# List of emperors of the Ming dynasty by length of reign

The following is a list, ordered by length of reign, of the emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and the Southern Ming dynasty (1644–1662).
The Ming dynasty was established in 1368 when Zhu Yuanzhang, a poor farmer, led a rebellion and overthrew the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. He declared himself the Hongwu Emperor, a remarkable social climb that had only been achieved once before in Chinese history, 1,569 years earlier by Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). The Zhu family ruled the Ming dynasty for 276 years until it was overthrown in 1644 and replaced by the Manchu-led Qing dynasty. Despite the fall of the Ming dynasty, there were surviving members of the Zhu family who could potentially claim the throne and establish the Southern Ming dynasty in southern China. This dynasty lasted until 1662, when the last emperor was executed by Qing dynasty troops. The emperors of the Southern Ming dynasty did not always succeed each other in chronological order, as multiple descendants claimed the title of emperor at the same time.
From the Hongwu Emperor to the Chongzhen Emperor, there were 16 emperors in the Ming dynasty. Among them, the longest reign was the 13th emperor, the Wanli Emperor, who ruled for 48 years and 44 days. His reign was also the longest of any Chinese emperor since the Han dynasty in the 2nd century BC. The shortest was his son's reign, the Taichang Emperor, who ruled for only one month in 1620.

## Ten longest-reigning Ming emperors

| Rank | Portrait | Emperor | Age at accession | Reign | Reign | Duration | Duration |
| Rank | Portrait | Emperor | Age at accession | From | To | Days | Years, days |
| 1 | | Wanli Emperor | 8 years, 305 days | 5 July 1572 | 18 August 1620 | 17,577 | 48 years, 44 days |
| 2 | | Jiajing Emperor | 13 years, 253 days | 27 May 1521 | 23 January 1567 | 16,678 | 45 years, 238 days |
| 3 | | Hongwu Emperor | 39 years, 94 days | 23 January 1368 | 24 June 1398 | 11,111 | 30 years, 152 days |
| 4 | | Chenghua Emperor | 16 years, 76 days | 23 February 1464 | 9 September 1487 | 8,600 | 23 years, 198 days |
| 5 | | Yongle Emperor | 42 years, 76 days | 17 July 1402 | 12 August 1424 | 8,063 | 22 years, 27 days |
| 6 | | Emperor Yingzong | 7 years, 63 days | 31 January 1435 11 February 1457 | 22 September 1449 23 February 1464 | 5,349 2,569 Total: 7, 918 | 14 years, 233 days 7 years, 13 days 21 years, 246 days |
| 7 | | Hongzhi Emperor | 17 years, 41 days | 9 September 1487 | 8 June 1505 | 6,483 | 17 years, 270 days |
| 8 | | Chongzhen Emperor | 16 years, 238 days | 2 October 1627 | 25 April 1644 | 6,051 | 16 years, 204 days |
| 9 | | Zhengde Emperor | 13 years, 225 days | 8 June 1505 | 20 April 1521 | 5,796 | 15 years, 313 days |
| 10 | | Yongli Emperor | 23 years, 53 days | 24 December 1646 | 1 June 1662 | 5,639 | 15 years, 159 days |

## Ming dynasty

| Emperor | Reign | Reign | Duration | Duration |
| Emperor | From | To | Days | Years, days |
| Wanli Emperor | 5 July 1572 | 18 August 1620 | 17,577 | 48 years, 44 days |
| Jiajing Emperor | 27 May 1521 | 23 January 1567 | 16,678 | 45 years, 238 days |
| Hongwu Emperor | 23 January 1368 | 24 June 1398 | 11,111 | 30 years, 152 days |
| Chenghua Emperor | 23 February 1464 | 9 September 1487 | 8,600 | 23 years, 198 days |
| Yongle Emperor | 17 July 1402 | 12 August 1424 | 8,063 | 22 years, 27 days |
| Emperor Yingzong | 31 January 1435 11 February 1457 | 22 September 1449 23 February 1464 | 5,349 2,569 Total: 7, 918 | 14 years, 233 days 7 years, 13 days 21 years, 246 days |
| Hongzhi Emperor | 9 September 1487 | 8 June 1505 | 6,483 | 17 years, 270 days |
| Chongzhen Emperor | 2 October 1627 | 25 April 1644 | 6,051 | 16 years, 204 days |
| Zhengde Emperor | 8 June 1505 | 20 April 1521 | 5,796 | 15 years, 313 days |
| Xuande Emperor | 29 May 1425 | 31 January 1435 | 3,535 | 9 years, 243 days |
| Jingtai Emperor | 11 February 1457 | 23 February 1464 | 2,700 | 7 years, 141 days |
| Tianqi Emperor | 26 September 1620 | 30 September 1627 | 2,561 | 7 years, 5 days |
| Longqing Emperor | 23 January 1567 | 5 July 1572 | 1,991 | 5 years, 163 days |
| Hongxi Emperor | 12 August 1424 | 29 May 1425 | 291 | 291 days |
| Taichang Emperor | 28 August 1620 | 26 September 1620 | 30 | 30 days |

## Southern Ming
### Emperor

| Emperor | Reign | Reign | Duration | Duration |
| Emperor | From | To | Days | Years, days |
| Yongli Emperor | 24 December 1646 | 1 June 1662 | 5,639 | 15 years, 159 days |
| Longwu Emperor | 18 August 1645 | 6 October 1646 | 415 | 1 year, 49 days |
| Hongguang Emperor | 19 June 1644 | 15 June 1645 | 331 | 331 days |
| Shaowu Emperor | 11 December 1646 | 20 January 1647 | 70 | 70 days |

### Regent

| Name | Reign | Reign | Duration | Duration |
| Name | From | To | Days | Years, days |
| Zhu Yihai | 7 September 1645 | 29 March 1653 | 2,761 | 7 years, 203 days |
| Zhu Changqing | January or February 1648 | November or December 1648 | c. 330 | c. 1 year |
| Zhu Youlang | 16 November 1646 | 24 December 1646 | 39 | 39 days |
| Zhu Yujian | 21 July 1645 | 18 August 1645 | 29 | 29 days |
| Zhu Hengjia | 22 September 1645 | 14 October 1645 | 23 | 23 days |
| Zhu Yousong | 7 June 1644 | 19 June 1644 | 13 | 13 days |
| Zhu Changfang | 1 July 1645 | 6 July 1645 | 6 | 6 days |