This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2018) |
Taichang Emperor 泰昌帝 | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emperor of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
Reign | 28 August 1620 – 26 September 1620 | ||||||||||||||||
Enthronement | 28 August 1620 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Wanli Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Tianqi Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
Crown Prince of the Ming dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
Tenure | 1601–1620 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Crown Prince Zhu Yijun | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Crown Prince Zhu Cilang | ||||||||||||||||
Born | [1] Wanli 10, 11th day of the 8th month (萬曆十年八月十一日) | 28 August 1582||||||||||||||||
Died | 26 September 1620 Taichang 1, 1st day of the 9th month (泰昌元年九月初一日) | (aged 38)||||||||||||||||
Burial | Qingling Mausoleum, Ming tombs, Beijing | ||||||||||||||||
Consorts | |||||||||||||||||
Issue |
| ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
House | Zhu | ||||||||||||||||
Dynasty | Ming | ||||||||||||||||
Father | Wanli Emperor | ||||||||||||||||
Mother | Empress Dowager Xiaojing |
The Taichang Emperor[3] (Chinese: 泰昌帝; pinyin: Tàichāng Dì; 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620), personal name Zhu Changluo (Chinese: 朱常洛), was the 15th emperor of the Ming dynasty. He was the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and succeeded his father as emperor in 1620. However, his reign came to an abrupt end less than one month after his coronation when he was found dead one morning in the palace following a bout of diarrhea. He was succeeded by his son, Zhu Youjiao, who was enthroned as the Tianqi Emperor. His era name, "Taichang", means "grand prosperity." His reign was the shortest in Ming history.
Zhu Changluo was born in 1582, during the tenth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign. His mother, Lady Wang, was a servant of the emperor's mother. Lady Wang was promoted, but did not gain the favor of the Wanli Emperor, and her son, despite being the emperor's eldest, was ignored by him. Instead, the Wanli Emperor showed preference towards Zhu Changxun, the son of his favorite concubine, Lady Zheng. This led to the Wanli Emperor's intention to appoint Zhu Changxun as crown prince, but it faced strong opposition from the ministers. As a result, the matter remained at a standstill for many years due to the stubbornness of both sides.
In 1601, the Wanli Emperor finally succumbed to the pressure of ministers, officials, and above all his mother, and officially appointed nineteen-year-old Zhu Changluo as the crown prince and rightful heir to the throne. However, even with this formal recognition, intrigue and the emperor's dissatisfaction with the succession persisted. In 1615, the court was rocked by an unusual scandal when a man named Zhang Chai armed himself with a wooden staff and broke into the Forbidden City, specifically targeting the Crown Prince's palace. While the initial investigation deemed him insane, another investigator suggested the involvement of two eunuchs close to Lady Zheng. Both eunuchs were swiftly executed, but speculation about the true perpetrators of the plot continued to circulate.
The Wanli Emperor died on 18 August 1620, and Zhu Changluo officially ascended the throne as the Taichang Emperor on 28 August. However, just a few days after his coronation, he fell ill and died on 26 September 1620, despite attempts at treatment. The Taichang Emperor's eldest son, Zhu Youxiao, then became the new Ming ruler. The death of the relatively young emperor sparked suspicion, speculation, and recrimination among different court factions.