Zhu Zaihe

Zhu Zairui (20 October 1536 – 14 April 1549) was a prince of the Ming dynasty and the second son of the Jiajing Emperor. His mother was surnamed Wang and held the title of Guifei (Noble Consort). Following the death of the eldest son of the Jiajing Emperor in 1533, Zhu Zairui became the designated heir to the throne in 1539.

Born in 1536, Zhu Zairui was the second son of the emperor. His elder brother died two months after birth in 1533, making Zhu Zairui the eldest surviving son at that time. In 1539, during a journey undertaken by the Jiajing Emperor from Beijing to central China, Zhu Zairui was officially appointed as heir (Taizi). Concurrently, his younger brothers, Zhu Zaiji and Zhu Zaizhen, received the titles of prince of Yu and Jing, respectively.

Zhu Zairui's education was overseen by prominent scholars, including Lu Shen (1477–1544), Cui Xian (1478–1571), Luo Hongxian (1504–1564), Tang Shunzhi (1507–1560), and Huangfu Xiao (1497–1546). These scholars were highly esteemed and considered among the best of their generation, with only Song Lian (1310–1381) being regarded as more influential. Due to illness and weakness, Zhu Zairui's formal education did not commence until 1546.

Beginning in 1545, Zhu Zairui represented the emperor at official ceremonies held in the Ancestral Temple. In 1549, he participated in a "capping" ceremony, a rites-of-passage event marking his transition into adulthood. Notably, this ceremony occurred six years earlier than the usual age for such rites. During the event, Zhu Zairui caught a cold, which led to his death two days later on 14 April 1549.

Posthumously, Zhu Zairui was given the name Crown Prince Zhuangjing.