Ming · Ming Emperor

Emperor Xuanzong 宣宗

Xuanzong

Attested AD 1424 - AD 1435

Passages: 68
Chapters: 4
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Xuanzong was a Ming Emperor.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Regnal name	Xuande Emperor	宣德	Xuande

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 188

Attested activity

AD 1424 十二月
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 58, passages 59-60
AD 1425 to AD 1435 宣宗
Directly stated · History of Ming 149, passages 254, 271
AD 1425 宣宗即位
Directly stated · History of Ming 149, passage 46
AD 1426 宣宗即位
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 169, passage 53
AD 1435 宣宗崩
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 188
AD 1426 to AD 1435 宣宗故事
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 155

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 1430 宣德五年正月
Directly stated · History of Ming 149, passage 230
AD 1429 宣德四年十月
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 152
AD 1425 洪熙元年
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passages 156-157

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Zhu Gaochi (朱高熾)
crown prince 皇太子
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 58, passages 58, 60
Child of Empress of Renzong (仁宗皇后)
mother 母后
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 165

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Ming 明
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 152; History of Ming 149, passage 254
Ming 明
Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 53
Polity Ming 明 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 188
At Liangxiang 良鄉 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 157
At Nanjing 南京 · Relation Traveled from
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 157

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Jian Yi (蹇義), Xia Yuanji (夏原吉)
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passages 177, 180
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 173

Events and relationships

Fixed courier transport rule for deceased capital officials
Legal · Issuer
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 149, passages 271-272
Ordered courier boat for body
Ritual · Authority · With Zou Shiyan (鄒師顏)
Directly stated · History of Ming 149, passage 271
Performed Taizong burial and comforting rites
Ritual · Crown prince
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passages 96, 121
Planned suburban troop review
AD 1429 宣德四年十月 · Military · Sovereign
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 152
Planned Xianling on frugal scale
Construction · Planner
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passages 181-182

References in the histories

Search passages

History

68 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 57Volume 57 Treatises 33: Rites 11 · 2 passages

宣德四年十月，帝將閱武郊外，命都督府整兵，文武各堂上官一員、屬官一員扈從。 In the tenth month of the fourth year of Xuande, the emperor was about to review troops in the suburbs and ordered the Regional Military Commission to ready the army; one chief official and one subordinate from each civil and military bureau were to attend as escorts.

兵部引宣宗、英宗故事，請行之。 The Ministry of War cited precedents from Emperors Xuanzong and Yingzong and requested that it be carried out.

History of Ming, Chapter 58Volume 58 Treatises 34: Rites 12 · 33 passages

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.

皇太子、親王以次侍立。 The crown prince and imperial princes stood in attendance in order of rank.

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.

皇太子、親王以下哭送出端門外，行辭祖禮。 The crown prince, imperial princes, and all below escorted the bier weeping to outside the Upright Gate and performed the rite of bidding farewell to the ancestors.

皇太子易常服，捧神帛，由左門入，至褥位跪，置神帛於褥，興，正立於神後跪。 The crown prince changed into regular dress, bore the spirit silks, entered through the left gate, knelt at the cushion, placed the spirit silks upon it, rose, and knelt upright behind the spirit.

皇太子俯伏，興。 The crown prince prostrated himself, then rose.

贊五拜三叩頭畢，皇太子捧神帛興，以授禮官。 After five bows and three kowtows were completed, the crown prince bore the spirit silks, rose, and handed them to the rites official.

皇太子仍喪服，親王以下隨行。 The crown prince again put on mourning dress; imperial princes and all below followed along.

梓宮由大明中門出，皇太子以下由左門出，步送至德勝門外，乘馬至陵，在途朝夕哭奠臨。 The imperial bier exited through the Great Bright central gate; the crown prince and all below left through the left gate and escorted it on foot to outside the Victorious Virtue Gate, then mounted horses for the tomb, weeping and offering libations morning and evening along the way.

執事官奉梓宮入，皇太子、親王由左門入，安奉訖，行安神禮。 Officiants reverently brought the imperial bier inside; the crown prince and imperial princes entered through the left gate; once placement was complete, they performed the rite of settling the spirit.

皇太子四拜，興，奠酒，讀祝。 The crown prince bowed four times, rose, offered wine, and read the prayer.

將掩玄宮，皇太子以下詣梓宮前跪。 When the underground palace was about to be sealed, the crown prince and all below him proceeded to kneel before the imperial bier.

皇太子四拜興，奠酒，進贈。 The crown prince bowed four times, rose, offered wine, and presented the burial gifts.

執事官捧玉帛進於右，皇太子受獻，以授內執事，捧入皇堂安置。 Officiants brought jade and silks forward on the right; the crown prince received the offering and passed it to inner attendants, who carried it into the imperial hall and set it in place.

設皇太子拜位於前，北向。 The crown prince's place for bowing was set before it, facing north.

皇太子四拜，初獻，奠帛酒，讀祝，俯伏，興。 The crown prince bowed four times, made the first offering, presented silks and wine, read the prayer, then prostrated himself and rose.

在途，皇太子行禮。 Along the route, the crown prince performed the rites.

皇太子隨，仍朝夕奠。 The crown prince followed along, still offering libations morning and evening.

皇太子以下陪拜。 The crown prince and all below him accompanied him in bowing.

皇太子還自南京，至良鄉，宮中始發喪，宣遺詔。 The crown prince was returning from Nanjing; when he reached Liangxiang, mourning was first announced in the palace and the final testament was proclaimed.

易素服，迎皇太子於盧溝橋，橋南設幕次香案。 They changed into plain dress and went to welcome the crown prince at Lugou Bridge; south of the bridge a tent pavilion and incense table were set up.

皇太子至，常服，詣次四拜。 When the crown prince arrived, still in regular dress, he proceeded to the pavilion and bowed four times.

皇太子就喪次東，見母后。 The crown prince took his place to the east of the mourning pavilion and met the empress dowager.

親王以次見皇太子畢，各居喪次，行祭告禮。 Imperial princes, in order of rank, after meeting the crown prince, each took their place in the mourning pavilion and performed the announcement sacrifice.

服除，禮臣請帝服淺淡色衣、烏紗翼善冠、黑角帶，於奉天門視事。 When the mourning period ended, rites officials requested that the emperor wear light-colored garments, a black gauze Yishan cap, and a black horn belt, and conduct affairs at the Gate of Receiving Heaven.

帝曰：「朕心何能忍，雖加一日愈於已。」 The emperor said: "How can my heart bear this — even one day more is better than ending it now."

帝命候山陵事畢。 The emperor ordered them to wait until the mountain tomb affairs were finished.

先是，詔營獻陵，帝召尚書蹇義、夏原吉諭曰：「國家以四海之富葬親，豈惜勞費。 Earlier, an edict had ordered the construction of Xianling; the emperor summoned the ministers Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji and instructed them: "The state possesses the wealth of all under Heaven to bury a parent — how could it begrudge labor and expense.

其制較長陵遠殺，皆帝所規畫也。 Its scale was far reduced compared with Changling, and all of it was planned by the emperor himself.

吏部尚書蹇義等請祔廟後，素服御西角門視事。 Minister of Personnel Jian Yi and others requested that after enshrinement at the temple, the emperor conduct affairs in plain dress at the West Corner Gate.

宣宗崩，喪葬如獻陵故事。 When Emperor Xuanzong died, the funeral and burial followed the Xianling precedent.

History of Ming, Chapter 149Volume 149 Biographies 37: Jian Yi, Xia Yuanji · 30 passages

帝又念義監國時舊勞，尤厚倚之。 The Emperor also remembered Jian Yi's service when the Crown Prince had governed the realm, and relied on him all the more heavily.

宣宗即位，委寄益重。 When the Xuanzong Emperor ascended the throne, his reliance on Jian Yi grew even greater.

時方修獻陵，帝欲遵遺詔從儉約，以問義、原吉。 The Xian Mausoleum was then under construction; the Emperor wished to follow his father's testament and keep the work frugal, and consulted Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji.

帝親為規畫，三月而陵成，宏麗不及長陵，其後諸帝因以為制。 The Emperor personally oversaw the design; the mausoleum was completed in three months. It was less grand than the Chang Mausoleum, and later emperors took this as their standard.

帝征樂安，義、原吉及諸學士皆從，預軍中機務，賜鞍馬甲胄弓劍。 When the Emperor campaigned against Le'an, Jian Yi, Xia Yuanji, and the Hanlin academicians all accompanied him, took part in military planning, and were given saddles, horses, armor, bows, and swords.

帝以義、原吉、士奇、榮四人者皆已老，賜璽書曰：「卿等皆祖宗遺老，畀輔朕躬。 Seeing that Jian Yi, Xia Yuanji, Yang Shiqi, and Yang Rong were all advanced in years, the Emperor bestowed an imperial letter: "You are all surviving elders left by our ancestors, entrusted to assist me.

尋以胡濙言，命義等四人議天下官吏軍民建言章奏。 Soon afterward, on Hu Ying's recommendation, the Emperor ordered Jian Yi and the other three to deliberate on memorials submitted by officials, soldiers, and civilians throughout the empire.

八年，帝北征，輔太孫留守北京，總行在九卿事。 In the eighth year, when the Emperor campaigned north, he assisted the imperial grandson in governing Beijing and oversaw all ministerial affairs at the traveling capital.

時諸司草創，每旦，原吉入佐太孫參決庶務。 At that time the various offices were still being established; each morning Yuanji entered to assist the imperial grandson in deciding routine affairs.

尋從還南京，命侍太孫周行鄉落，觀民間疾苦。 He soon accompanied the court back to Nanjing and was ordered to attend the imperial grandson on tours through villages to observe the people's hardships.

自是屢侍太孫，往來兩京，在道隨事納忠，多所裨益。 From then on he often attended the imperial grandson, traveling between the two capitals and offering loyal counsel along the way to great effect.

十八年，北京宮室成，使原吉南召太子、太孫。 In the eighteenth year, when the Beijing palaces were completed, Yuanji was sent south to summon the Crown Prince and imperial grandson.

崩聞至之三日，太子走系所，呼原吉，哭而告之。 Three days after news of the death arrived, the Crown Prince ran to the prison, called for Yuanji, and weeping told him the news.

太子令出獄，與議喪禮，復問赦詔所宜。 The Crown Prince ordered him released to deliberate on funeral rites and asked what should be included in the amnesty edict.

原吉固辭，乃聽辭太子少傅祿。 Xia Yuanji firmly declined, and the Emperor allowed him to forgo the Crown Prince's tutor stipend.

已而仁宗崩，太子至自南京。 Soon Emperor Renzong died, and the Crown Prince came up from Nanjing.

宣宗即位，以舊輔益親重。 When the Xuanzong Emperor came to the throne, he treated this veteran counselor with even greater intimacy and respect.

帝夜召諸臣議。 The Emperor summoned his ministers for a night council.

楊榮首勸帝親征。 Yang Rong was the first to urge the Emperor to take the field in person.

帝難之。 The Emperor hesitated.

帝意遂決。 The Emperor's mind was made up.

不聽。 The Emperor would not hear of it.

帝取原吉橐糗嘗之，笑曰：「何惡也？」 The Emperor took the dried grain from Xia Yuanji's pouch and tasted it, laughing, "How wretched this is!"

帝命賜以大官之饌，且犒將士。 The Emperor ordered court delicacies bestowed on him and rewards given to the officers and troops.

從閱武兔兒山，帝怒諸將慢，褫其衣。 He accompanied the troop review at Tuer Mountain; the Emperor, angered by the generals' slackness, ordered their garments stripped off.

帝曰：「為卿釋之。」 The Emperor said, "For your sake I will release them."

帝雅善繪事，嘗親畫《壽星圖》以賜。 The Emperor was skilled at painting and once personally painted the Star of Longevity to bestow on him.

仁、宣之世，外兼臺省，內參館閣，與三楊同心輔政。 Under the Renzong and Xuanzong emperors they held censorial posts abroad and served in the Hanlin at court, working in concert with the Three Yangs to govern.

尚書呂震聞於朝，宣宗命驛舟送之。 Minister Lü Zhen reported it at court; the Xuanzong Emperor ordered a courier boat to convey the body home.

仁、宣繼體，委寄優隆，同德協心，匡翼令主。 Under the Renzong and Xuanzong emperors they were entrusted with exceptional favor, working in concert to support their excellent sovereigns.

History of Ming, Chapter 169Volume 169 Biographies 57: Gao Gu, Hu Ying, Wang Zhi · 3 passages

宣宗即位，仍遷禮部左侍郎。 When Xuande succeeded, Hu Ying was again made left vice minister of rites.

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.

正統三年，《宣宗實錄》成。 In Zhengtong three the Veritable Records of Xuanzong were completed.