Ming · Ming Emperor

Emperor Yingzong 英宗

Yingzong

Attested AD 1436 - AD 1464

Passages: 28
Chapters: 3
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Yingzong was a Ming Emperor.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Retired Emperor	太上皇帝	Taishang Huangdi

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 190

Attested activity

AD 1457 今上復辟
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 243
AD 1449 正統
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 169, passage 74
AD 1449 to AD 1457 當英、景之間
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 249
AD 1436 英宗即位
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 169, passage 254
AD 1464 英宗崩
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 190
AD 1457 英宗復位
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 169, passage 27

Show 1 more source-backed claim

AD 1436 to AD 1449 英宗故事
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 155

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Xianzong (憲宗)
heir apparent 東宮
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 58, passage 190

Key source chapters

Career and standing

forbade burial of palace consorts in sacrifice 不得以宮妃殉葬
Decreed
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 190
Restored
AD 1457 英宗復位
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passages 27, 109, 221

Places and affiliations

Ming 明
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 155
Ming 明
Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 254
Polity Ming 明 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 190

Works and attributed material

Forbade consort martyrdom and delayed heir marriage
Testament · Author
Directly stated · History of Ming 58, passage 190

Events and relationships

Captured in the north / Tumu
Military · Captive
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 74
Returned and resided in Southern Palace
Political · Subject
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 99
restored 復辟
AD 1457 今上復辟 · Political · Subject · Was restored to the throne
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 243
between Yingzong and Jingtai 英、景之間
Relation Contemporaries with · Person Jingtai (景泰)
Directly stated · History of Ming 169, passage 249

References in the histories

Search passages

History

28 passages

History of Ming, Chapter 57Volume 57 Treatises 33: Rites 11 · 1 passage

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 · 1 passage

英宗崩，遺命東宮過百日成婚，不得以宮妃殉葬。 When Emperor Yingzong died, his final command was that the heir apparent should marry after one hundred days and that palace consorts must not be buried alive in sacrifice.

History of Ming, Chapter 169Volume 169 Biographies 57: Gao Gu, Hu Ying, Wang Zhi · 26 passages

英宗即位，開經筵，楊士奇薦谷及苗衷、馬愉、曹鼐四人侍講讀。 When Yingzong opened the Classics Lecture, Yang Shiqi recommended Gao Gu along with Miao Zhong, Ma Yu, and Cao Qi to serve as lecturers and readers.

英宗將還，奉迎禮薄，千戶龔遂榮投書於谷，具言禮宜從厚，援唐肅宗迎上皇故事。 When Emperor Yingzong was due to return, the planned welcome rites were deemed too spare. The qianhu Gong Suirong sent Gao Gu a letter arguing at length that the ceremony should be lavish, invoking Emperor Suzong of Tang welcoming his father home from retirement.

英宗復位，循、文等皆誅竄，谷謝病。 When Yingzong was restored to the throne, Chen Xun and Wang Wen and their party were put to death or exiled, and Gao Gu retired citing illness.

英宗謂谷長者，語廷臣曰：「谷在內閣議迎駕及南內事，嘗左右朕。 Yingzong called Gao Gu a man of standing and told the court, "In the Grand Secretariat, on welcoming me home and affairs of the Southern Palace, Gao Gu often stood by me.

英宗即位，詔節冗費。 When Yingzong came to the throne, an edict called for cutting wasteful spending.

英宗北狩，群臣聚哭於朝，有議南遷者。 When Yingzong was captured in the north, ministers wept together at court, and some urged moving the capital south.

楊善使也先，濙言上皇蒙塵久，宜附進服食，不報。 When Yang Shan went on embassy to the Oirats, Hu Ying urged that supplies be sent to the captive emperor, who had long suffered in the north, but the court did not reply.

上皇將還，命禮部具奉迎儀。 As the retired emperor was about to return, the throne ordered the ministry of rites to draw up welcome rites.

上皇自安定門入，進東安門，於東上北門南面坐； the retired emperor would enter by the Anding Gate, go on to the Dong'an Gate, and take a seat facing south at the upper north gate on the east side;

皇帝謁見畢，百官朝見，上皇入南城大內。 after the reigning emperor had performed his visit, the officials would attend, and the retired emperor would enter the inner quarters of the Southern Palace.

帝報曰：「朕尊大兄為太上皇帝，尊禮無加矣。 The emperor answered, "I honor my elder brother as Retired Emperor; no welcome could exceed that.

帝曰：「昨得太上皇書，具言迎駕之禮宜從簡損，朕豈得違之。」 The emperor said, "Yesterday I received a letter from the Retired Emperor stating plainly that the welcome should be kept simple; how could I go against it?"

上皇至，居南城宮。 When the Retired Emperor returned, he lived in the palace of the Southern City.

上皇萬壽節，請令百官拜賀延安門，亦不許。 On the Retired Emperor's birthday Hu Ying again asked that officials offer congratulations at the Yan'an Gate; again the request was denied.

英宗復位，力疾入朝，遂求去。 When Yingzong was restored Hu Ying dragged himself to court despite illness, then asked to retire.

景泰元年，也先使使議和，且請還上皇，下禮部議未決。 In Jingtai one Esen sent envoys to discuss peace and ask for the retired emperor's return; the ministry of rites debated without decision.

直率群臣上言曰：「太上皇惑細人言，輕身一出，至於蒙塵。 Wang Zhi led the ministers in memorializing: "The Retired Emperor was misled by petty men and went forth rashly, until he fell into hardship.

望陛下俯從其請，遣使往報，因察其誠偽而撫納之，奉太上皇以歸，少慰祖宗之心。 We beg Your Majesty to accept, send envoys to answer, test their sincerity, and bring the Retired Emperor home to comfort our ancestors' spirits.

陛下天位已定，太上皇還，不復蒞天下事。 Your Majesty's throne is secure; when the Retired Emperor returns he will not rule again.

直與寧陽侯陳懋等上疏，請更遣使賫禮幣往迎上皇，不許。 Wang Zhi with the Marquis of Ningyang Chen Mao and others asked that another envoy go with gifts to welcome the retired emperor — refused.

其所需衣物資斧者，上皇言也； The clothing, supplies, and axes they need — the retired emperor spoke of these;

直等復上言：「今北使已發，願本上皇之心，順臣民之願，因彼悔心，遣使往報，以圖迎復，此不待計而決者也。 Wang Zhi and others memorialized again: "Northern envoys have already set out; in accord with the retired emperor's heart and the people's wish, seize their repentance and send envoys to plan his welcome — this needs no debate.

已而善竟奉上皇還。 Before long Yang Shan did bring the retired emperor home.

未上，而石亨、徐有貞等奪門迎上皇復位，殺王文等。 Before it was submitted, Shi Heng and Xu Youzhen seized the gate to restore Yingzong and killed Wang Wen and others.

然使我在閣，今上復辟，當不免遼陽之行，安得與汝曹為樂哉！」 Yet had I been in the cabinet when the present emperor was restored, I could not have escaped banishment to Liaoyang — how could I enjoy this with you!"

當英、景之間，國勢初更，人心觀望，執政任事之臣多阿意取容。 Between Yingzong and Jingtai, when the realm's situation had just changed and people watched and waited, many ministers who held power and handled affairs flattered to please.