Ming · Ruler

Zhu Gaochi 朱高熾

Died AD 1425

Passages: 57
Chapters: 4
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Zhu Gaochi as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 57 passages from 4 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Zhu Gaochi	朱高熾	Zhu Gaochi
Title	crown prince	皇太子
Title	Crown Prince	皇太子
Title	Crown Prince	皇太子	Huang Taizi
Title	emperor	帝
Title	Emperor Renzong	仁宗
Posthumous	Emperor Zhao of Sagely Filiality	孝昭皇帝
Given	Gaochi	高熾	Gaochi
Title	Heir of Yan	燕世子
Title	Hongxi Emperor	仁宗
Alternate	Ren	仁
Temple	Renzong	仁宗	Renzong
Temple	Renzong	仁宗	Rénzōng
Temple name	Renzong	仁宗	Rénzōng
Temple name	Renzong	仁宗	Renzong

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0001, mingshi:058:s0030
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · mingshi:014:s0196

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 辛巳 · Western Year: AD 1425 · Place: Hall of Restful Tranquility / 欽安殿 · Age: Value: 48 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0151
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 洪熙元年 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0156

Age

Value: 48 · Reckoning: sui · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 崩 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0151

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 二十二年七月 · Western Year: AD 1424
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0038, mingshi:008:s0041
Source Date: Text: 仁宗即位 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:169:s0253
Source Date: Text: 十年 · Western Year: AD 1412
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0033
Source Date: Text: 成化二十三年 · Western Year: AD 1487
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:014:s0196
Source Date: Text: 成祖舉兵 · Western Year: AD 1399
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0018
Source Date: Text: 文帝崩於榆木川 · Western Year: AD 1424
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0029, mingshi:058:s0030
Source Date: Text: 永樂 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1403 · End: AD 1424
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:169:s0050
Source Date: Text: 永樂二年二月 · Western Year: AD 1404
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0027
Source Date: Text: 洪武二十八年 · Western Year: AD 1395
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0007
Source Date: Text: 洪熙元年 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:008:s0100, mingshi:008:s0151
Source Date: Text: 洪熙元年 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0156

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Descendant of Taizu (太祖)
Kinship Term: grandson / 孫 · Generation Distance: 2 · Line: paternal
Child of Zhu Di (朱棣)
Kinship Term: crown prince / 皇太子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: eldest son / 長子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father · Subject Birth Order: 1 · Line: paternal
Parent of Emperor Xuanzong (宣宗)
Kinship Term: crown prince / 皇太子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhu Zhanji (朱瞻基)
Kinship Term: eldest son / 長子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father · Subject Birth Order: 1
Spouse of Empress of Renzong (仁宗皇后)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Subject Role: wife · Object Role: husband
Spouse of Empress Zhang (張皇后)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: formed
Child of Empress Renxiao Wen (仁孝文皇后)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother
Parent of Zhanyan (瞻埏)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhanji (瞻垍)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhanjiong (瞻墉)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhanfan (瞻墡)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhan'ao (瞻墺)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhanjun (瞻埈)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhankai (瞻塏)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Zhanjian (瞻堈)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Sibling of Zhu Gaoxu (朱高煦)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: younger · Line: paternal
Sibling of Zhu Gaosui (朱高燧)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: younger · Line: paternal

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 9
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0071, mingshi:008:s0072

Career and standing

Label: Crown Prince / 皇太子 · Action: appointed · Start Date: Source Date: Text: 永樂二年二月 · Western Year: AD 1404
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0027
Title: Heir of Yan / 燕世子 · Action: installed · Start Date: Source Date: Text: 洪武二十八年 · Western Year: AD 1395
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0007
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 丁巳 · Western Year: AD 1424
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0041

Places and affiliations

Label: Ming / 明 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0041, mingshi:008:s0152
Label: Ming / 明 · Relation: served
Explicit · mingshi:169:s0253
Polity: Ming / 明 · Relation: served
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0156
Place: Xianling / 獻陵 · Relation: buried-at · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秋七月己巳 · Western Year: AD 1425
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0152

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Action: refused-to-shorten-mourning
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0058
Kind: edict · Role: author · Quote: true
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0067, mingshi:008:s0068, mingshi:008:s0069, mingshi:008:s0119, mingshi:008:s0120, mingshi:008:s0121, mingshi:008:s0122, mingshi:008:s0123, mingshi:008:s0124, mingshi:008:s0125, mingshi:008:s0126, mingshi:008:s0127, mingshi:008:s0128, mingshi:008:s0129, mingshi:008:s0130
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quote: true
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0010, mingshi:008:s0014, mingshi:008:s0016, mingshi:008:s0032

Events and relationships

Kind: burial · Role: subject · Action: buried-at-Xianling
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0217
Kind: ritual · Role: mourner-emperor · Action: conducted-Taizong-burial-rites
Explicit · mingshi:058:s0060, mingshi:058:s0150
Kind: ritual · Role: subject · Action: enthroned empress Zhang · Other Person Id: Empress Zhang (張皇后) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 己酉 · Western Year: AD 1424
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0070
Kind: military · Role: defender · Action: held Beiping against Li Jinglong · Other Person Id: Li Jinglong (李景隆) · Place: Beiping / 北平 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 成祖舉兵 · Western Year: AD 1399
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0018
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: installed Zhanji as crown prince · Other Person Id: Zhu Zhanji (朱瞻基) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 壬子 · Western Year: AD 1424
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0071

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: sincere, reverent, filial; model of a sons duty · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · mingshi:008:s0153, mingshi:008:s0155, mingshi:008:s0156

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Ming, Chapter 8Volume 8 Annals 8: Renzong · 26 passages

仁宗敬天體道純誠至德弘文欽武章聖達孝昭皇帝，諱高熾，成祖長子也。 Emperor Renzong—honored after death as one who revered Heaven, embodied the Way, and united pure sincerity, supreme virtue, literary cultivation, martial achievement, sagely wisdom, and filial devotion—was named Gaochi and was the eldest son of the Chengzu Emperor.

寤而生帝。 When she awoke she gave birth to the future emperor.

洪武二十八年，冊為燕世子。 In Hongwu year twenty-eight he was installed as heir apparent of the Yan princedom.

成祖舉兵，世子守北平，善拊士卒，以萬人拒李景隆五十萬眾，城賴以全。 During Chengzu's uprising the heir held Beiping, won the troops' hearts, and with ten thousand men held off Li Jinglong's army of five hundred thousand, saving the city.

而高煦從軍有功，宦寺黃儼等復党高燧，陰謀奪嫡，譖世子。 Gao Xu had campaigned with distinction; the eunuch Huang Yan and his faction backed Gao Sui, scheming in secret to supplant the heir and traducing him at court.

會朝廷賜世子書，為離間。 Once the central government sent the heir a letter intended to drive a wedge between father and son.

世子不啟緘，馳上之。 The heir never broke the seal but raced to deliver the packet intact to Chengzu.

而儼先潛報成祖曰：「世子與朝廷通，使者至矣。」 Huang Yan had already whispered to Chengzu, "The heir is in league with the court—the envoy has arrived."

無何，世子所遣使亦至。 Soon the heir's own messenger reached camp as well.

成祖踐阼，以北平為北京，仍命居守。 When Chengzu took the throne he made Beiping the Northern Capital but still left the heir in charge there.

永樂二年二月，始召至京，立為皇太子。 In the second month of Yongle 2 he was at last called to the capital and invested as crown prince.

或問太子：「亦知有讒人乎？」 Once someone asked the heir apparent: "Do you know there are men working to ruin you?"

十年，北征還，以太子遣使後期，且書奏失辭，悉徵宮僚黃儼等下獄。 In Yongle 10, on returning from the north, Chengzu blamed the heir's late dispatch of envoys and lapses in memorial wording and threw Huang Yan and the rest of the household staff into prison.

明年，黃儼等復譖太子擅赦罪人，宮僚多坐死者。 The following year Huang Yan's party accused the heir of unauthorized amnesties, and many of his attendants were executed.

侍郎胡濙奉命察之，密疏太子誠敬孝謹七事以聞，成祖意乃釋。 Vice Minister Hu Ying was sent to inquire and privately reported seven proofs of the heir's loyalty, respect, filial piety, and restraint; Chengzu's suspicions eased.

其後黃儼等謀立高燧，事覺伏誅，高燧以太子力解得免，自是太子始安。 Later Huang Yan's group tried to place Gao Sui on the throne; the plot was uncovered and they were put to death; Gao Sui was spared only because the heir pleaded for him, and at last the crown prince could rest secure.

丁巳，即皇帝位。 On dingsi he ascended the throne.

帝曰：「祖宗令天下奏雨澤，欲知水旱，以施恤民之政。 The emperor replied: "Our forefathers required rainfall memorials from across the realm precisely so the throne could learn of flood and drought and send relief.

帝曰：「即振之，何貸為。」 The Emperor said, "Relieve them at once—why lend?"

夏四月壬寅，帝聞山東及淮、徐民乏食，有司徵夏稅方急，乃御西角門詔大學士楊士奇草詔，免今年夏稅及科糧之半。 In summer, the fourth month, on renyin, the Emperor learned that Shandong and the Huai and Xu regions were short of food while local officials were pressing summer taxes hard; he went to the West Corner Gate, had Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi draft an edict, and remitted this year's summer tax and half the levy grain.

帝曰：「救民之窮當如救焚拯溺，不可遲疑。 The Emperor said, "To save the people from want is like snatching them from fire or water; there must be no delay.

帝覽畢，即用璽付外行之。 The Emperor read it, sealed it at once, and sent it out to be promulgated.

戊午，如天壽山，謁長陵。 On wuwu the Emperor went to Tianshou Mountain and paid homage at Changling.

庚辰，帝不豫，遣使召皇太子於南京。 On gengchen the Emperor fell ill and sent envoys to summon the Crown Prince from Nanjing.

秋七月己巳，上尊諡，廟號仁宗，葬獻陵。 In autumn, the seventh month, on jisi, posthumous titles were raised; his temple name was Renzong, and he was buried at Xianling.

贊曰：「當靖難師起，仁宗以世子居守，全城濟師。 The eulogy says, "When the armies of the pacification rose, Renzong as heir apparent held the city, kept it whole, and fed the host.

History of Ming, Chapter 14Volume 14 Annals 14: Xianzong 2 · 1 passage

時際休明，朝多耆彥，帝能篤於任人，謹於天戒，蠲賦省刑，閭里日益充足，仁、宣之治於斯復見。 His age was bright and settled, and the court held many seasoned worthies; the Emperor was steadfast in appointing men, heedful of Heaven's warnings, and generous in remitting levies and easing punishments, so that villages grew ever more prosperous and the governance of Renzong and Xuanzong seemed to return.

History of Ming, Chapter 58Volume 58 Treatises 34: Rites 12 · 25 passages

京師聞訃，皇太子以下皆易服。 When word reached the capital, the crown prince and all below him changed into mourning dress.

禮部定喪禮，宮中自皇太子以下及諸王、公主，成服日爲始，斬衰三年，二十七月除。 The Ministry of Rites fixed the mourning rites: within the palace, from the crown prince down through princes and princesses, full mourning began on the appointed day—the highest grade for three years, doffed after twenty-seven months.

皇太子、親王及羣臣皆衰服哭迎於郊。 The crown prince, imperial princes, and ministers all wore full mourning and wept to welcome the bier in the suburbs.

帝以梓宮在殯，不忍易，素冠、麻衣、麻絰視朝，退仍衰服，羣臣聽其便。 The emperor, with the imperial bier still in lying-in-state, could not bring himself to change; he attended court in a plain cap, hemp garments, and hemp mourning bands, then resumed full mourning after court, while ministers were left to do as they saw fit.

遣官以葬期告天地宗社，皇帝衰服告几筵，皇太子以下皆衰服隨班行禮。 Officials were dispatched to announce the burial date to Heaven and Earth and the ancestral altars; the emperor in full mourning announced to the spirit table; the crown prince and all below wore full mourning and followed in rank to perform the rites.

是夕，設辭奠，帝后太子以下皆衰服，以序致祭。 That evening a farewell offering was set up; the emperor, empress, crown prince, and all below wore full mourning and offered sacrifice in order of rank.

皇帝暨皇太子以下衰服四拜。 The emperor, crown prince, and all below in full mourning performed four bows.

皇帝詣梓宮前，西向立。 The emperor went before the imperial bier and stood facing west.

皇帝由殿左門出，后妃、皇太子、親王及宮妃後隨。 The emperor exited through the hall's left gate, followed by empresses, the crown prince, imperial princes, and palace consorts.

內侍請靈駕進發，皇帝以下哭盡哀，俱還宮。 Inner attendants requested the spirit carriage to advance; the emperor and all below wept their fill, then all returned to the palace.

還京，皇帝行禮。 When they returned to the capital, the emperor performed the rites.

至午門外，皇帝衰服迎於午門內，舉哀，步導主升几筵殿。 Outside the Meridian Gate, the emperor in full mourning welcomed the tablet inside the gate, raised lamentation, and on foot escorted it up to the spirit table hall.

皇帝立殿上，內侍請神主降輿升座，行安神禮。 The emperor stood in the hall; palace attendants requested that the spirit tablet be lowered from the carriage and installed on its seat, and the rite of settling the spirit was performed.

皇帝四拜，興，奠酒，讀祝。 The emperor bowed four times, rose, offered wine, and read the prayer of invocation.

設儀衛傘扇於午門外，內侍進御輦於几筵殿前，皇帝衰服四拜，舉哀。 The guard of honor, parasols, and fans were arrayed outside the Meridian Gate; palace attendants brought the imperial palanquin before the spirit table hall; the emperor in full mourning bowed four times and raised lamentation.

至思善門外，皇帝易祭服，升輅，隨至午門外，詣御輦前跪。 Outside the Gate of Reflecting on Goodness, the emperor changed into sacrificial dress, mounted his carriage, followed to outside the Meridian Gate, and knelt before the imperial palanquin.

太常卿奏請神主降輦，皇帝俯伏，興，捧主由左門入，至丹陛上。 The Minister of Imperial Sacrifices announced a request that the spirit tablet be lowered from the palanquin; the emperor prostrated himself, rose, bore the tablet, and entered through the left gate to the red steps.

至廟前，內侍捧主至褥位，皇帝於後行八拜禮。 Upon reaching the temple, palace attendants bore the tablet to the cushion; the emperor followed behind and performed the eight-bow rite.

唱「賜坐」，皇帝搢圭，奉神主安於座，詣拜位行祭禮，如時饗儀。 At the call of "Bestow the seat," the emperor inserted the tablet scepter, reverently installed the spirit tablet on its seat, then proceeded to the bowing position and performed the sacrificial rites as in the seasonal feasting ceremony.

太常卿奏請神主還几筵，皇帝捧主由廟左門出，安奉於御輦。 The Minister of Imperial Sacrifices announced a request that the spirit tablet return to the spirit table; the emperor bore it out through the temple's left gate and reverently placed it on the imperial palanquin.

皇帝升輅隨，至思善門降輅，易衰服，隨至几筵殿前。 The emperor mounted his carriage and followed; at the Gate of Reflecting on Goodness he dismounted, changed back into full mourning, and followed to before the spirit table hall.

皇帝由殿左門入，行安神禮畢，釋服還宮。 The emperor entered through the hall's left gate; when the rite of settling the spirit was complete, he removed his mourning dress and returned to the palace.

皇帝祭告几筵殿，皇太后、皇后以下各祭一罈，王府遣官共祭一罈，在京文武官祭一罈。 The emperor made a sacrificial announcement at the spirit table hall; the empress dowager, the empress, and all below each offered one jar; the princely establishments dispatched officials to offer one jar jointly; and civil and military officials in the capital offered one jar.

洪熙元年，仁宗崩。 In the first year of Hongxi, Emperor Renzong died.

明自仁宗獻陵以後，規制儉約。 From the Hongxi Emperor's Xianling tomb onward, Ming regulations were economical.

History of Ming, Chapter 169Volume 169 Biographies 57: Gao Gu, Hu Ying, Wang Zhi · 5 passages

仁宗即位，改春坊司直郎，尋遷翰林侍講。 When Renzong succeeded, he was made directing clerk of the Eastern Palace and soon promoted to Hanlin reader-in-waiting.

皇太子監國南京，漢王為飛語謗太子。 While the crown prince governed at Nanjing, the Prince of Han spread rumors to blacken him.

濙至，密疏馳上監國七事，言誠敬孝謹無他，帝悅。 Hu Ying reached Nanjing and sent in a sealed memorial on seven points of the regency, declaring that the heir was reverent, filial, and diligent with no fault found; the emperor was pleased.

仁宗即位，召為行在禮部侍郎，濙陳十事，力言建都北京非便，請還南都，省南北轉運供億之煩。 When Renzong succeeded, Hu Ying was summoned as vice minister of rites at the traveling court; he presented ten proposals, arguing forcefully that establishing Beijing as the capital was inexpedient, urging a return to Nanjing to spare the burden of north-south transport and supply.

歷事仁宗、宣宗，累遷少詹事兼侍讀學士。 Under Renzong and Xuanzong he rose to junior chamberlain and lecturing academician.