The Chenghua Emperor (9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Xianzong of Ming , personal name Zhu Jianshen , changed to Zhu Jianru in 1457, was the ninth emperor of the Ming dynasty , who reigned from 1464 to 1487. He succeeded his father, Emperor Yingzong .
111-576: Chenghua may refer to: Chenghua Emperor , Chinese emperor of the Ming dynasty. Chenghua (era) , the era name of the Chenghua Emperor. Chenghua District , district in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Chenghua University , former university in Chengdu. Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
222-477: A sub-provincial city ): The ten prefecture-level cities of Shaanxi are subdivided into 107 county-level divisions (30 districts , four county-level cities , and 73 counties ). The politics of Shaanxi is structured in a triple party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China. The Governor of Shaanxi is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Shaanxi. However, in
333-477: A boy on 30 July 1470. For the next five years, the mother and child lived in secrecy with Lady Wu. The emperor, who was very enthusiastic about his son, recognized him and named him Zhu Youcheng . He then moved the child to safety under the protection of Empress Dowager Zhou. A month later, Lady Ji died under suspicious circumstances. The emperor then moved out of the palace occupied by Lady Wan and protected his heir from her. Empress Dowager Zhou even warned
444-529: A coup in February 1457 and restored Yingzong to the throne. On 1 March 1457, Zhu Jianshen was created crown prince by his father. At the same time, he changed his name from Jianshen to Jianru, possibly because his original name, chosen by the Jingtai Emperor in 1449, was not acceptable to Yingzong. Zhu Jianshen was often depicted by painters as robustly built, with full cheeks, sharp eyes, large earlobes, and
555-528: A flourishing trade on the southeast coast. Not only did Ming pottery regain its popularity in Asian and African markets, but it also made its way to Europe in the 1480s. The products from the Chenghua era of Jingdezhen are considered some of the finest examples of Ming porcelain in terms of design and decoration. Of particular significance is the development of doucai ( 鬥彩 ; literally meaning 'contrasted colors'), which
666-399: A lack of decisiveness on his part, as he would briefly align himself with one side or the other during government discussions. However, his efforts to reconcile differences among factions did help to reduce conflicts, although there was still some tension between northerners and southerners, with the emperor showing slight favoritism towards the latter. Out of the three Grand Secretaries during
777-570: A major role in China's burgeoning aircraft and aerospace industries, producing more than 50% of the R&;D and manufacturing equipment for the country's domestic commercial air industry. Nominal GDP for 2011 was 1,239 billion RMB ( US$ 196.7 billion) and GDP per capita was 21,729 RMB (US$ 3,179), ranking 17th in the PRC. In the first half of 2019, Shaanxi's total production value reached 1,162.557 billion yuan,
888-435: A negative attitude towards Buddhism and its methods of cultivating one's personality. This was exemplified by Hu Juren ( 胡居仁 ), a prominent Neo-Confucian during that period. Another influential figure in the intellectual community at the time was Chen Baisha , a scholar from Guangdong who mentored many significant scholars and officials. The Chenghua Emperor was known for his generosity and lack of desire for revenge, even for
999-458: A personal audience with him. During the 15th century, the number of eunuchs in the imperial palace increased significantly, with a growing number of them serving in both civil and military roles, as well as in the provinces. By the end of the century, there were over 10,000 eunuchs in service, nearly equaling the number of regular civil servants. In the following century, their numbers even surpassed those of regular civil servants. Eunuchs held
1110-506: A result, coins began to disappear from circulation and the government, similar to earlier banknotes, attempted to support their value by requiring payments to be made in them. Starting in 1465, it became possible to pay commercial fees in both banknotes and coins. However, the government refused to release coins from the treasury or mint new ones. The issue of money also had a significant impact on foreign trade during this time. The Japanese missions of 1468, 1477, and 1483 were characterized by
1221-426: A result, silk was woven in "every village" around Lake Tai . This resulting economic boom brought about significant changes, including the expansion of cities and commerce, particularly in the southern and southeastern regions. This was further supported by the increase in foreign trade after 1470 and the influx of Japanese silver. As a result of this economic growth, the economy became increasingly monetized. Since
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#17328481542181332-419: A significant role in military affairs, overseeing the purchase of horses from abroad and the majority of (tributary) foreign trade, as well as the production of weapons, state production of silk, brocade, and porcelain, procurement and transportation of court supplies, management of the palace and imperial tombs. They also controlled the secret service, whose actions often gave rise to complaints. Protests against
1443-562: A strong and effective force. The Yao rebellion in Guangxi, led by tribal leader Hou Dagou ( 侯大狗 ), had been brewing since the 1450s and broke out in 1464. At the same time, the Miao and Zhuang also rebelled. The center of the rebellion was in the mountainous landscape 120–160 km northwest of the seat of Xunzhou Prefecture (present-day Guiping ). The rebels surprised the Chinese by bringing the fighting from
1554-438: A trimmed mustache and beard. These Central Asian features were also seen in portraits of his ancestors, going back to his great-great-grandfather. His son and successor, while also bearded, was smaller in stature, and other emperors were of a more slender, southern appearance. As a child, Zhu Jianshen was slow to react and had a stutter. This caused Emperor Yingzong to have doubts about his intelligence and ability to rule. However,
1665-618: A variety of climates. Under the Köppen climate classification , the northern parts , including the Loess Plateau, have either a cold arid (Köppen BWk ) or cold semi-arid (Köppen BSk ), with cold and very dry winters, dry springs and autumns, and hot, humid summers. The area known as Guanzhong is mostly semi-arid, though there are a few areas with a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa ), with cool to cold winters, and hot, humid summers that often see early-season heatwaves. The southern portion
1776-540: A year-on-year increase of 5.4%. The added value of the primary industry was 55.319 billion yuan, an increase of 4.5%; the second industry was 557.935 billion yuan, an increase of 4.2%; the tertiary industry was 549.303 billion yuan, an increase of 6.8%. Established in 1992, Baoji Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was approved as a national hi-tech zone by the State Council. It has a long-term planned area of 40 km (15 sq mi). The transportation system around
1887-464: Is a national high-tech zone. It is surrounded by national highways and it is 30 minutes from Xi'an-Xianyang International Airport. Furthermore, it is ranked in the top three high-tech zones in China. Xi'an Software Park, established in December 1998, is the professional park for Xi'an to develop scale software and service outsourcing industries. The park has been appraised as a software industry base under
1998-454: Is a new economic zone composing the three major city-level economies of Western China: Xi'an , Chongqing and Chengdu . It is believed that the addition of Xi'an to the Triangle will spur economic growth in the region and allow the city an opportunity to capitalize on the commercial potential of its high-technology industries. Established in 1993, Xi'an Economic and Technology Development Zone
2109-592: Is much more humid and lies in the humid subtropical zone, with more temperate winters and long, hot, humid summers. Annual mean temperature is roughly between 8 and 16 °C (46 and 61 °F), with January temperatures ranging from −11 to 3.5 °C (12.2 to 38.3 °F) and July temperatures ranging from 21 to 28 °C (70 to 82 °F). Besides the provincial capital of Xi'an, other cities include: Baoji , Hanzhong , Lintong , Tongchuan , Xianyang , Yan'an and Ankang . Shaanxi consists of ten prefecture-level divisions : all prefecture-level cities (including
2220-696: Is one of the four great ancient capitals of China and is the eastern terminus of the Silk Road , which leads to Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. The region was briefly governed as the Three Qins after the fall of the Qin dynasty . This is the origin of one of Shaanxi's two abbreviations, 秦 ( Qin ), the other being 陝 ( Shaan ). Then it was conquered by Liu Bang during the Chu-Han Contention . Under
2331-520: Is one of the centers of ancient Chinese civilization. The central part of Shaanxi, known as Guanzhong , where the provincial capital Xi'an is located, is more populous compared to the others ( Shaannan and Shaanbei ), Religion in Shaanxi The predominant religions in Shaanxi are Chinese folk religions , Taoist traditions and Chinese Buddhism . According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 7.58% of
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#17328481542182442-490: The Gwoyeu Romatzyh transcription (1928) for 陝 , "Sh aa n". Nonetheless, the vowels and consonants of shǎn 陝 and shān 山 are distinguished in the more conservative Jin Chinese languages native to the two provinces, as shown on the chart to the right (refer to IPA for Jin Chinese for further information). This conservative phonology is reflected in the historical spelling of Shaanxi, " Shensi ", known to
2553-581: The Qinling Mountains , where the majority of Shaanxi's population reside. Southern Shaanxi comprises the three prefectural cities in the edge of the historical Bashu region south of the Qinling Mountains and includes the three mountainous cities of Hanzhong , Ankang and Shangluo . The area comprising Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan formed the cradle of Chinese civilization. During the Republican era ,
2664-696: The Tangut -led Western Xia contested their border in Shaanxi. Western Xia found the Luōwùchéng (罗兀城) frontier fort in 1071 but was taken by Song in 1081. Under the Ming dynasty , Shaanxi was established with the founding of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission in 1376, whose administration also included the modern provinces of Gansu , Ningxia , and part of Qinghai . During this dynasty, most visitors from Central and West Asia entered
2775-606: The 1440s, eunuchs sometimes represented the emperor in meetings, and under the Chenghua Emperor's reign, their influence continued to increase and they did not hesitate to assert their opinions against the Grand Secretaries and officials in these meetings. The Chenghua Emperor looked up to his military-minded grandfather and father, the emperors Xuande and Yingzong , as his role models. He followed an active military policy and generously rewarded his generals, appointing nine counts and one marquis for their achievements. During
2886-486: The 1460s, and soaring food prices—by the early 1470s, rice was two and a half times more expensive than it was in the 1430s. Banditry also became a major issue, even on the outskirts of the capital. In an effort to assist the population, the government implemented measures such as constructing irrigation canals and providing millet from state reserves during the famine in the Beijing area. They also offered displaced peasants
2997-568: The 15th century. This was largely due to the increase in precious metal mining, which saw a slight rise in China, Southeast Asia, and West Africa, and a significant increase in Europe. As a result, there was a surge in the import of Eastern goods such as pepper, spices, and porcelain to Central Asia , the Middle East, and Europe. In China, the Jingdezhen porcelain factories resumed production, leading to
3108-594: The 16th-largest in China. Xi'an – which includes the sites of the former capitals Fenghao and Chang'an – is the provincial capital and largest city in Northwest China and also one of the oldest cities in China and the oldest of the Four Ancient Capitals , being the capital for the Western Zhou , Western Han , Jin , Sui and Tang dynasties . Xianyang , which served as
3219-421: The Chenghua Emperor's ascension to the throne, only Li Xian was from the north, while Chen Wen and Peng Shi were from Jiangxi. After 1464, the most influential position in the government was held by Grand Secretary Li Xian, who continued to hold significant power even during the final years of Emperor Yingzong's reign. Li Xian strategically appointed capable and respected individuals to important positions within
3330-481: The Chenghua Emperor's ascension to the throne, she was 34 years old, twice the age of the seventeen-year-old emperor. Conflicts among women within the Forbidden City had a negative impact on the emperor's reputation. The first incident occurred on the day of his enthronement, when a dispute arose over the title of Emperor Yingzong's widow, Empress Qian . According to regulations, the title should have been given to
3441-470: The Chenghua Emperor, held significant sway over the emperor and eventually became his favorite. This was especially true after she gave birth to a son in 1464, although the child died shortly after. Despite this, Lady Wan maintained her hold over the emperor and his harem. She used her loyal eunuchs to force other women to have abortions if they became pregnant with the emperor's child, and she did not hesitate to resort to poisoning mothers and their children. It
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3552-567: The Chenghua era, the Ming army was organized into approximately 500 guards ( wei ) under the Weisuo system, with each guard consisting of battalions ( suo ) spread throughout the empire. Theoretically, these guards were supposed to have 3 million soldiers, but in reality, the number was only about half of that. These guards were overseen by Five Chief Military Commissions. Additionally, there were over 70 guard units of Imperial Guards stationed in and around Beijing, theoretically adding another million men to
3663-660: The Dukes of Shao and Zhou marked their borders along Shan plateau ( 陝塬 , now Zhanbian plateau). In Chinese typing , the toponym 陝 often got mixed up with "valley" 陜 (note: distinguish 㚒 and 夾 ). Simplified characters merged the two as 陕 . The alphabet rendering of Shaanxi 陝西 and its neighboring province Shanxi 山西 are troublesome in Beijing Mandarin because their pronunciation differs only in tone (rendered as Sh ǎ nxī and Sh ā nxī in pinyin transcription, 1958). To avoid confusion, mainland China recognized
3774-665: The Europeans in the 18th century. "Shensi" was recognized in the 1906 Chinese postal romanization . "Shensi" continued to be popular until 1987 when the PRC banned pre-PRC romanizations. Shaanxi is considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. Thirteen feudal dynasties established their capitals in the province during a span of more than 1,100 years, from the Zhou dynasty to the Tang dynasty. The province's principal city and current capital, Xi'an ,
3885-767: The Grand Secretaries, primarily Li Xian, convinced him to maintain the succession for his eldest son. Emperor Yingzong died on 23 February 1464. The following day, a twelve-member imperial council was appointed to discuss government policies and advise the young emperor. The council consisted of six officials: Senior Grand Secretary Li Xian, Minister of Personnel Wang Ao , Minister of Revenue Nian Fu ( 年富 ), Grand Secretary Peng Shi ( 彭時 ), Minister of War Ma Ang ( 馬昂 ; 1399–1476), and Grand Secretary Chen Wen ( 陳文 ; 1405–1468); four eunuchs: Liu Yongcheng ( 劉永誠 ), Xia Shi ( 夏時 ), Fu Gong, and Niu Yu ( 牛玉 ); and two military generals: Sun Jizong ( 孫繼宗 ), Marquis of Huichang, and Sun Tang ( 孫鏜 ), Marquis of Huaining. On 28 February 1464, he ascended
3996-840: The Han dynasty, the Northern Silk Road was expanded to advance exploration and military purposes to the west. This Northern Silk Road is the northernmost of the Silk Roads and is about 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) in length. It connected the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an to the west over the Wushao Ling Pass to Wuwei and emerging in Kashgar before linking to ancient Parthia . The Xiongnu -led kingdom Northern Xia (407–431) set its capital in Tongwancheng . The Northern Song dynasty and
4107-513: The Japanese viewed as theft. As a result, coins were mainly obtained in Japan through fraudulent trade. Despite advancements in trade, crafts, and urbanization, agriculture in the Ming dynasty was struggling. The population was rapidly growing, but a colder climate in the late 15th century hindered the success of peasant farmers. This led to widespread famines in northern and central China, particularly in
4218-416: The Japanese's persistent efforts to return to the conditions of Yongle's rule, when they were able to exchange their goods for coppers at a more favorable rate than what was available in the market. However, the Ming authorities had a different goal—to minimize payments in coins and instead use silk and other goods as currency. They also tried to force the Japanese to accept the "new coins" at face value, which
4329-480: The Lantern Festival. This was a rare occurrence, as the Chenghua Emperor generally did not resort to physical punishment for dignitaries, unlike other emperors of the dynasty. In both military and civilian affairs, he relied on the advice of the Grand Secretaries and ministers. He highly valued honest and capable officials, but unfortunately, he also allowed Lady Wan to promote unsuitable individuals. This led to
4440-477: The Miao and Yao also rebelled in different parts of southwestern China. General Li Zhen ( 李震 ) repeatedly defeated them on the border of Guizhou and Huguang, instilling fear and terror among the subjugated areas. In 1467 and again in 1475–1476, he and his army slaughtered thousands of Miao rebels. Another rebellion occurred on the border of Guizhou and Sichuan from 1466 to 1468, and the Minister of War, Cheng Xin ( 程信 ),
4551-417: The Ming dynasty. The rebellion was named after the prefectures of Jingzhou and Xiangyang , located in the northwestern region of Huguang. During the early Ming period, the prefectures of Jingzhou and Xiangyang were largely uninhabited. However, starting in the 1430s, they began to see an influx of illegal immigrants. In the 1460s, famines repeatedly struck northern China and the lower and middle regions of
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4662-555: The National Torch Program, national software industry base, national software export base, city demonstrational area of national service outsourcing base. It is one of the four parks with "double bases" of software in China. Xi'an Software Park assembles 90% of enterprises engaging in software and service outsourcing in Xi'an. There were nearly 780 companies, of which foreign-funded enterprises account for 170, and over 71,000 jobholders in
4773-513: The People's Government of Shaanxi was established in Xi'an . Ma Minfang was then appointed as the first Governor of Shaanxi. As of the mid-19th century, Shaanxi exported animal skins, wine, liquor, and musk . Money loans were also common, with Shaanxi business people involved in the Guangzhou loan business. Shaanxi commonly imported European animal skins, watches, Chinese language books, and cloth. Shaanxi
4884-670: The Shaanxi Lu (circuit), governed from modern Xi'an in 997. The Yuan dynasty established Shaanxi Province (Yuan dynasty) , governed by a Branch Secretariat in 1286. After the founding of the Qing dynasty, Gansu was split from Shaanxi, but both provinces were governed under the Viceroy of Shaan-Gan . The Lantian Man site, with hominin fossils from approximately one million years ago, was found in Lantian County in northwestern Shaanxi province, near
4995-519: The Yangtze River, and the salt trade. In 1483, one of her eunuchs was so arrogant while purchasing antiques in Suzhou that local officials and gentry were almost provoked to take up arms. Upon learning of his misconduct, the emperor had him executed. Her chief eunuch, Liang Fang ( 梁芳 ), was in charge of the imperial warehouse in Beijing, giving him the opportunity to sell goods at inflated prices to cover up
5106-524: The Yangtze River, leading to an increase in the number of refugees in the Jingxiang region. It is estimated that there were less than two million refugees living independently from the state. These refugees were led by Liu Tong ( 劉通 ), who united small bands of robbers and declared himself the King of Han. He then proceeded to establish his own administration and organize an army of ten thousand soldiers. In response,
5217-554: The Yao during battles with Hou Dagou. However, by the end of the 15th century, the Zhuangs had rebelled twice against Ming rule. The Jingxiang rebellion of 1465–1476 was the most significant uprising in China during the 15th century. It was also considered the most significant social upheaval in the Ming state between the civil war of 1399–1402 and the Li Zicheng rebellion in the final years of
5328-491: The abuses of the secret service, which caused fear of arrest and torture among officials, merchants, and ordinary citizens in the capital, were unsuccessful. On the contrary, they furthered the careers of minister Xiang Zhong and Grand Secretary Shang Lu. The above matters were managed by the eunuch bureaucracy independently from the civilian authorities. Under the Chenghua Emperor'reign, it expanded and strengthened and its power began to be formally recognized—an example of this
5439-414: The administration. His influence was not perceived as excessive, as he prioritized open discussion when making decisions. He consistently sought input from both civil servants and military officers when making personnel decisions. The original Grand Secretaries were gradually replaced by the brilliant scholars Liu Tingzhi ( 劉定之 ; d. 1469) and Shang Lu (dismissed in 1477). However, the emperor also appointed
5550-399: The advice of Peng Shi, they remained in Beijing, as he was concerned about the safety of the civilian population if they were deployed. Despite this, small detachments were still sent to combat the insurgent Yao tribes in Guangxi. As time went on, the corps began to weaken as it was used for both public and private labor, leading to criticism. However, during the early Chenghua era, it remained
5661-591: The army. However, their actual numbers were much lower, as many of their soldiers were employed as laborers and tens of thousands of supernumerary officers were appointed and paid. Unlike the guards under the Five Chief Military Commissions, the Imperial Guards were not subject to their authority. They were also exempt from the nine defense areas along the northern border, which had approximately 300,000 soldiers who were better trained and supplied than
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#17328481542185772-493: The capital of the Qin dynasty (221–202 BC), is just north across the Wei River. The other prefecture -level cities into which the province is divided are Ankang , Baoji , Hanzhong , Shangluo , Tongchuan , Weinan , Yan'an and Yulin . The province is geographically divided into three parts, namely Northern (or " Shaanbei "), Central ("Shaanzhong") and Southern Shaanxi (or " Shaannan "). Northern Shaanxi makes up
5883-822: The city of Yan'an was near the endpoint of the Long March by the Chinese Red Army , who fled from Jiangxi after the Chinese Soviet Republic were destroyed by the Kuomintang armies, and became the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Revolution from late 1935 to early 1947 and the Communists formed the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region in constituent parts of Shaanxi. The vast majority of
5994-627: The city of Xi'an. Scientists classify Lantian Man as a subspecies of Homo erectus . The fossils are displayed at the Shaanxi History Museum , Xi'an, China. The geography of the area is described as being part of the Ordos Desert in the north along the border with Inner Mongolia, the Loess Plateau in the central part of the province, the Qin Mountains (Qinling) running east to west in
6105-473: The closure of the mints in the 1430s, there has been a shortage of copper coins. This created an opportunity for counterfeiters to thrive. Although there were occasional proposals to combat private coinage by resuming state minting, they were ultimately rejected. As a result, illegal mints flourished and their "new coins" began to replace the old Yongle coppers in Beijing markets. These private coins were of poorer quality, often containing tin or iron admixture that
6216-517: The conflict between the mother and stepmother, the emperor allowed the officials to express their opinions and secretly encouraged them to do so. However, he openly acted with apparent reluctance. Following the suggestions of Peng Shi and Li Xian, both women were given the title of empress dowager, with the addition of the characters Ciyi ( 慈懿 ) before it for Empress Qian. However, Lady Zhou perceived this as discrimination and consistently pushed for her equal rights. The young emperor eventually fled from
6327-577: The country via Shaanxi. One of the most devastating earthquakes in history occurred near Hua Shan in southeastern Shaanxi on January 23, 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people (see 1556 Shaanxi earthquake ). The end of the short-lived Jiangxi Soviet signaled the beginning of the Long March by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communists to the Shaanxi Soviet at Yan'an. The administrative evolution of Shaanxi: The Northern Song established
6438-561: The elite of Beijing for several years before being sent to inspect border troops in 1482. In 1483, his rival from the Eastern Depot presented accusations that gained the emperor's trust, resulting in Wang Zhi being transferred to guard the imperial tombs in Nanjing. After a long period of economic depression, the economy of China and its neighboring countries began to recover in the second half of
6549-424: The emperor and even forced other women to have abortions to prevent the birth of a potential rival son. A few years later, the emperor had a son with another concubine who was named as his successor in December 1471, but the child died shortly after. It is widely believed by historians that Lady Wan played a role in the death of this child. The court and government were greatly troubled by the absence of an heir and
6660-407: The emperor had an affair with a girl surnamed Ji from Guangxi, who was likely a captive of the Yao tribe and brought to the palace around 1467. In 1469, she met the emperor and became pregnant. Lady Wan discovered the pregnancy, but her orders for the eunuchs to give the mother an abortifacient were not followed. Instead, they hid her in the chambers of Wu's dissecting room, where she gave birth to
6771-589: The emperor ordered the reinstatement of a unified training corps (which had previously existed from 1449 to 1457) and divided it into twelve divisions ( 十二團營 ), each consisting of ten thousand soldiers. These soldiers were selected from a pool of over 300,000 individuals from the three camps, with the majority being sent back to their respective provinces. The purpose of this measure was to train infantry, cavalry, and units armed with firearms to work together in mixed divisions. Previously, these groups had been trained separately in three different camps. Marquis Sun Jizong
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#17328481542186882-409: The empress dowager, but the emperor's own mother, Lady Zhou, also claimed the same title. Despite being only a consort of Emperor Yingzong, she now held the status of mother to the reigning emperor and thus argued for the same title as Empress Qian. Lady Zhou also emphasized her loyalty to Emperor Yingzong, for which she had suffered alongside him during their years of house arrest from 1450–1457. In
6993-411: The government sent troops led by Zhu Yong ( 朱永 ), Count of Funing, and Bai Gui ( 白圭 ), Minister of Works. In 1465, these troops gathered from various provinces, including Li Zhen's troops from Huguang, and successfully crushed the rebellion. Liu Tong himself was captured in the summer of 1466. The issue of weak official administration persisted, and in 1470, an additional 900,000 individuals migrated to
7104-552: The groundwork for the enduring Great Wall of China . The Ming also formed an alliance with Korea and effectively waged war against the Jurchen tribes in eastern Manchuria. The Chenghua Emperor died in 1487 after 23 years of rule, and Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne as the Hongzhi Emperor . Zhu Jianshen was born on 9 December 1447, as the eldest son of Emperor Yingzong and one of his concubines, Lady Zhou . In 1449, his father
7215-433: The growth of large landowners. The emperor was renowned for his skill in calligraphy, as evidenced by his surviving work, a color scroll painting from 1481 depicting the mythological demon warrior Zhong Kui , titled Sui chao jia zhao ( 歲朝佳兆 ). He also had a passion for theater and music, and even had his own troupe of eunuch actors. In 1478, he composed several poems, which unfortunately have been lost. In 1483, he wrote
7326-752: The heir not to eat or drink anything when visiting Lady Wan. The emperor's relationship with Lady Wan changed after 1475, as he had five consorts and a total of eleven sons and six daughters between 1476 and 1487. Despite no longer living with her, the emperor remained devoted to her and may have tried to make up for his absence by supporting her activities. During the latter part of his reign, he rarely restricted her actions, even when they were illegal. Her agents were involved in various activities, such as mining for copper, silver, gold, and precious stones in Yunnan, foreign trade, pearl gathering in Guangdong, tax collection along
7437-405: The influence of Lady Wan. Officials expressed their concerns to the emperor in submissions, but he dismissed them as meddling in his personal matters. It was not until June 1475, when the emperor lamented his lack of an heir at the age of twenty-eight, that a eunuch present impulsively informed him of the existence of a five-year-old son being raised by the former Empress Wu. A few years earlier,
7548-426: The initial years of his reign, he implemented a new policy that included tax cuts and a focus on strengthening the state's power. However, as time passed, the positive impact of these changes diminished. In the later years of his rule, the Forbidden City was dominated by eunuchs, particularly the notorious Wang Zhi and Liang Fang. The emperor's preference for favorites over promoting capable individuals gradually eroded
7659-642: The inland units. In the late 15th century, the military competence of hereditary officers had significantly declined and their ties to the throne had weakened compared to the beginning of the century. Instead of inexperienced second- or third titled generation descendants of once successful generals, military matters were now overseen by civilian officials and eunuchs who were committed to military careers. These armies were led by officials who were also involved in military affairs, including Han Yong ( 韓雍 ; 1422–1478), Wang Yue ( 王越 ; 1426–1499), Xiang Zhong (1421–1502), and Ma Wensheng ( 馬文升 ; 1426–1510). After ascending to
7770-574: The mid-1470s, the divisions were completely under the control of eunuchs, likely due to the influence of Wang Zhi. The newly trained Beijing corps played a crucial role in successful campaigns on the northern frontier, defeating the Mongols in 1471, 1473, and 1480, as well as the Jurchens in 1467 and 1479. Their reputation as fierce and ruthless soldiers earned them the responsibility of being on alert in case of an uprising in western Shaanxi in 1478. However, on
7881-448: The middle tier among China's administrative divisions. The fossil fuel and high technology sectors compose the two largest industries in Shaanxi Province. The high technology sector includes aircraft and aerospace industries and Shaanxi produces more than 50% of the R&D and manufacturing equipment for the country's domestic commercial aviation industry. The meaning of the province, "Shan's west", traces to circa 1000 BC when
7992-435: The monarch was met with disapproval from officials. One censor even objected, questioning why the emperor was competing with landowners when he already owned the entire country. These vast estates were acquired by the monarch and the empress, as well as empress dowagers, heirs to the throne, relatives of empresses, eunuchs, and various favorites. This expansion of estates, similar to the imperial estates, had negative effects on
8103-424: The mountains to the densely populated coastal areas of Guangdong. The rebellion and troop movements also spread to southern Huguang, Guizhou, and Jiangxi. Local dignitaries hoped to placate the Yao with amnesty and donations. However, Minister of War Wang Hong ( 王竑 ) decided on a forceful response. He appointed General Zhao Fu ( 趙輔 ) to lead the expeditionary army, but the army was actually led by his deputy Han Yong,
8214-438: The new Governor of Guangdong. They had 30,000 soldiers at their disposal, including a thousand of the feared Mongol mounted archers, and 160,000 local forces. In 1466, Han Yong attacked the heart of the rebel territory in two columns drawn from Huguang from the north and from Guangdong from the west, and conquered them in a series of fierce battles. The pacification of the region took several more years. Han Yong, who remained in
8325-551: The next 45 years in seclusion within the Forbidden City. In the same year, 1464, Lady Wang became the new empress. She was careful not to provoke Lady Wan and remained childless in order to protect herself from any potential misfortune. In 1466, Lady Wan gave birth to a son for the emperor and was granted the title of "Noble Consort" ( Guifei ). However, their son died within a year and Lady Wan did not have any other children. In order to secure her position, she closely monitored
8436-464: The opportunistic and unprincipled Wan An ( 萬安 ; d. 1489) and Liu Ji ( 劉吉 ; d. 1493) to the Grand Secretariat. In the later years of the Chenghua Emperor's reign, the infamous eunuchs Wang Zhi and Liang Fang held powerful positions. The camaraderie around Lady Wan also had a negative reputation. Under their influence, the emperor distanced himself from his officials, causing them to wait for years for
8547-437: The opportunity to return to their homes, potentially with temporary housing, as well as seed, livestock, and a five-year tax exemption. During the Chenghua era, the size of the imperial estates ( 皇莊 ) grew from a small area to over 80 thousand hectares. By the beginning of the 16th century, they had increased sixteen times. The revenues from these estates were the personal income of the monarch. However, this personal estate of
8658-454: The original landowners who were forced to become tenants, as well as on the state treasury. Not only did the emperor and his entourage benefit from this, but also wealthy landowners who took advantage of the situation at the expense of small peasants. This was particularly evident in Jiangnan, where in contrast to the early Ming period, the government had previously restricted and closely monitored
8769-446: The park by the end of 2008. Yangling Agriculture Hi-Tech Industrial Zone was approved as a national-level hi-tech development zone by State Council in 1997. It is 82 km (51 mi) from Xi'an to the east and 70 km (43 mi) from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. Nearly all the people in Shaanxi are ethnic Han Chinese , with pockets of Hui population in the northwestern region (adjacent to Ningxia). Shaanxi province
8880-413: The population of Shaanxi is Han Chinese , with Hui , Manchu and Mongol being the more significant ethnic minorities . Mandarin Chinese is the main spoken language in Shaanxi, including Central Plains Mandarin and Southwestern Mandarin dialects; another variety of Chinese , Jin Chinese , is also spoken in the regions neighboring Shanxi. Shaanxi is China's 15th largest economy , ranking within
8991-400: The positive aspects of his rule. This resulted in widespread corruption and the enrichment of his supporters at the expense of the state treasury. Peasant uprisings erupted throughout the country and were brutally suppressed. The emperor ruled with increasing autocracy, bolstering the secret police to monitor the sentiments of the people. Wan Zhen'er , a palace lady who was 17 years older than
9102-523: The preface for Wenhua daxun ( 文華大訓 ; 'Great Lessons for the Palace of Literary Splendor'), a collection of instructions for his successor. The emperor also showed support for Buddhism, as seen in his order for the construction of five pagodas in the Indian style west of Beijing in 1473. These pagodas are believed to be the only ones of their kind in the Beijing area. However, the majority of Confucians held
9213-779: The province's dual party-government governing system, the Governor is considered to have less power than the Shaanxi Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary ( 中共陕西省委书记 ), colloquially termed the "Shaanxi CCP Party Chief "; since the Governor is always ranked as the First-Deputy Secretary in the Shaanxi Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee. Shaanxi was established as a provincial government since Qing dynasty . On 10 January 1950,
9324-404: The quarreling empresses and sought refuge with Lady Wan. After ascending the throne, the Chenghua Emperor married Lady Wu as his empress. However, their relationship was short-lived as she soon clashed with Lady Wan and requested that she be punished for her disrespect. As a result, just one month after their wedding, the emperor deposed Empress Wu and stripped her of her title. She then spent
9435-453: The region and in the summer of 1476, they rebelled once again. In response, the government sent Yuan Jie ( 原傑 ), a censor, to investigate the social and economic conditions in the area. This sparked a lively discussion in the court about potential solutions to the problem. Ultimately, the government decided to address the issues through social and organizational measures in the region and entrusted Yuan Jie with their implementation. He recognized
9546-501: The region due to famine, sparking a new rebellion. Xiang Zhong, the chief censor at the time, was tasked with quelling the uprising. He enlisted the assistance of Li Zhen and raised an army of 250,000 in Huguang province. Together, they successfully suppressed the rebellion, resulting in the execution of hundreds, the exile of thousands, and the return of 1.5 million individuals to their respective homelands. However, people began to return to
9657-439: The rights of immigrants to the land they cultivated and registered over 113,000 families with 438,000 members. As per his suggestion, several new counties were established and by the end of 1476, the new prefecture of Yunyang was formed. In the seat of the new prefecture, a defense military command was established with jurisdiction over the adjacent counties of neighboring provinces. In just one year, Yuan Jie successfully stabilized
9768-403: The sale of offices organized by Lady Wan. Despite numerous complaints, the emperor did not punish Lady Wan for her actions. In fact, he punished officials who spoke out against her abuse of power, excessive spending, and corruption. As a result, she maintained significant influence until her death in 1487. Another notorious eunuch during the Chenghua era was Wang Zhi ( 汪直 ), a Yao-born man who
9879-633: The seven pioneer EPZs with the function of bonded logistics in China. XEPZ is under the leadership of the Administrative Committee of Xi'an Economic and Technological Development Zone (XETDZ), which is designated by Xi'an municipal government to exercise economic and administrative power within the zone. XEPZ is a special economic zone. By now, there are more than 40 enterprises home and abroad settled in XEPZ. The pillar industries feature aviation, machinery, electronics and new energy. The Western Triangle
9990-510: The situation and brought calm to the region through proper administration. Shaanxi Shaanxi is a province in Northwestern China . It borders the province-level divisions of Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi and Henan to the east, Hubei , Chongqing , and Sichuan to the south, and Gansu and Ningxia to the west. Shaanxi covers an area of over 205,000 km (79,000 sq mi) with about 37 million people,
10101-611: The south central part, and subtropical climate south of the Qinling. In between the Loess Plateau and the Qinling lies the Wei River Valley, or Guanzhong , a cradle of early Chinese civilization. Going clockwise, Shaanxi borders Shanxi (E, NE), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), Ningxia (NW), and Inner Mongolia (N). In terms of number of bordering provincial-level divisions, Shaanxi ties Inner Mongolia. Due to its large span in latitude, Shaanxi has
10212-401: The south until 1468, reorganized local administration by establishing a new county, strengthening coordination between the Guangdong and Guangxi authorities, and incorporating Yao chieftains into Ming administration. Hou Dagou's rebellion was one of the strongest uprisings among the minority peoples of the southwest in the late 15th century, but it was not the only one. In the following years,
10323-576: The southeastern portion of the Ordos Basin and mainly comprises the two prefectural cities of Yulin and Yan'an on the northern Loess Plateau , demarcated from the Ordos Desert and the grasslands of Inner Mongolia 's Ordos City by the Ming Great Wall . Central Shaanxi is also known as the Guanzhong region, and comprises the drainage basin of lower Wei River east of Mount Liupan and north of
10434-410: The throne and adopted the era name Chenghua , which means "accomplished change". When he assumed control of the government, he was already under the influence of his favorite, Wan Zhen'er . She had previously been a servant of his grandmother, Empress Sun , and he catered to her every whim. Intelligent and determined, Wan started off as his nanny and eventually became his concubine. At the time of
10545-585: The throne, the Chenghua Emperor implemented a new system of selecting officers through special examinations. However, in the 1470s, there was a rise in the use of military trials. Concurrently, the emperor initiated significant changes to the military training of the Beijing garrison units. Previously, soldiers from various provinces were sent to the Three Great Camps ( 三大營 ) for training: Wujun ( 五軍營 ) for infantry, Sanqian ( 三千營 ) for cavalry, and Shenji ( 神機營 ) for units equipped with firearms. In May 1464,
10656-464: The title Chenghua . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chenghua&oldid=1219367715 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Chenghua Emperor Zhu Jianshen
10767-408: The wrongs he may have experienced in his childhood. He was widely praised for his efforts to restore the reputation of those who had been unfairly treated in the past, and he also implemented measures to aid areas that were suffering from famine. However, in 1468, the emperor did order for three Hanlin academics to be beaten after they got into a dispute with Empress Dowager Zhou over the decoration of
10878-462: The zone includes Xi'an-Xianyang International Airport and National Highway 310, and industries operating within the zone include auto parts, electronics, IT, pharmaceuticals and bioengineering industries and new materials. Shaanxi Xi'an Export Processing Zone (XEPZ) was approved on 21 June 2002 by the State Council for its establishment and was put on 5 April 2004. As the first state-level export processing zone in northwest China, XEPZ has become one of
10989-535: Was a major recipient of China's investment in industrial capacity during the Third Front campaign. The fossil fuel and high technology sectors compose the two largest industries in Shaanxi province. During 2009, the province ranked third in China for production of coal, natural gas and crude oil. As the home of several of the leading universities and research institutes in Western China, Shaanxi province also plays
11100-526: Was approved as a national zone in 2000. The zone is 20 minutes from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, and national highways pass through. It has formed four pillar industries: automotive, electronics, food, and new materials industries. So far, the zone has attracted more than 1,700 enterprises. Xi'an HTDZ opened its gates in 1991. It was established as a "pivotal location" for investment by high-tech industry companies in central and northwest China. Established in 1991, Xi'an Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
11211-466: Was born in 1447 as the son of Emperor Yingzong. However, when he was only two years old, his father was captured by the Mongols during the Battle of Tumu Fortress . As a result, Emperor Yingzong was deposed and his younger brother, the new Jingtai Emperor , took over the throne. Emperor Yingzong was eventually released from captivity, but was forced into seclusion and house arrest. During this time, Zhu Jianshen
11322-648: Was captured and castrated during the counterinsurgency campaigns of the 1460s. He initially served as a servant to Lady Wan, but only held minor positions until he was put in charge of the Western Depot in 1477. This secret police force was created to supplement the already-established Eastern Depot. However, Wang Zhi soon clashed with Grand Secretary Shang Lu ( 商輅 ) and Minister of War Xiang Zhong ( 項忠 ), leading to their dismissal. During this time, only those who were closely aligned with Lady Wan or those who remained silent were able to keep their positions. Wang Zhi terrorized
11433-545: Was captured by the Mongols in the Battle of Tumu Fortress . As a result, the younger brother of the captured emperor, Zhu Qiyu, temporarily took over the government. At the same time, Zhu Jianshen was created crown prince. A few days later, Zhu Qiyu became the emperor, known as the Jingtai Emperor . In 1450, the Mongols returned the captured Emperor Yingzong to the Ming, but the Jingtai Emperor put him under house arrest. Zhu Jianshen remained crown prince until 1452, when he
11544-441: Was demoted to Prince of Yi ( 沂王 ). He lived separately from his parents in poor material conditions and began to stutter under the pressure of the situation. However, the new crown prince, the Jingtai Emperor's only son, died in 1453. The succession question remained open and Zhu Jianshen's position was uncertain until the Jingtai Emperor fell ill in late 1456. This uncertainty was exploited by Emperor Yingzong's followers, who staged
11655-457: Was highly admired and imitated in the following century. Trade was further bolstered by the rapid development of transportation, which was spurred by a surge in bridge construction following the devastating floods in central and southern China in 1465. This led to the growth of the silk industry in the 1470s and 1480s, with silk production shifting from urban centers to rural areas in Jiangnan . As
11766-486: Was in overall command of these divisions, but the military side was actually led by eunuch Liu Yongcheng, a 73-year-old veteran from the Yongle Emperor's reign. Each division also had a deputy commander, known as Jian qiang nei chen ( 監鎗內臣 ; 'Armory-inspecting Eunuch'), who was a eunuch and in charge of firearms. The emperor's most trusted personnel were responsible for closely guarding the firearms. However, starting in
11877-407: Was named crown prince, but he was removed from this position after only three years. It was not until 1457, when the Jingtai Emperor was overthrown and died, that Emperor Yingzong was able to return to the throne. At this point, Zhu Jianshen, now known as Zhu Jianru, was once again named crown prince. He ascended to the throne in February 1464 at the young age of sixteen, succeeding his father. During
11988-537: Was not until 1475 that the emperor discovered the existence of his five-year-old son, Zhu Youcheng , who had been kept hidden until then. The Chenghua Emperor was known for his military prowess and placed great emphasis on the strength of his army. During the 1470s, the reorganized Ming troops achieved notable triumphs in their battles against the Mongols, marking the first major victories since 1449. In addition, defensive walls were constructed in Shaanxi and Shanxi , laying
12099-494: Was sent to suppress it. However, the rebellion resurfaced in 1477–1480. In the 1460s and 1470s, a series of Miao rebellions erupted in southern Sichuan and were forcefully suppressed by the governor, Zhang Gang ( 張剛 ). He alternately fought against the Miao in the south of the province and the Tibetans in the northwest. Even the Zhuangs rebelled, with their use of poisoned arrows causing fear among warriors. They were employed against
12210-603: Was the appointment of eunuchs to the imperial council formed after the death of Yingzong. An example of the growing power of the eunuchs was the system of reviewing court cases. This was carried out by the "three judicial offices", namely the Censorate , the Ministry of Justice , and the Court of Judicature and Revision . Every autumn, they reviewed death sentences and either confirmed, mitigated, or sent them back for further investigation. From
12321-415: Was visibly different from the genuine coins. However, due to the scarcity of the old mintages, merchants had no choice but to use these counterfeits, even though they were only worth 1/2 to 1/3 of their face value. Some merchants refused to accept Ming coins altogether, while others only accepted silver. This led to workers being paid in low-quality coins, resulting in them losing half of their real income. As
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