Xuande Emperor
The Xuande Emperor, personal name Zhu Zhanji, was the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1425 to 1435. He was the son and successor of the Hongxi Emperor.
The Xuande Emperor ascended to the throne following his father's brief reign. He had a passion for poetry and literature, and was also known for his skill in painting and warfare. Upon taking power, he made the decision to reverse his father's plan to relocate the capital from Beijing to Nanjing. His uncle Zhu Gaoxu rebelled against the young emperor but was ultimately unsuccessful. With the guidance of capable advisors, the Xuande Emperor personally led his army against his uncle and easily defeated him.
Early in the Xuande Emperor's reign, a prolonged war in Jiaozhi ended with Ming defeat and the Viet's independence. However, his rule was marked by a period of relative peace, with no major internal or foreign conflicts. Relations with Southeast Asian nations stayed peaceful. Communication continued with Korea, and ties were established with Japan in 1432. The northern region faced minimal Mongol threats, with relations established with the Eastern Mongols and Western Oirats. The Xuande Emperor permitted Zheng He's final Indian Ocean voyage in 1431–1433. During the Xuande Emperor's rule, eunuchs gained influence, particularly in the secret police. The Emperor sought order through purges in the Censorate and military service reforms in 1428, but these did not fully address inefficiencies and low morale among hereditary soldiers. After his death, historians regarded his reign as the golden age of the dynasty.
The Xuande Emperor's government attempted to promote the use of paper money and discourage the use of coins and precious metals, but this effort was ultimately unsuccessful and paper money fell out of circulation. In the past, high taxes in heavily taxed prefectures, particularly in Jiangnan, had caused peasants to leave the economy. In response, the Emperor lowered taxes and dispatched "grand coordinators" to the provinces to improve the performance of local authorities. These coordinators were responsible for addressing issues of injustice and corruption among tax collectors, as well as assessing the state of military units.
Youth
Zhu Zhanji, the future Xuande Emperor, was born on 16 March 1399, as the eldest son of Zhu Gaochi and Lady Zhang. His father was the eldest son and heir to the then Prince of Yan, Zhu Di. Zhu Di rebelled against his nephew the Jianwen Emperor in the summer of 1399, defeated him in a three-year civil war, and became the third Ming emperor in 1402.As a child, Zhu Zhanji was trained in both military skills and Confucian literature by Hanlin academics. He was a talented man of letters, but his physical prowess, in contrast to his father's frail health, made him excel in military disciplines. This impressed the Yongle Emperor, who shared Zhu Zhanji's love for hunting and riding. The Yongle Emperor allowed Zhu Zhanji to accompany him on hunting trips and military inspections. In 1414, the Emperor even took the prince with him on a campaign against the Mongols. Later, as emperor, Zhu Zhanji personally participated in skirmishes with the Mongols on the northern border. During one of these battles, he demonstrated his skill with a bow by shooting several Mongol warriors.
In 1411, Zhu Zhanji was appointed Imperial Grandson-heir while his father had been heir to the throne since 1404. Zhu Zhanji's education in Confucian teachings and ways of government was overseen by Grand Secretary Hu Guang. He also dedicated himself to studying military expeditions. In court intrigues, Zhu Zhanji consistently defended his father against the latter's younger brothers Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui. This earned him their resentment. They were also concerned about his decisiveness, popularity with the Yongle Emperor, and close cooperation with the grand secretaries. They feared that their own positions would be threatened if Zhu Zhanji were to take over.
Beginning of reign
Accession
In August 1424, the Yongle Emperor died due to a stroke while returning from the fifth Mongol campaign in the Mongolian steppe. His eldest son succeeded him as the Hongxi Emperor at the beginning of September. On 1 November 1424, the Hongxi Emperor named Zhu Zhanji heir to the throne. In April 1425, he sent the prince to Nanjing to make preparations for the relocation of the capital from Beijing. However, the Hongxi Emperor's health deteriorated and he called the prince back, but died before his son could return.On 27 June 1425, Zhu Zhanji officially ascended the imperial throne in Beijing, becoming the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty. He chose to cancel the move of the capital to Nanjing due to his familiarity with Beijing, where he grew up, and his shared concern with the Yongle Emperor for the security of the northern border. He adopted the era name Xuande, which means "proclamation of virtue".
Upon his accession, the new emperor's officials received him calmly, as he shared his father's idealistic conservative policies. He was not only a man of letters, but also a patron of the arts, and his reign was marked by significant cultural and political achievements. Despite his short temper, he was open to advice. He was a conscientious ruler and sought to balance the influence of various factions within the Ming elite–including civil officials, eunuchs, and generals. While he was capable of making strong decisions when necessary, he typically relied on the proposals of the grand secretaries and ministers when issuing imperial decrees. In contrast to his predecessors, he lived a life of luxury and debauchery, and upon his death, thousands of women were released from the palace.
Despite this, the Xuande Emperor successfully resolved major issues during the first two years of his reign, including his uncle Zhu Gaoxu's rebellion and the war in Jiaozhi. Under his rule, the northern border remained relatively stable and peaceful relations were maintained with neighboring states in Central, East, and Southeast Asia. This stability allowed for internal reforms to take place.
Zhu Gaoxu rebellion
Zhu Gaoxu challenged his nephew's accession, but unlike the Yongle Emperor's usurpation, he was unsuccessful in his attempt. Zhu Gaoxu was favored by the Yongle Emperor due to his military prowess. He proved to be a capable and energetic commander during the civil war of 1399–1402, but his arrogance and contempt towards his older brother, the Hongxi Emperor, caused tension. Zhu Gaoxu became bitter when he was not named as a successor in 1404. His disobedience eventually led to his banishment to the backwater city of Le'an in Qingzhou prefecture, Shandong. Believing that he was the rightful heir to the throne in 1424, instead of his ailing brother, he began plotting a coup after his brother's death. Shortly after the Xuande Emperor's ascension to the throne on 2 September 1425, Zhu Gaoxu attempted to follow in the footsteps of the Yongle Emperor by rebelling against the Emperor. He accused the Xuande Emperor of abusing his power by appointing individuals with noble titles to civil offices and appointing unworthy individuals. Underestimating his young nephew as a formidable opponent, he also failed to recognize the strength of the government, which had functioned effectively during the Yongle Emperor's extended absences on campaigns in Mongolia. Furthermore, he did not consider the significant decrease in the princes' influence that the Yongle Emperor had achieved. As a result, he was in a much weaker position than his father had been in 1399.The Emperor initially hesitated, but eventually succumbed to pressure from Grand Secretary Yang Rong and other advisors, ultimately taking personal command of the punitive expedition on 9 September. A vanguard of 20,000 soldiers, led by the experienced general Xue Lu, laid siege to Le'an on 21 September. Despite the defenders' refusal to surrender, the imperial army successfully captured the city the following day. Zhu Gaoxu was subsequently brought to Beijing, demoted to a common subject, and ultimately tortured to death. In addition, over 600 of his followers were executed, while another 2,200 were deported to the border. An investigation revealed that other relatives of the Emperor, including Zhu Gaoxu's brother Zhu Gaosui, were also involved in the rebellion, but they were not punished in order to preserve the prestige of the imperial family.
Administration
Grand secretaries, ministers, and eunuchs
The Xuande Emperor retained his father's advisors and ministers, but some offices underwent changes in their functions. The most significant reforms were made to the grand secretaries, who, during the Yongle Emperor's reign, only had an advisory role of reading the Emperor's correspondence and drafting replies. During the reign of the Hongxi Emperor, they gained more influence and were now granted real executive power. This was formalized by granting ministerial titles to Yang Shiqi, Huang Huai, and Jin Youzi. Due to their long service to the state, they were highly respected and trusted by the Emperor. Other close advisors to the Emperor included Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji. Even after the Xuande Emperor's death, the composition of the most influential officials and the grand secretaries remained unchanged. As a result, the top government was dominated by the same group of people from 1424 until the early 1440s.The Emperor established a process for routine and important decrees, in which proposals from various offices were reviewed and evaluated by the grand secretaries. These secretaries would then attach their recommendations for solving issues to the documents, which the Emperor would typically approve and send to the relevant ministries for implementation. Significant government decisions were made during meetings between the Emperor and the grand secretaries, during which the Emperor would discuss and sign the drafts of his decrees. The ministers were responsible for carrying out these decrees. This system allowed for faster and more flexible decision-making, as the secretaries no longer needed to consult with the ministers beforehand.
At the same time, the influence of the eunuchs serving in the imperial palace and completely dependent on the Emperor grew. During the reign of the Hongwu Emperor, the first Ming emperor, eunuchs were prohibited from communicating with government authorities. Even the Yongle Emperor maintained strict control over them. The Xuande Emperor, on the other hand, provided them with education and utilized them more in confidential correspondence. Despite opposition from officials, the eunuchs' business continued to thrive, benefiting the Emperor's personal projects such as logging and shipbuilding. In situations where the Emperor did not agree with the ideas of grand secretaries, he would use eunuchs to convey his orders to lower branches of the state administration. As the ministers did not question the Emperor's orders, the eunuchs were able to give orders to the ministers on behalf of the sovereign without his knowledge. This abuse of power was a major concern for the Hongwu Emperor. The Xuande Emperor, however, maintained control over the eunuchs and was not afraid to execute them if they overstepped their boundaries. In the long run, this approach left room for eunuchs to exploit their power if a less assertive emperor was in power.