List of Emperors of the Ming Dynasty - Books - Famous Chinese Shopping City

March 8, 2014


		1 Introduction 2 Emperors of the Ming Dynasty 3 Emperors of the Southern Ming Dynasty 4 See also

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List of Emperors of the Ming Dynasty

Wikipedia

The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644, succeeding the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and falling amidst much peasant turmoil to the Manchu Qing dynasty. Sixteen emperors ruled over the whole of China spanning 276 years. A series of claimants to the Ming throne continued to claim the throne of what was known as the Southern Ming until the last was executed in 1662.

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Emperors of the Ming Dynasty

<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width=85%>

<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<th>Personal Name</th>
<th>Posthumous name1 (short form)</th>
<th>Temple name1</th>
<th>Reign name</th>
<th>Reign years</th>
<th>Name by which most commonly known</th>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Yu??nzhāng 朱元璋</td>
<td>Gāod?? 高帝</td>
<td>T??izǔ 太祖</td>
<td>H??ngwǔ 洪武</td>
<td>1368-1398</td>
<td>Hongwu Emperor
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Yǔnw??n 朱允炆</td>
<td>Hu??d?? 惠帝</td>
<td>None given2</td>
<td>Ji??nw??n 建文</td>
<td>1398-1402</td>
<td>Jianwen Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū D?? 朱棣</td>
<td>Wēnd?? 文帝</td>
<td>Ch??ngzǔ, 成祖 or T??izōng, 太宗</td>
<td>Yǒngl?? 永樂</td>
<td>1402-1424</td>
<td>Yongle Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Gāoch?? 朱高熾</td>
<td>Zhāod?? 昭帝</td>
<td>R??nzōng 仁宗</td>
<td>H??ngxī 洪熙</td>
<td>1424-1425</td>
<td>Hongxi Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Zhānjī 朱瞻基</td>
<td>Zhāngd?? 章帝</td>
<td>Xuānzōng 宣宗</td>
<td>Xuānd?? 宣德</td>
<td>1425-1435</td>
<td>Xuande Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Q??zh??n 朱祁鎮</td>
<td>Ru??d?? 睿帝</td>
<td>Yīngzōng 英宗</td>
<td>Zh??ngtǒng, 正統 1436-1449; 
Tiānsh??n, 天順 1457-1464</td>
<td>1435-1449; 1457-14643</td>
<td>Zhengtong Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Q??y?? 朱祁鈺</td>
<td>Jǐngd?? 景帝</td>
<td>D??izōng 代宗</td>
<td>Jǐngt??i 景泰</td>
<td>1449-1457</td>
<td>Jingtai Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Ji??nshēn 朱見深</td>
<td>Ch??nd?? 純帝</td>
<td>Xi??nzōng 憲宗</td>
<td>Ch??nghu?? 成化</td>
<td>1464-1487</td>
<td>Chenghua Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??ut??ng 朱祐樘</td>
<td>J??ngd?? 敬帝</td>
<td>Xi??ozōng 孝宗</td>
<td>H??ngzh?? 弘治</td>
<td>1487-1505</td>
<td>Hongzhi Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū H??uzh??o 朱厚照</td>
<td>Y??d?? 毅帝</td>
<td>Wǔzōng 武宗</td>
<td>Zh??ngd?? 正德</td>
<td>1505-1521</td>
<td>Zhengde Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū H??ucōng 朱厚熜</td>
<td>S??d?? 肅帝</td>
<td>Sh??zōng 世宗</td>
<td>Jiāj??ng 嘉靖</td>
<td>1521-1566</td>
<td>Jiajing Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Zǎih??u 朱載垕</td>
<td>Zhuāngd?? 莊帝</td>
<td>M??zōng 穆宗</td>
<td>L??ngq??ng 隆慶</td>
<td>1566-1572</td>
<td>Longqing Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??jūn 朱翊鈞</td>
<td>Xiǎnd?? 顯帝</td>
<td>Sh??nzōng 神宗</td>
<td>W??nl?? 萬曆</td>
<td>1572-1620</td>
<td>Wanli Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Ch??nglu?? 朱常洛</td>
<td>Zhēnd?? 貞帝</td>
<td>Guāngzōng 光宗</td>
<td>T??ichāng 泰昌</td>
<td>1620</td>
<td>Taichang Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??uji??o 朱由校</td>
<td>Zh??d?? 悊帝</td>
<td>Xīzōng 熹宗</td>
<td>Tiānqǐ 天啟</td>
<td>1620-1627</td>
<td>Tianqi Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??ujiǎn 朱由檢</td>
<td>Zhuāngli??mǐn 莊烈愍</td>
<td>Sīzōng 思宗</td>
<td>Ch??ngzhēn 崇禎</td>
<td>1627-1644</td>
<td>Chongzhen Emperor</td>
</tr>

<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<td colspan="6">1 As posthumous and temple names were often shared by emperors of different dynasties, they are usually preceded by the dynastic name, in this case, Ming, to avoid confusion. For example, the Hongwu emperor is frequently referred to as Ming Taizu.</td>
</tr>

<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<td colspan="6">2 The Yongle emperor usurped the throne of his nephew the Jianwen emperor, who was officially said to have died in a palace fire but who was suspected of escaping to live as a recluse. The Yongle emperor wiped out the record of his nephew's reign and no temple name was given him.</td>
</tr>

<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<td colspan="6">3 After listening to the poor advice of his eunuch advisers, the Zhengtong emperor personally led a campaign in 1449 against the Mongols and was captured. His brother, the Jingtai emperor, assumed the throne and, a hostage no longer of any value, the Mongols released the Zhengtong emperor who returned to live in seclusion. However, the Zhengtong emperor was able to reclaim his position upon the death of his brother, choosing the reign name Tianshun.</td>
</tr>

</table>

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Emperors of the Southern Ming Dynasty

<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width=85%>

<tr style="background:#efefef;">
<th>Personal Name</th>
<th>Temple name</th>
<th>Reign name</th>
<th>Reign years</th>
<th>Name by which most commonly known</th>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??usōng 朱由崧</td>
<td>Ānzōng 安宗</td>
<td>H??ngguāng 弘光</td>
<td>1644-1645</td>
<td>Prince of Fu 福王 F?? W??ng</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??ji??n 朱聿鍵</td>
<td>Sh??ozōng 紹宗</td>
<td>L??ngwǔ 隆武</td>
<td>1645-1646</td>
<td>Prince of Tang 唐王 T??ng W??ng</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Ch??ngfāng 朱常淓</td>
<td>None given</td>
<td>None given, but sometimes referred to as the Regency of the Prince of Lu (Luh) 潞王臨國 L?? W??ng L??n Gu??</td>
<td>1645</td>
<td>Prince of Lu (Luh*) 潞王 L?? W??ng</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Yǐhǎi 朱以海</td>
<td>None given</td>
<td>None given, but sometimes referred to as the Regency of the Prince of Lu (Lou) 魯王臨國 Lǔ W??ng L??n Gu??</td>
<td>1645-1653</td>
<td>Prince of Lu (Lou*) 魯王 Lǔ W??ng</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??yu?? 朱聿<nowiki>金粵</nowiki></td>
<td>None given</td>
<td>Sh??owǔ 紹武</td>
<td>1646</td>
<td>Prince of Tang 唐王 T??ng W??ng</td>
</tr>

<tr align="center">
<td>Zhū Y??ul??ng 朱由榔</td>
<td>None given</td>
<td>Yǒngl?? 永曆</td>
<td>1646-1662</td>
<td>Prince of Gui 桂王 Gu?? W??ng</td>
</tr>
</table>

The two characters are homonyms, both pronounced Lu; to distinguish them, one is usually kept as Lu and the other spelled differently. Luh is from Cambridge History of China; Lou is from A.C. Moule's Rulers of China (1957). When one irregular spelling is used, the other is kept as regular (Lu). The two systems are distinct and not used simultaneously.

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