# Jingtai Emperor's change of heirs apparent

The change of heirs apparent of 1452 was a significant political event in the Ming dynasty during the Jingtai Emperor's reign. After seizing the throne from Emperor Yingzong, who had been captured by the Mongols during the Tumu Crisis, the Jingtai Emperor, with the assistance of officials such as Yu Qian, successfully defended Beijing and brought back Emperor Yingzong, placing him under house arrest in the Southern Palace to prevent his return to power. Additionally, the Jingtai Emperor also attempted to depose the crown prince Zhu Jianshen, son of Emperor Yingzong, and appoint his own son as the new crown prince. To achieve this, he resorted to various tactics, including bribery and forceful intimidation. This act of the emperor bribing officials to replace the crown prince was considered a rare occurrence in Chinese history.

## Background

The Jingtai Emperor was the second son of the Xuande Emperor and the younger brother of Emperor Yingzong. Originally titled Prince of Cheng, in 1449, Emperor Yingzong personally led an expedition against the Oirat Mongols and left Prince of Cheng as regent. Emperor Yingzong's campaign ultimately led to the Tumu Crisis, in which he was captured and the Oirat aggressively advanced, attacking Beijing. This event caused shock and fear among the court and the common people, creating a tense atmosphere throughout the capital. On 28 August, Wang Wen (王文) submitted a memorial to Prince of Cheng, urging him to prioritize the nation and the people and succeed to the throne. At the time, Emperor Yingzong's eldest son, Zhu Jianshen, was only two years old. To avoid doubts about a young ruler, the ministers, including Yu Qian, persuaded Empress Dowager Sun to support Prince of Cheng's ascension to the throne. In September 1449, Prince of Cheng was enthroned as the Jingtai Emperor, marking the beginning of the Jingtai era. Emperor Yingzong was given the title of Emperor Emeritus. Empress Dowager Sun also made it clear that the Ming dynasty still belonged to Emperor Yingzong, and that the Jingtai Emperor was merely acting as a regent. She also appointed Emperor Yingzong's son, Zhu Jianshen, as the crown prince.
During his reign, the Jingtai Emperor was skilled in identifying and appointing capable individuals, such as Yu Qian and other upright individuals. He worked diligently to strengthen the country, selecting and training generals, and successfully repelling the invasion of the Oirat Mongols, restoring stability to the nation. Additionally, he implemented reforms and adjustments in the political, economic, and military spheres, leading to a gradual revival of Ming society from chaos to order. These actions demonstrate his wisdom and capability as a ruler. In 1450, after Emperor Yingzong was released and returned to Beijing, he was placed under house arrest by the Jingtai Emperor in the Southern Palace. While the Jingtai Emperor's hold on the throne gradually solidified, he was not content. Not only did he desire to be the sole emperor, but he also hoped that his son Zhu Jianji could replace the crown prince Zhu Jianshen and become the legitimate heir to the throne. To achieve this, he orchestrated a farce of bribing court officials.

## Events

The Jingtai Emperor had to be cautious as the empress dowager had appointed the crown prince. He first tested the experienced eunuch Jin Ying, saying "Early the seventh month, on the second day, it will be the heir apparent's birthday". Jin Ying immediately replied, "The heir apparent's birthday is on the second of the eleventh month". This was the birthday of the crown prince Zhu Jianshen, while the date mentioned by the Jingtai Emperor was that of his son, Zhu Jianji (朱見濟). The Jingtai Emperor was dissatisfied with Jin Ying's response and ended the conversation in frustration.
The Jingtai Emperor had been enduring for some time and continued to test those around him. Eunuch Xing An suggested an idea to him: to bribe the court officials in order to gain their support for reinstating the crown prince. Soon after, the Jingtai Emperor summoned the members of the Grand Secretariat, including Senior Grand Secretary Chen Xun (陳循) and Secondary Grand Secretary Gao Gu (高穀), along with four others, for a meeting. During the meeting, the emperor casually chatted with them about trivial matters and discussed some unimportant public affairs. The meeting was abruptly adjourned, leaving the ministers puzzled. Later, the eunuchs from Xing An separately approached them and presented pre-prepared silver as a bribe. The specific amounts were 100 liang of silver for Senior Grand Secretary Chen Xun and Secondary Grand Secretary Gao Gu and 50 liang for the other four Secretariat members. These six individuals were all shrewd and understood the emperor's intentions, so they turned a blind eye and remained silent afterwards.
After dealing with the ministers of the Grand Secretariat, the Jingtai Emperor's next task was to address the other ministers. Despite the small amount of money involved (only a few hundred liang of silver), the ministers understood the implications and unanimously agreed to the proposal to change the crown prince. The Jingtai Emperor's persistent efforts eventually gained the tacit approval of the eunuchs and court officials, but Empress Wang remained steadfast in her opposition to her husband's actions. Despite her open arguments, she was ultimately deposed by the emperor and sent to the cold palace. On 20 May 1452, the Jingtai Emperor used the excuse of "when a father holds the empire, he must bequeath it to his son" to depose the crown prince Zhu Jianshen, son of Emperor Yingzong, and demote him to the Prince of Yi. He then appointed his own son, Zhu Jianji, as the new crown prince, and Zhu Jianji's mother, Lady Hang, was made empress due to her son's status. Zhu Jianji died in 1454, leaving the Jingtai Emperor without any other heirs. According to Ming law, the deposed crown prince Zhu Jianshen was now the closest blood relative to the emperor. However, it was the Jingtai Emperor himself who had deposed Zhu Jianshen. If he were to reinstate him, he would likely face repercussions in the future. Faced with these internal and external pressures, the emperor was extremely cautious about reinstating the crown prince, and the position remained vacant. Despite the hopes of the court officials, the emperor rejected their pleas to re-establish Zhu Jianshen as the crown prince. In fact, some ministers were even imprisoned and subjected to cruel treatment, with several being flogged to death.
The Jingtai Emperor made significant contributions to the country, and his decision not to return the throne to Emperor Yingzong was somewhat justifiable, but he also deposed the crown prince position of Emperor Yingzong's son, which was seen as a selfish and unpopular move by the officials and courtiers. Zhong Tong (鍾同), Investigating Censor of Guizhou Circuit, once stated, "The death of the Heir apparent is enough to show that the Mandate of Heaven is still present". Additionally, he pointed out numerous flaws in the emperor's policies. When the Jingtai Emperor heard this, he became furious and had Zhong Tong imprisoned and beaten to death.

## Aftermath

The Jingtai Emperor was in the prime of his life, and the issue of heirs had not yet become prominent at this time. By early 1457, he suddenly fell gravely ill, reigniting the discussion among officials about the succession of the throne. On 10 February, news from the inner court indicated that the emperor had recovered from his illness, prompting the ministers to plan a discussion about the crown prince during the next day's imperial court session. The plans were disrupted by the Duomen Coup that occurred that night. As a result, Emperor Yingzong restored the throne, while the Jingtai Emperor was deposed and died a month later.