Xuande Emperor

The Xuande Emperor (16 March 1399 – 31 January 1435), personal name Zhu Zhanji, was the fifth emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1425 to 1435. He succeeded his father, the Hongxi Emperor. The Xuande Emperor had a passion for poetry and literature, and was also known for his skill in painting and warfare. Upon ascending the throne, he made the decision to reverse his father's plan to relocate the capital from Beijing to Nanjing. His uncle Zhu Gaoxu rebelled against the young emperor but was ultimately unsuccessful. With the guidance of capable advisors, the Xuande Emperor personally led his army against his uncle and easily defeated him. Early in the Xuande Emperor's reign, a prolonged war in Đại Việt (present-day northern Vietnam), which was then administered by the Ming as Jiaozhi Province, ended in a Ming defeat and the restoration of Viet independence. However, his rule was marked by a period of relative peace, with no major internal or foreign conflicts. Relations with Southeast Asian nations stayed peaceful. Communication continued with Korea, and ties were established with Japan in 1432. The northern region faced minimal Mongol threats, with relations established with the Eastern Mongols and Western Oirats. The Xuande Emperor permitted Zheng He's final Indian Ocean voyage in 1431–1433. During the Xuande Emperor's rule, court eunuchs gained influence, particularly in the secret police. The Emperor sought order through purges in the Censorate and military service reforms in 1428, but these did not fully address inefficiencies and low morale among hereditary soldiers. After his death, historians regarded his reign as the golden age of the dynasty. The Xuande Emperor's government attempted to promote the use of paper money and discourage the use of coins and precious metals, but this effort was ultimately unsuccessful and paper money fell out of circulation. In the past, high taxes in heavily taxed prefectures, particularly in Jiangnan, had caused peasants to leave the economy. The Emperor lowered taxes and dispatched "grand coordinators" to the provinces to improve the performance of local authorities. These coordinators were responsible for addressing issues of injustice and corruption among tax collectors, as well as assessing the state of military units.