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About Jianwen Emperor
Lifespan: 1377-1402? A.D
Reign Years: 1398 – 1402 A.D
Given Name: Zhu Yunwen
Reign Name: Jianwen
Jianwen Emperor
Jianwen Emperor – Ming Dynasty
The Jianwen Emperor reigned from 1398 to 1402 as the second Ming emperor. His personal given name was Zhu Yunwen.
This unfortunate Ming Dynasty emperor was a victim of his successor’s narrow-minded rewriting of the court’s official records. However, the Ming emperor was a reasonable leader. He aimed to reverse the laws and harsh treatment of officials who typified his grandfather, Emperor Hongwu’s rule.
Plus, Jianwen’s reign didn’t last for a long period. That’s because his attempt to restrain his uncles only led to the Jingnan rebellion.
Enthronement of the Jianwen Emperor
The Ming Dynasty was founded by Emperor Hongwu in 1368. It was also him who started a ruckus in the Ming imperial court as to who would become his successor. Although Hongwu had a lot of sons, the carefully-groomed heir, Zhu Biao, unfortunately died prematurely.
He considered choosing a successor from his living sons. Yet after months of careful discussions and deliberations, he upheld the strict laws of primogeniture. This was presented in his imperial ancestral directions.
From there, he labeled Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Biao’s son, as the crown prince. He was only 21 when he ruled as the Jianwen Emperor, which means “civility”.
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Buy Now!Reign of the Jianwen Emperor
Succeeding the Ming emperor’s throne in 1398, Jianwen focused on continuing the previous emperor’s efforts. It was to eradicate the Mongol legacies of the earlier Yuan Dynasty, encouraging intellectual, cultural, and technological advances. The accomplishment is what made the Ming Dynasty a noteworthy empire.
With Confucian scholar-bureaucrats’ advice in the government, the Ming Dynasty emperor continued the policy of his grandfather. Specifically, it was controlling the court eunuchs as he started retrieving power and territories from his uncles.
Within 1399, he was able to arrest or demote a couple of his uncles. And, he even caused one of them to kill themselves.
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Buy Now!Beginning of the Jingnan Campaign
Responding to the Jianwen Emperor’s repression of the imperial princes’ influence, Zhu Di captured and took his brother’s princely title. This allowed him to put himself in control of the entire Ming army in North China.
Other than that, he won the trust and support of other Mongol groups after burning down Daning. This area was Zhu Quan’s princedom capital, and the Ming forces from the area were evacuated.
At some point, Zhu Di had to fake his illness and even feigned that he was mad. It was a plan to convince the Jianwen Emperor to release his sons who were hostages in Nanjing. They were held captive to prevent Zhu Di from going against the emperor.
But despite the act, the Jianwen Emperor became suspicious of Zhu Di, so he attempted to arrest him later on. However, he failed in doing so, so he instigated the Jingnan Campaign against Emperor Jianwen.
The campaign was generally a three-year civil war that lasted from 1399 to 1402. This was during the earlier years of China’s Ming Dynasty.
End of the Reign of Jianwen Emperor
Eventually, the Jianwen Emperor was overthrown by his uncle Zhu Di. That was a time when he was enthroned as Emperor Yongle. Even though Yongle claimed that the charred body he retrieved was Zhu Yunwen’s, other rumors circulated as well.
Some claim that Emperor Jianwen concealed himself as a Buddhist monk to escape from the palace. He was able to leave the area when it was set ablaze by Zhu Di’s forces. That’s when Zhu Di usurped the throne, and he was best known in history as Emperor Chengzu of the Ming.
As for Zhu Yunwen, he lived with the common folk upon escaping death. He was even known as Monk Yingwen.
Other Speculations on the Disappearance of the Jianwen Emperor
When it comes to the disappearance of the Ming emperor Jianwen, there were different speculations and reports about it. Some claimed that after becoming emperor, Emperor Yongle sent Zheng He and Hu Ying to search for Jianwen.
In 1423, Hu returned to report his findings, and after the private meeting, Emperor Yongle promoted the admiral.
There were also some historical records on Ming’s history stating why Emperor Yongle sponsored Zheng He’s voyages. It’s because Emperor Yongle wasted Zheng to find Jianwen, who was believed to have survived and fled elsewhere.
Other claims state that decades after, Emperor Jianwen returned to the palace and lived entirely in obscure retirement.
The Jianwen Emperor’s Existence
Emperor Yongle didn’t waste any time erasing Zhu Yunwen’s existence from history. He even voided the Ming emperor’s ruling period from historical annals. Not only that, but he also made it appear that Emperor Hongwu ruled until he died in 1402.
In 1595, that’s when Emperor Jianwen’s title was restored. In turn, it brought about a lot of different legends claiming Emperor Jianwen as a righteous and benevolent ruler. And that he was brutally taken out by a traitor named Emperor Yongle.