Longqing Emperor
The Longqing Emperor, personal name Zhu Zaiji, was the 13th emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1567 to 1572. He was initially known as the Prince of Yu from 1539 to 1567 before he became the emperor. He succeeded his father, the Jiajing Emperor.
After the death of the Jiajing Emperor, the Longqing Emperor inherited a country in turmoil due to years of mismanagement and corruption. Recognizing the extent of the chaos caused during his father's lengthy reign, the Emperor worked to restore order in the state administration. He reinstated talented officials who had been previously exiled and dismissed corrupt officials and Taoist priests who had surrounded the Jiajing Emperor. Additionally, he lifted the ban on foreign trade, boosting the empire's economy, and reorganized the border troops to strengthen security on the inland and coastal borders. The seaports of Zhejiang and Fujian were fortified to defend against coastal pirates, who had been a constant nuisance during the previous government. The Emperor also successfully repelled Altan Khan's Mongol army, which had breached the Great Wall and reached Beijing. A peace treaty was signed shortly after, allowing for the resumption of the exchange of horses for silk.
The Longqing Emperor, like many previous Ming emperors, relied heavily on court eunuchs. One particular eunuch, Meng Cong, who was supported by Grand Secretary Gao Gong, gained control over the inner court towards the end of the Emperor's reign. Despite a promising start, the Longqing Emperor quickly neglected his duties as a ruler and instead focused on personal pleasures, much to the disappointment of his reform-minded advisors. The Emperor also made contradictory decisions by re-employing Taoist priests, whom he had previously banned at the beginning of his reign.
Early life
Zhu Zaiji, the future Longqing Emperor, was born on 4 March 1537 to the Jiajing Emperor and a concubine surnamed Du. He was the Emperor's third son; the eldest son had died in infancy before Zhu Zaiji's birth, and the second son, Zhu Zairui, was six months older than him. A month after Zhu Zaiji's birth, the Emperor's fourth son, Zhu Zaizhen, was born.In February 1539, the Jiajing Emperor named Zhu Zairui heir to the throne. On the same day, Zhu Zaiji was granted the title of Prince of Yu, and Zhu Zaizhen was given the title of Prince of Jing. In 1549, Zhu Zairui died. His death caused the Jiajing Emperor to feel immense sorrow and regret, as he believed he had not listened to the supposed advice of his Taoist priest Tao Zhongwen, who had warned him that "two dragons should not face each other". This may have been the reason why he refused to create another heir, and also avoided seeing Zhu Zaiji. Another version suggests that the Emperor held a grudge against Zhu Zaiji for not observing sexual abstinence during the mourning period.
In September 1552, Zhu Zaiji and Zhu Zaizhen began receiving education together. Two months later, their wives were chosen and they were married in February 1553. After that, Zhu Zaiji moved from the Forbidden City to his princely palace. For thirteen years, he lived outside the Forbidden City, gaining experience of conditions beyond the Imperial Palace and developing an understanding of the country's issues. The Jiajing Emperor ensured that he and the officials treated the third and fourth sons equally, sparking speculation at court about who would be the new successor. This speculation was further fueled by the Emperor's fondness for Zhu Zaizhen's mother, with whom he spent a lot of time. In contrast, when Zhu Zaiji's mother died in February 1554, the funeral arrangements had to be revised twice, as the Emperor suppressed any insinuation that she held a higher status than just the mother of the presumptive successor.
In March 1560, the Jiajing Emperor received a memorandum suggesting that Zhu Zaiji be appointed as his successor. In response, the Emperor was outraged and ordered the execution of the writer, but later that year, he changed his mind and ordered Zhu Zaizhen to go to his seat in Anlu, Huguang. This decision strengthened Zhu Zaiji's position, although he continued to be excluded from the Emperor's entourage and neglected. Unlike the deceased Zhu Zairui, the Emperor did not like him. Despite being 29 years old at the time of his accession to the throne and having a Confucian education, Zhu Zaiji lacked deep knowledge in statesmanship and was not adequately prepared to govern an empire.
Beginning of reign
The Jiajing Emperor died on 23 January 1567, and twelve days later, Zhu Zaiji became the new emperor. He adopted the era name Longqing, which means "great celebration".The reign of the Longqing Emperor began with the implementation of the Jiajing Emperor's "dying orders", which aimed to bring about reform and political change. Senior Grand Secretary Xu Jie, in collaboration with Zhang Juzheng, drafted the "final edict" of the Jiajing Emperor and the first edicts of the Longqing Emperor's reign, which were approved by the Emperor himself. These edicts, with the goal of "removing the bad" and "introducing the new", revoked the unpopular policies of the Jiajing Emperor and introduced long-awaited reforms. The Taoist priests who had held significant influence during the previous era were imprisoned and their rituals were banned. The orders to gather ingredients for their rituals were also cancelled. The area in West Park, which was built by the Jiajing Emperor and modeled after the Taoist Immortal Lands, was dismantled. Officials who had been punished for opposing the policies of the Jiajing Emperor were pardoned and released from prison. Those who were still alive were reinstated to their positions, and those who had died were given posthumous honors. These reforms were generally well-received.
In the long term, the most noteworthy event during the early days of the Longqing Emperor's reign was the selection of Zhang as grand secretary. Zhang had been the Emperor's tutor since 1563, and the Emperor saw him as a man with exceptional abilities. Throughout the Longqing Emperor's reign, Zhang's power and influence increased, and after the Emperor's died, he swiftly rose to the position of senior grand secretary. He became the most influential politician in the Ming government for a decade and was considered the most competent administrator of the late Ming dynasty.
In the years that followed, the reforms persisted, with the Longqing Emperor approving changes proposed by experienced statesmen such as Gao Gong, Chen Yiqin, and Zhang. An evaluation was conducted on the government officials, including those from the princely households. Competent officials were promoted, while inadequate ones were removed from their positions. Taxes for those affected by natural disasters were lowered, and land surveys and tax records were updated. Restrictions were placed on certain expenses for the imperial household.
However, Xu, senior grand secretary at the beginning of the Longqing Emperor's reign, had already rejected the cooperation of Grand Secretaries Gao and Guo Pu when writing the Jiajing Emperor's "final edict". Instead, he invited Zhang, who was then the director of the Hanlin Academy. This caused a conflict with his colleagues in the secretariat. A contemporary commentator sadly remarked on this, noting that such capable men were unable to work together for the good of the empire and instead became mortal enemies. In the summer of 1567, Gao was dismissed from the Grand Secretariat, followed by Xu the following year. When Gao returned to office in the early 1570s, he and his followers sought revenge against Xu and his sons.
Personality
The information available about the Longqing Emperor is vague and contradictory. While official history praises his thrift and humanity, it seems that this is simply the usual rhetoric. He was not naturally strong or ambitious, in contrast to his father. He was known for being friendly and kind, and during his reign, there were fewer severe punishments for high officials compared to previous years, but he lacked his father's drive for power, as well as his temper and cruelty. Additionally, he did not possess the same strength of faith in Taoism as his father. The Longqing Emperor also suffered from a speech defect, which caused him to only speak to his eunuchs. In public, he was always silent and even during formal events, his grand secretaries would deliver his lines for him.The Longqing Emperor was perceived to have average intelligence at best, but he was determined to be taken seriously. He implemented reforms and policy changes during his reign, particularly in relation to the Jiajing Emperor. He was successful in strengthening his government by aligning himself with capable politicians, a rarity during the Ming dynasty. While his minimal involvement in state affairs did not have a negative impact, as competent ministers and grand secretaries were responsible for handling them, it did lead to a power struggle within the Grand Secretariat. The winner of this struggle would have the authority to make final decisions on state matters. Gao, who had been one of the Longqing Emperor's closest mentors during his youth, was able to consolidate power as the head of the Grand Secretariat more than any of his predecessors.
Within months of ascending to the throne, the Longqing Emperor became disinterested in matters of state and instead devoted much of his time to extravagant parties with his consorts, indulging in opulence and living extravagantly. It is rumored that he sought entertainment and luxury as a means of compensating for years of neglect and deprivation. Concerned officials began to voice their objections, citing his declining health and exhaustion, both physically and mentally.
Trade
During the Longqing era, the government adopted a more open approach to trade compared to the previous Jiajing regime. In 1567, the grand coordinator of Fujian proposed to abolish the Haijin policy, which was approved by the government and the Emperor. This led to the restoration of maritime inspection offices and the legalization of foreign trade, primarily in Yuegang in Fujian, but trade with Japan remained prohibited.In addition to the southeast coast, the northern borders were also opened as part of a new reconciliation policy, allowing for trade with the Mongols.