Hongzhi Emperor

Hongzhi Emperor – Ming Dynasty

Zhu Youcheng was an individual respected as Emperor Hongzhi. He was also known as Xiaozong of Ming and was the first-ever and only monogamous emperor in China.

Compared to his forefathers, Emperor Hongzhi never started any wars nor attempted to extend their territory. Yet, for the invaders, he always fought back to protect the empire.

He was a talented musician, poet, and painter. However, Emperor Hongzhi was believed to be the inventor of toothbrushes as well.

The Early Life of Zhu Youcheng

Zhu Youcheng was the son of a lovely concubine named Ji. She also worked as a warehouse keeper in the empire’s Forbidden City. Emperor Hongzhi’s father was Emperor Chenghua, who ruled from 1464 to 1487.

During his rule, Emperor Chenghua met Lady Ji and was impressed by her beauty, talent, and kindness. At some point, she became his concubine, who carried his child.

When she learned of her pregnancy, the people around her suggested that she keep it a secret. That’s because the emperor’s favorite concubine, Wan, was extremely jealous and ruthless. She would do everything in her power to prevent any other woman from carrying the child of Emperor Chenghua.

Fortunately, when Ji gave birth to her son, she was able to save his life. It was all with the help of the current empress and the assistance of a palace gatekeeper.

The future Emperor Hongzhi was cared for outside the Forbidden City and lived in secret for a couple of years. It was to avoid being murdered by Concubine Wan, who continued killing all of Emperor Chenghua’s children.

As soon as he reached 5-years-old, he was brought to meet his father, Emperor Chenghua.

At that time, the emperor was growing frustrated for not having an heir to the throne. But after meeting Zhu Youcheng, his frustrations subsided upon knowing that he had a son to succeed him.

The current empress eventually died, so Concubine Wan plotted her path to dominate and rule the empire. But after discovering that Emperor Chenghua had a son, her anger grew, and her jealousy increased. She then commanded to have everyone involved in the incident executed, and that included Concubine Ji.

Zhu Youcheng as a Crown Prince

After being named the crown prince, Zhu Youcheng started acquiring all vital elements needed to properly function as a leader. Yet during this time, Concubine Wan was able to persuade Emperor Chenghua to abrogate his title. Wan did this since she was worried that Zhu Youcheng would seek revenge for what she did.

But interestingly, a strong earthquake occurred in Mt. Tai. It was considered a holy area with notable political meaning in the culture of the Chinese. Thus, Emperor Chenghua considered it a warning not to remove Youcheng’s title and not change the heir.

When his father passed away, he ascended the throne when he was 17-years-old.

The Reign of Emperor Hongzhi

After ascending the throne in 1487, Emperor Hongzhi’s administration was modelled and based on the Confucian ideology. He became a diligent and hardworking ruler for the empire.

Zhu Youngcheng of the Ming closely supervised and managed all stately affairs. He decreased taxes, reduced government spending, and had wise decisions when he employed ministers for government positions.

People like Xie Qian, Liu Jian, and Wang Shu worked together with Emperor Hongzhi. They were able to create a rare scene of cooperation within the government.

Not only that, but the Ming Dynasty emperor also urged his ministers to be upfront about issues. He even acknowledged various criticisms directed to him.

Under his rule, the empire’s officials worked hard and served the people adequately. Since the people respected Emperor Hongzhi, a transparent government was established, introducing fresh and positive energy to the Ming.

Emperor Hongzhi was often compared to Emperor Hongwu and Yongle as one of the most efficient emperors of the Ming.

The Monogamous Emperor

Throughout history, Chinese rulers were known for having multiple wives and tons of sexual partners. It was mainly to guarantee an heir to the throne.

But it was different for Hongzhi, who was the only monogamous emperor ever in Chinese history. Here, he deliberately and voluntarily went for an exclusive relationship.

When he was 17-years-old, the emperor married his wife named Zhang. Later on, she became Empress Xiaokangjing. She was Hongzhi’s only empress and didn’t have any other concubines.

This distinguished him from being the sole and perpetually monogamous emperor.

The monogamy of Emperor Hongzhi may be connected to the relationship he had with his mother. When he was growing up, his experience of polygamy likely made him consider that it was linked to murder. Hence, he knew it was dangerous for anyone and everyone involved.