---
title: Ming Dynasty Emperors (1368–1644) and Their Porcelain
url: https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/
language: en
description: The Ming emperors from Hongwu to Chongzhen and the Southern Ming, period by period, with the porcelain and reign marks that collectors associate with each.
alternates:
  zh-Hant: https://realrareantiques.com/zh-hant/ming-dynasty-emperors/
  zh-Hans: https://realrareantiques.com/zh-hans/ming-dynasty-emperors/
---

# Ming Dynasty Emperors

Sixteen emperors ruled the Ming dynasty, from its founding in 1368 to the fall of Beijing in 1644. Ming princes then claimed the throne in the south until 1662. For collectors the succession matters for a practical reason: Ming imperial porcelain is dated by reign.

From the Xuande reign (1425–1435) onwards, apart from a gap in the middle of the fifteenth century, porcelain made for the court at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen usually carries a reign mark. Most often it is written in six characters in underglaze blue, such as *Da Ming Xuande nian zhi*, "made in the Xuande reign of the Great Ming". The mark names the era, not the emperor, which is why collectors speak of Xuande or Jiajing porcelain rather than of Zhu Zhanji or Zhu Houcong.

Marks were copied in the later Ming, under the Qing and ever since, so a mark is where the study of a piece begins rather than where it ends. Our guide to [detecting fakes](https://realrareantiques.com/identifying-fakes/) explains what else to look for.

Historians usually divide the dynasty into early, middle and late periods, and on this site we also treat 1505 to 1590 as a later-middle period. The notes below follow those periods. For the dynasty as a whole, see our [Ming dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty/) page, and the timeline further down lists every reign in order.

**Dates:** 1368 to 1644
**Rulers:** 23

### Early Ming Dynasty

**1368–1424: Hongwu, Jianwen and Yongle.** Zhu Yuanzhang, a rebel leader of peasant origin, drove out the Mongol Yuan and founded the Ming in 1368. He ruled from Nanjing as the [Hongwu Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongwu-emperor/) until 1398. His grandson and successor, Jianwen, was overthrown in 1402 by his uncle, who reigned as the Yongle Emperor and moved the capital to Beijing.

Hongwu porcelain is best known for underglaze copper red, used more widely in this reign than in any other Ming reign. Under the [Yongle Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/yongle-emperor/) the imperial kilns made thin, pure white wares called *tianbai*, or "sweet white". They also made blue and white painted in imported cobalt, with characteristic dark, concentrated spots. Yongle reign marks are rare.

After a century of Mongol rule, the court revived the arts on Chinese models. Painters in imperial service favoured large landscapes and narrative scenes that celebrated the new dynasty. The period is described more fully in our article on the [early Ming dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/early-ming-dynasty/).

### Middle Ming Dynasty

**1425–1505: Hongxi to Hongzhi.** The Hongxi Emperor reigned for less than a year. His son, the [Xuande Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/xuande-emperor/), presided over a decade of stability, and the blue and white of his reign is among the most admired of the dynasty. It was also the first reign in which marks were used consistently on imperial porcelain.

In 1449 Xuande's son, the Zhengtong Emperor, was captured by the Oirat Mongols at Tumu. He was restored in 1457 and is known by his temple name, [Emperor Yingzong](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/emperor-yingzong-of-ming/). Porcelain of his two reigns and of his brother Jingtai's is almost never marked, and collectors call the years from 1436 to 1464 the "Interregnum".

The [Chenghua Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chenghua-emperor/) (r. 1464–1487) is famous for small, delicately potted doucai wares, which fill underglaze blue outlines with overglaze enamels. The Hongzhi Emperor (r. 1487–1505) is remembered for a conscientious reign and for fine yellow-glazed wares. Our article on the [middle Ming dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/middle-ming-dynasty/) covers these reigns.

**1505–1590: Zhengde to the early Wanli years.** Porcelain of the Zhengde reign sometimes bears inscriptions in Arabic or Persian. The long [Jiajing](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jiajing-emperor/) reign (1521–1567) brought very large imperial orders, a strong violet-toned blue and many Daoist motifs, reflecting the emperor's devotion to Daoism. The Longqing Emperor lifted the ban on private overseas trade in 1567, and his marks use the character *zao* in place of the usual *zhi*. These decades are described in our article on the [later-middle Ming](https://realrareantiques.com/later-middle-ming-dynasty/).

### Late Ming Dynasty

**1590–1644: Wanli to Chongzhen.** The [Wanli Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/wanli-emperor/) reigned for 48 years, the longest reign of the dynasty. In the 1590s Ming armies helped Korea drive back the Japanese invasions, but in his later years Wanli withdrew from government. War and a weakening administration left the treasury strained. In the north-east, Nurhaci united the Jurchens and in 1616 founded the state that became the Qing.

Harvest failures in the colder climate of the Little Ice Age brought famine, and unpaid soldiers joined the rebel armies. The Taichang Emperor died within a month of his accession in 1620, and the reign of his son Tianqi was dominated by the eunuch Wei Zhongxian. In 1644 the rebel Li Zicheng took Beijing, and the [Chongzhen Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chongzhen-emperor/) took his own life. The Manchus occupied the capital within weeks.

Ming princes kept up their claims in the south until 1662, when the last of them, the [Yongli Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-gui/), was executed in Kunming. Their story is told on our [Southern Ming dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/southern-ming-dynasty/) page.

For collectors the late Ming is the age of export porcelain. Kraak ware, thinly potted blue and white named after the Portuguese carracks that carried it, reached Europe in great quantities. After Wanli the imperial orders dwindled, and the private kilns of Jingdezhen made the freely painted Transitional wares of the Tianqi and Chongzhen reigns. The period is described in our article on the [late Ming dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/late-ming-dynasty/). Ming pieces from several periods can be seen in our [Ming dynasty porcelain](https://realrareantiques.com/product-category/antique-chinese-porcelain/ming-dynasty-porcelain/) collection.

## Timeline of reigns, 1368–1662

1. [Hongwu Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongwu-emperor/)1 piece
2. [Jianwen Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jianwen-emperor/)
3. [Yongle Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/yongle-emperor/)2 pieces
4. [Hongxi Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongxi-emperor/)
5. [Xuande Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/xuande-emperor/)3 pieces
6. [Emperor Yingzong of Ming](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/emperor-yingzong-of-ming/)
7. [Jingtai Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jingtai-emperor/)
8. [Chenghua Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chenghua-emperor/)1 piece
9. [Hongzhi Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongzhi-emperor/)
10. [Zhengde Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/zhengde-emperor/)
11. [Jiajing Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jiajing-emperor/)3 pieces
12. [Longqing Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/longqing-emperor/)
13. [Wanli Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/wanli-emperor/)
14. [Taichang Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/taichang-emperor/)
15. [Tianqi Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/tianqi-emperor/)
16. [Chongzhen Emperor](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chongzhen-emperor/)
17. [Prince of Fu](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-fu/)
18. [Prince of Lu (Zhu Changfang)](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-lu-luh/)
19. [Prince of Tang (Zhu Yujian)](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-tang-zhu-yujian/)
20. [Prince of Lu (Zhu Yihai)](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-lu-lou/)
21. [Prince of Gui](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-gui/)
22. [Prince of Tang (Zhu Yuyue)](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-tang-zhu-yuyue/)
23. [Prince of Huai](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-huai/)

Reigns with pieces in our collection

### Ming Dynasty

- [Hongwu Emperor1368–1398 · 洪武Rose from poverty to found the Ming; his reign is known for rare underglaze copper-red porcelain.1 piece in the collection](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongwu-emperor/)
- [Jianwen Emperor1398–1402 · 建文Overthrown by his uncle Zhu Di; he vanished when the palace at Nanjing burned in 1402.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jianwen-emperor/)
- [Yongle Emperor1402–1424 · 永樂Moved the capital to Beijing, built the Forbidden City and sent Zheng He's fleets across the Indian Ocean.2 pieces in the collection](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/yongle-emperor/)
- [Hongxi Emperor1424–1425 · 洪熙Reigned less than a year but ended costly expeditions and eased the burden on the people.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongxi-emperor/)
- [Xuande Emperor1425–1435 · 宣德His reign is regarded as the golden age of Ming blue and white, and the first to mark imperial porcelain regularly.3 pieces in the collection](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/xuande-emperor/)
- [Emperor Yingzong of Ming1435–1449, 1457–1464 · 正統 天順Captured by the Oirats at Tumu in 1449 and restored in 1457; porcelain of his reigns rarely bears a mark.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/emperor-yingzong-of-ming/)
- [Jingtai Emperor1449–1457 · 景泰Took the throne while his brother was a captive; cloisonné enamel still carries his era name.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jingtai-emperor/)
- [Chenghua Emperor1464–1487 · 成化Famed for delicate doucai porcelain such as the chicken cups, among the most copied marks in China.1 piece in the collection](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chenghua-emperor/)
- [Hongzhi Emperor1487–1505 · 弘治A conscientious ruler whose reign produced refined yellow-glazed wares for the court.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/hongzhi-emperor/)
- [Zhengde Emperor1505–1521 · 正德An eccentric emperor whose porcelain often carries Arabic and Persian inscriptions.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/zhengde-emperor/)
- [Jiajing Emperor1521–1567 · 嘉靖A devoted Daoist whose kilns produced vivid Mohammedan-blue porcelain and Daoist motifs.3 pieces in the collection](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/jiajing-emperor/)
- [Longqing Emperor1567–1572 · 隆慶Lifted the ban on private sea trade; his marks are written with 造 rather than 製.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/longqing-emperor/)
- [Wanli Emperor1572–1620 · 萬曆The longest Ming reign, when kraak porcelain carried Jingdezhen blue and white to Europe.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/wanli-emperor/)
- [Taichang Emperor1620 · 泰昌Died after one month on the throne, following the mysterious red pill case.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/taichang-emperor/)
- [Tianqi Emperor1620–1627 · 天啓Left government to the eunuch Wei Zhongxian; ko-sometsuke porcelain for Japan dates from his reign.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/tianqi-emperor/)
- [Chongzhen Emperor1627–1644 · 崇禎The last Ming emperor in Beijing, who took his life as rebels entered the city in 1644.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/chongzhen-emperor/)

### Southern Ming

- [Prince of Fu1644–1645 · 弘光Enthroned at Nanjing after the fall of Beijing; his court fell to the Qing within a year.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-fu/)
- [Prince of Lu (Zhu Changfang)1645Offered the regency at Hangzhou in 1645, he surrendered the city to the Qing without a fight.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-lu-luh/)
- [Prince of Tang (Zhu Yujian)1645–1646 · 隆武Ruled from Fuzhou as the Longwu Emperor until Qing forces captured him in 1646.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-tang-zhu-yujian/)
- [Prince of Lu (Zhu Yihai)1645–1653Led loyalist resistance along the Zhejiang coast as regent and later lived under the protection of Zheng Chenggong.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-lu-lou/)
- [Prince of Gui1646–1662 · 永曆The last Southern Ming emperor, pursued into Burma and executed in Kunming in 1662.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-gui/)
- [Prince of Tang (Zhu Yuyue)1646–1647 · 紹武Proclaimed at Guangzhou as the Shaowu Emperor, he reigned about forty days before the Qing took the city.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-tang-zhu-yuyue/)
- [Prince of Huai1648–1649 · 東武A short-lived claimant of the Southern Ming about whom few records survive.](https://realrareantiques.com/ming-dynasty-emperors/prince-of-huai/)

## Pieces from this period

- Ming Dynasty Porcelain [Blue and White Bowl with a Lotus Scroll and a Peony, Ming Dynasty, Xuande Mark](https://realrareantiques.com/shop/xuande-marked-bowl-ming-blue-and-white-porcelain/)Ming DynastyPrice on request
- Ming Dynasty Porcelain [Blue and White Garlic-Head Bottle Vase with Figures in a Landscape, Early Ming Dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/shop/early-ming-dynasty-blue-and-white-porcelain-vase-with-characters/)Early MingPrice on request
- Ming Dynasty Porcelain [Red and White Meiping Vase with a Dragon, Ming Dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/shop/red-and-white-meiping-vase-with-dragon-ming-dynasty/)Ming DynastyPrice on request
- Ming Dynasty Porcelain [Blue and White Jar with a Mounted Warrior and a Court Scene, Ming Dynasty](https://realrareantiques.com/shop/blue-and-white-porcelain-ming-vase-warrior-riding-a-horse/)Ming DynastyPrice on request

Looking for something specific? [Ask us about a piece](https://realrareantiques.com/contact-us/) and we will reply by email.