Zhu Yujian, Prince of Tang
Encyclopedia
Zhu Yujian the Prince of Tang, reigned as the Longwu Emperor of the Southern Ming dynasty from 18 August 1645, when he was enthroned in Fuzhou
, to 6 October 1646, when he was captured and executed by a contingent of the Qing
army. He was a ninth generation descendant of Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang.
prefecture, in Henan
province. In 1636 he was stripped of his title by the Chongzhen Emperor
and put under house arrest in Fengyang. His former title was transferred to his younger brother Zhu Yumo (朱聿鏌). In 1641 the latter committed suicide when Li Zicheng invaded Nanyang. After the death of the Chongzhen Emperor 1644, his successor on the Ming throne, the Hongguang Emperor released the Prince of Tang from his arrest.
forces captured Nanjing
in June 1645 he fled to Hangzhou
. In August of the same year at the behest of several high officials he ascended to the Ming throne in Fuzhou
, taking the reign title Longwu (隆武; pinyin: Lóngwǔ). His era name means "Plentiful and martial". After a promising start, Fujian
's geographical position on the margin of the empire, cut off the heartland through several mountain ranges, as well as his lack of effective troops and the failure on part of the officialdom to find a united stance doomed the Longwu government. When Qing forces invaded Fujian in the late summer of 1646, Zheng Zhilong
, the emperor's strongest ally, surrendered while his son Zheng Chenggong (the famous Koxinga
) retreated to sea.
The Prince of Tang was left with a dwindling court. On 6 October 1646, he was captured and immediately executed.
, but his knowledge of history and of Ming institutions, paired with a diligent personality, made him take his imperial role seriously.
Zhu Yujian is said to have had a very close relationship with his wife, who had shared his hardship when he was incarcerated. Contrary to Chinese custom, he steadfastly declined to take any concubines.
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, to 6 October 1646, when he was captured and executed by a contingent of the Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
army. He was a ninth generation descendant of Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang.
Early life
Before ascending to the throne he followed his father as the Prince of Tang, their fief being situated in NanyangNanyang, Henan
Nanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the...
prefecture, in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province. In 1636 he was stripped of his title by the Chongzhen Emperor
Chongzhen Emperor
The Chongzhen Emperor was the 16th and last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China. He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an era name that means "honorable and auspicious".- Early years :...
and put under house arrest in Fengyang. His former title was transferred to his younger brother Zhu Yumo (朱聿鏌). In 1641 the latter committed suicide when Li Zicheng invaded Nanyang. After the death of the Chongzhen Emperor 1644, his successor on the Ming throne, the Hongguang Emperor released the Prince of Tang from his arrest.
As emperor
When QingQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
forces captured Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
in June 1645 he fled to Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
. In August of the same year at the behest of several high officials he ascended to the Ming throne in Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, taking the reign title Longwu (隆武; pinyin: Lóngwǔ). His era name means "Plentiful and martial". After a promising start, Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
's geographical position on the margin of the empire, cut off the heartland through several mountain ranges, as well as his lack of effective troops and the failure on part of the officialdom to find a united stance doomed the Longwu government. When Qing forces invaded Fujian in the late summer of 1646, Zheng Zhilong
Zheng Zhilong
Zheng Zhilong also known as Nicholas Iquan Gaspard, a native of Nan'an, Fujian, China. He was a Chinese merchant, pirate and admiral for the Ming Empire. He was the father of Zheng Chenggong , also a military leader. Under the Qing Dynasty, Zheng was elevated to the rank of Count of the Second Rank...
, the emperor's strongest ally, surrendered while his son Zheng Chenggong (the famous Koxinga
Koxinga
Koxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
) retreated to sea.
The Prince of Tang was left with a dwindling court. On 6 October 1646, he was captured and immediately executed.
Personality
Against the Ming policy of keeping imperial princes out of politics, the Prince of Tang early on showed interest in the government of the empire and strove for a larger role of the princes in it. His initiatives had brought him under house arrest during the reign of the Chongzhen EmperorChongzhen Emperor
The Chongzhen Emperor was the 16th and last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China. He reigned from 1627 to 1644, under an era name that means "honorable and auspicious".- Early years :...
, but his knowledge of history and of Ming institutions, paired with a diligent personality, made him take his imperial role seriously.
Zhu Yujian is said to have had a very close relationship with his wife, who had shared his hardship when he was incarcerated. Contrary to Chinese custom, he steadfastly declined to take any concubines.