| Royal Title: | Emperor |
| Native Name: | zh|大明皇帝 |
| Realm: | the Great Ming |
| Border: | imperial |
| First Monarch: |
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| Last Monarch: |
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| Style: | Your Majesty, His Majesty the Emperor |
| Residence: |
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| Appointer: | Hereditary |
| Began: |
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The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty and preceded the Manchu-led Qing dynasty. Sixteen emperors of the Ming dynasty, who were all members of the House of Zhu, ruled over the whole of China proper spanning 276 years. During their reign, China experienced a long period of economic growth and political stability.
Below is a complete list of the emperors of the Ming dynasty, including their personal, temple, posthumous, and era names. The longest-reigning emperor of the dynasty was the Wanli Emperor, who ruled for 48 years ; the shortest was his successor, the Taichang Emperor, who ruled for only 29 days in 1620. The youngest ruler at the time of his ascension was Emperor Yingzong, who was only 9 years old, while the oldest ruler at the time of his death was the Hongwu Emperor, who died at the age of 71.
The emperor of the Ming dynasty, as well as the emperors during the imperial era of China (221 BC1912), was known as the "Son of Heaven". He was seen as the intermediary between humans and heaven and was responsible for conducting numerous rituals to honor the supreme deities who safeguarded the empire, including the heavens, the earth, and the imperial ancestors. Additionally, he participated in various ceremonies to commemorate significant events in both his own life and that of the empire, such as the promotion of an heir, a concubine, the granting of fiefs, the reception of envoys, and the metropolitan examinations. During his daily audiences, his subjects were expected to demonstrate their submission by prostrating themselves before him. However, in reality, the majority of decisions were made by the Grand Secretariat and the ministries. When he traveled, he was accompanied by an impressive entourage and protected by his imperial guard.
The Ming emperors resided in the Forbidden City, a complex of palaces and buildings in Beijing. Prior to 1420, the emperors' residence was located in a similar complex in Nanjing.[1]
See also: History of the Ming dynasty and Government of the Ming dynasty.
The Ming dynasty was founded by Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor), who was one of the leaders of the Red Turban peasant rebellion. Despite humble beginnings, he successfully built his own state, defeated other rebel leaders, and drove the Mongols out of China. On Chinese New Year in 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang declared the establishment of a new imperial dynasty titled Da Ming and declared himself its first emperor.
The emperors of the Ming dynasty inherited the throne according to the principle of primogeniture. According to the Hongwu Emperor's Ancestral Instructions, the successor to the throne was always the eldest son of the emperor and empress, or his heir, followed by younger sons of the empress. However, sons of concubines were excluded from the line of succession. It was a strict rule that conservative officials strongly insisted on following. Even the Wanli Emperor, who for two decades tried to appoint his third son, Zhu Changxun, as crown prince, was eventually forced to step down and appoint his eldest son, the future Taichang Emperor. The only successful violator of the succession rules was the Yongle Emperor, the third emperor of the dynasty. He gained power in a three-year civil war against his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor.
The emperor, or huangdi, was the supreme head of state, a tradition that dates back to the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and was continued by the Ming dynasty. In theory, he held ultimate authority over all officials and generals, and the entire country was expected to obey his decrees. However, this power came at a cost, as the Hongwu Emperor tightly controlled his power through numerous purges. As the dynasty progressed, the subsequent emperors lacked the decisiveness of their founder and were subject to traditional limitations. The emperor was not expected to make independent decisions regarding the direction of the country. Instead, memoranda and demands were presented to them with proposed solutions. The emperor's role was to either confirm the submitted proposals or negotiate an alternative solution with the submitters. Similarly, the emperors appointed officials and generals based on recommendations from the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of War. In the case of high dignitaries, the ruler was given a choice between two to three candidates. Major issues were typically discussed at official audiences or informal meetings, and it was necessary to reach a broad consensus among court dignitaries before making any significant decisions.
In the late 1620s, peasant uprisings erupted in northern China. The weakened Ming government was unable to suppress them, and in 1644, the rebels even captured Beijing, leading to the Chongzhen Emperor's suicide. To defeat the rebels, Wu Sangui, the last Ming general in the northeast, invited the Manchu-led Eight Banners of the Qing dynasty to enter the Central Plains. The Manchus then occupied northern China that same year.
Despite losing control of the north, members of the Ming imperial family continued to rule over southern China. However, they were gradually pushed out by the Manchus until the last Ming emperor, Zhu Youlang, was executed in 1662 in Burma. Later historians referred to the emperors of the Ming regimes in southern China as the rulers of the Southern Ming dynasty.
See also: List of emperors of the Ming dynasty by length of reign.
| Portrait | Lifespan | Reign | Era name | Posthumous name | Temple name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhu Yuanzhang | 21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398 | 23 January 1368 – 24 June 1398 | Hongwu 23 January 1368 – 5 February 1399 (22 January 1403) | Emperor Gao | Taizu | ||
| Zhu Yunwen | 5 December 1377 – 13 July 1402 | 30 June 1398 – 13 July 1402 | Jianwen 6 February 1399 – 13 July 1402 | Emperor Hui | Huizong | ||
| Zhu Di | 2 May 1360 – 12 August 1424 | 17 July 1402 – 12 August 1424 | Yongle 23 January 1403 – 19 January 1425 | Emperor Wen | Chengzu | ||
| Zhu Gaochi | 16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425 | 12 August 1424 – 29 May 1425 | Hongxi 20 January 1425 – 7 February 1426 | Emperor Zhao | Renzong | ||
| Zhu Zhanji | 16 March 1399 – 31 January 1435 | 29 May 1425 – 31 January 1435 | Xuande 8 February 1426 – 17 January 1436 | Emperor Zhang | Xuanzong | ||
| Zhu Qizhen | 29 November 1427 – 23 February 1464 | 31 January 1435 – 22 September 1449 | Zhengtong 18 January 1436 – 13 January 1450 | Emperor Rui | Yingzong | ||
| 11 February 1457 – 23 February 1464 | Tianshun 11 February 1457 – 26 January 1465 | ||||||
| Zhu Qiyu | 21 September 1428 – 14 March 1457 | 22 September 1449 – 11 February 1457 | Jingtai 14 January 1450 – 11 February 1457 | Emperor Jing | Daizong | ||
| Zhu Jianshen | 9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487 | 23 February 1464 – 9 September 1487 | Chenghua 27 January 1465 – 13 January 1488 | Emperor Chun | Xianzong | ||
| Zhu Youcheng | 30 July 1470 – 8 June 1505 | 9 September 1487 – 8 June 1505 | Hongzhi 14 January 1488 – 23 January 1506 | Emperor Jing | Xiaozong | ||
| Zhu Houzhao | 26 October 1491 – 20 April 1521 | 8 June 1505 – 20 April 1521 | Zhengde 27 January 1522 – 27 January 1522 | Emperor Yi | Wuzong | ||
| Zhu Houcong | 16 September 1507 – 23 January 1567 | 27 May 1521 – 23 January 1567 | Jiajing 28 January 1522 – 8 February 1567 | Emperor Su | Shizong | ||
| Zhu Zaiji | 4 March 1537 – 5 July 1572 | 23 January 1567 – 5 July 1572 | Longqing 9 February 1567 – 1 February 1573 | Emperor Zhuang | Muzong | ||
| Zhu Yijun | 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620 | 5 July 1572 – 18 August 1620 | Wanli 2 February 1573 – 27 August 1620 | Emperor Xian | Shenzong | ||
| Zhu Changluo | 28 August 1582 – 26 September 1620 | 28 August – 26 September 1620 | Taichang 28 August 1620 – 21 January 1621 | Emperor Zhen | Guangzong | ||
| Zhu Youjiao | 23 December 1605 – 30 September 1627 | 26 September 1620 – 30 September 1627 | Tianqi 22 January 1621 – 4 February 1628 | Emperor Zhe | Xizong | ||
| Zhu Youjian | 6 February 1611 – 25 April 1644 | 2 October 1627 – 25 April 1644 | Chongzhen 5 February 1628 – 25 April 1644 | Emperor Min | Sizong |
| Personal name | Lifespan | Era name | Title Reign | Temple name | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Fu | Zhu Yousong | 5 September 1607 – 23 May 1646 | Hongguang 28 January 1645 – 17 August 1645 | Emperor 19 June 1644 – 15 June 1645 | Anzong | |
| Prince of Lu (Luh) | Zhu Changfang | 1608 – 23 May 1646 | regent Lu (Luh) 1 July – 6 July 1645 | Regent 1 July – 6 July 1645 | ||
| Prince of Tang | Zhu Yujian | 25 May 1602 – 6 October 1646 | Longwu 18 August 1645 – 4 February 1647 | Emperor 18 August 1645 – 6 October 1646 | Shaozong | |
| Prince of Lu (Lou) | Zhu Yihai | 6 July 1618 – 23 December 1662 | regent Lu 16 February 1646 – 1653 | Regent 7 September 1645 – 1653 | ||
| Prince of Tang | Zhu Yuyue | 1605 – 20 January 1647 | Shaowu | Emperor 11 December 1646 – 20 January 1647 | ||
| Prince of Gui | Zhu Youlang | 1 November 1623 – 1 June 1662 | Yongli 5 February 1647 – 1 June 1662 | Emperor 24 December 1646 – 1 June 1662 | Zhaozong |
This is a list of individuals who did not reign as emperor during their lifetime but were later recognized as Ming emperors posthumously.
| Posthumous name | Temple name | Year recognized | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhu Bailiu (?–?) | Emperor Xuan | Dezu | 1368 | Great-great-grandfather of the Hongwu Emperor |
| Zhu Sijiu (?–?) | Emperor Heng | Yizu | Great-grandfather of the Hongwu Emperor | |
| Zhu Chuyi (?–?) | Emperor Yu | Xizu | Grandfather of the Hongwu Emperor | |
| Zhu Shizhen (1281–1344) | Emperor Chun | Renzu | Father of the Hongwu Emperor | |
| Zhu Biao (10 October 1355 – 17 May 1392) | Emperor Xiaokang | Xingzong | 1399 and 1644 | Crown Prince who never acceded to the throne. Son of the Hongwu Emperor. Father of the Jianwen Emperor. Posthumously recognized as emperor by the Jianwen Emperor. After overthrowing the Jianwen Emperor in 1402, the Yongle Emperor abolished Zhu Biao's emperor status. In 1644, Zhu Biao was again promoted to the status of emperor. |
| Zhu Youyuan Chinese: 朱祐杬 (22 July 1476 – 13 July 1519) | Emperor Xian | Ruizong | 1538 | Father of the Jiajing Emperor |
| Zhu Changxun (22 February 1586 – 2 March 1641) | Emperor Gong and Emperor Xiao | Gongzong | 1644 | Father of the Hongguang Emperor |
| Zhu Yuwen (1490–1560) | Emperor Hui | 1645 | Great-great-grandfather of the Longwu and Shaowu emperors | |
| Zhu Zhouyong (1538–1564) | Emperor Shun | Great-grandfather of the Longwu and Shaowu emperors | ||
| Zhu Shuohuang (? – 24 January 1630) | Emperor Duan | Grandfather of the Longwu and Shaowu emperors | ||
| Zhu Qisheng (?–1629) | Emperor Xuan | Father of the Longwu and Shaowu emperors | ||
| Zhu Cilang (26 February 1629 – June 1644) | Emperor Dao | 1646 | Crown Prince who never acceded to the throne. Son of the Chongzhen Emperor. | |
| Zhu Changying (25 April 1597 – 21 December 1645) | Emperor Duan | Lizong | Father of the Yongli Emperor |
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denotes Ming emperors denotes Southern Ming emperors