu Jianshen, changed to Zhu Jianru in 1457, was the ninth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1464 to 1487.

The Chenghua Emperor was born in 1447 as the son of Emperor Yingzong.

Chenghua Emperor Yingzong was eventually released from captivity, but was forced into seclusion and house arrest.

Wan Zhen'er, a palace lady who was 17 years older than the Chenghua Emperor, held significant sway over the emperor and eventually became his favorite.

Chenghua Emperor used her loyal eunuchs to force other women to have abortions if they became pregnant with the emperor's child, and she did not hesitate to resort to poisoning mothers and their children.

The Chenghua Emperor was known for his military prowess and placed great emphasis on the strength of his army.

The Chenghua Emperor died in 1487 after 23 years of rule, and Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne as the Hongzhi Emperor.

Chenghua Emperor lived separately from his parents in poor material conditions and began to stutter under the pressure of the situation.

The succession question remained open and Zhu Jianshen's position was uncertain until the Jingtai Chenghua Emperor fell ill in late 1456.

Chenghua Emperor had previously been a servant of his grandmother, Empress Sun, and he catered to her every whim.

Chenghua Emperor then spent the next 45 years in seclusion within the Forbidden City.

Chenghua Emperor was careful not to provoke Lady Wan and remained childless in order to protect herself from any potential misfortune.

Chenghua Emperor then moved the child to safety under the protection of Empress Dowager Zhou.

Chenghua Emperor's agents were involved in various activities, such as mining for copper, silver, gold, and precious stones in Yunnan, foreign trade, pearl gathering in Guangdong, tax collection along the Yangtze River, and the salt trade.

Chenghua Emperor initially served as a servant to Lady Wan, but only held minor positions until he was put in charge of the Western Depot in 1477.

Chenghua Emperor had a passion for theater and music, and even had his own troupe of eunuch actors.

Chenghua Emperor was widely praised for his efforts to restore the reputation of those who had been unfairly treated in the past, and he implemented measures to aid areas that were suffering from famine.

Chenghua Emperor highly valued honest and capable officials, but he allowed Lady Wan to promote unsuitable individuals.

Chenghua Emperor's influence was not perceived as excessive, as he prioritized open discussion when making decisions.

Chenghua Emperor consistently sought input from both civil servants and military officers when making personnel decisions.

The Chenghua Emperor looked up to his military-minded grandfather and father, the emperors Xuande and Yingzong, as his role models.

Chenghua Emperor followed an active military policy and generously rewarded his generals, appointing nine counts and one marquis for their achievements.

Chenghua Emperor appointed General Zhao Fu to lead the expeditionary army, but the army was actually led by his deputy Han Yong, the new Governor of Guangdong.

Chenghua Emperor alternately fought against the Miao in the south of the province and the Tibetans in the northwest.

Chenghua Emperor then proceeded to establish his own administration and organize an army of ten thousand soldiers.

Chenghua Emperor enlisted the assistance of Li Zhen and raised an army of 250,000 in Huguang province.

Chenghua Emperor recognized the rights of immigrants to the land they cultivated and registered over 113,000 families with 438,000 members.

In 1465 and 1479, the Chenghua Emperor launched attacks against the Jurchens, utilizing the restored Ming military power.

Chenghua Emperor was transferred to Yulin at the end of 1469.

Chenghua Emperor was given the posthumous name Emperor Chun and the temple name Xianzong.

Chenghua Emperor was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Zhu Youcheng, who became known as the Hongzhi Emperor.

The Chenghua Emperor era was a time of significant political and cultural transition, marked by the increasing dominance of civil officials over the military, the growing influence of the southern region, and the shift of the cultural center from Jiangxi to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.