Prince of Xing explained

Prince of Xing 興王
Creation Date:	1487
First Holder:	Zhu Youyuan, Prince Xian
Last Holder:	Zhu Houcong (the 2nd prince, the later Jiajing Emperor)
Status:	Extinct
Extinction Date:	1521 (absorbed into the crown)
Family Seat:	Anlu state (安陸州) (nowadays Zhongxiang, Hubei province)

Prince of Xing (Chinese: 興王), was a first-rank princely peerage used during Ming dynasty, the princedom was created by the Chenghua Emperor for his fourth son, Zhu Youyuan. As Zhu Youyuan only survived son, Zhu Houcong was enthroned as Jiajing Emperor, the princedom was absorbed into the crown.

See main article: Vassals princes of Ming dynasty.

Generation name / poem

As members of this peerage were descendants of Yongle Emperor, their generation poem was:-

Members

• Zhu Youyuan (1st), the Chenghua Emperor's fourth son. He was made the Prince of Xing by his father on 30 July 1487 and he held the title until his death on 13 July 1519. He claimed his fiefdom which located at Anlu Prefecture in 1494. Before he was posthumously honored as an emperor, his original posthumous name was Prince Xian of Xing (興獻王)
  • Unnamed (7 - 12 Jul 1500), Zhu Youyuan's first son, he died five days after he was born. He was then posthumously bestowed him with the title "Prince Huai of Yue" (岳懷王) in 1525.^[1] and renamed "Zhu Houxi" (朱厚熙) on May 1560 by the Jiajing Emperor.
  • Zhu Houcong (2nd), he managed the princedom as Hereditary Prince of Xing as he was mourning for three years for his father's death. The imperial court approved him to succeed the princedom for succeeded the throne from the Zhengde Emperor. Before he enthroned, he had held the title of Prince of Xing for a month (15 Apr - 27 May 1521).

Female members

• Zhu Youyuan, first Prince of Xing
  • Name unknown (26 Nov 1501 - 16 Apr 1504), Zhu Youyuan's first daughter and full-sister to the Jiajing Emperor. She was posthumously bestowed as a first-rank princess by Jiajing Emperor under the title "Princess Changning" (長寧公主).^{[2] [3] [4]}
  • Name unknown (21 Jul 1503 - 15 May 1512), Zhu Youyuan's second daughter she and half-sister to the Jiajing Emperor. She was posthumously bestowed as a first-rank princess by Jiajing Emperor with the title "Princess Shanhua" (善化公主).^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}
  • Name unknown (died 1525^[9]), Zhu Youyuan's third daughter, she was originally held the title of a princess commandery under the title Princess Changshou Comm.(長壽郡主). She was promoted to a first-rank princess (as the imperial sister) in 1523 by the Jiajing Emperor under the title Princess Yongfu (永福公主).^[10] She married an Embroidered Uniform Guard name Wu Jinghe (鄔景和; 1508 - 1568). The History of Ming wrongly recorded her as a daughter of the Hongzhi Emperor.
  • Name unknown (1510-1540), Zhu Youyuan's fourth daughter and full-sister to the Jiajing Emperor. She was promoted to the title of first-rank princess by the Jiajing Emperor in 1527 under the title Princess Yongchun (永淳公主).

Notes and References

1. 《明史》作岳懷獻王，《明實錄》、《明書》作岳懷王。
2. 《明史》（卷121）：“長寧公主，早薨。善化公主，早薨。嘉靖四年，二主同日追冊。”
3. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》（卷54）：“嘉靖四年七月戊寅，追封恭穆献皇帝嫡第一子岳怀王，嫡第一女为长宁长公主，庶第二女为善化长公主。”
4. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》（卷86）：“嘉靖七年三月 戊子 命湖广造岳怀王、常宁长公主、善化公主坟殿、祭器、碑志石、佥拨厨屠吹手。从工部请也。”
5. 《明世宗实录》：“嘉靖元年四月癸巳，进封皇姊长寿郡主为长公主。”兴献王当时只有两女健在，而这两人中幼女永淳长公主为嘉靖帝亲妹，可知另外健在的第三女永福长公主、以及早逝的次女善化长公主都是嘉靖帝的同父之姊。
6. 《明史》（卷121）：“長寧公主，早薨。善化公主，早薨。嘉靖四年，二主同日追冊。”
7. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》（卷54）：“嘉靖四年七月 戊寅，追封恭穆献皇帝嫡第一子岳怀王，嫡第一女为长宁长公主，庶第二女为善化长公主。”
8. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》（卷86）：“嘉靖七年三月 戊子 命湖广造岳怀王、常宁长公主、善化公主坟殿、祭器、碑志石、佥拨厨屠吹手。从工部请也。”
9. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》（卷51）：“嘉靖四年五月 戊子，以永福长公主薨辍朝一日，明赐祭、治丧葬如例。”
10. 《明實錄·明世宗实录》卷13：“嘉靖元年四月癸巳，进封皇姊长寿郡主为长公主。”兴献王当时只有两女健在，而幼女永淳长公主为嘉靖帝亲妹，可知永福长公主为嘉靖帝之姊。卷28：“嘉靖二年六月 己酉 礼部上册封永福长公主仪注，请增入孝惠皇太后几筵。报可。”