Zhu Bo

King Xiangxian Zhu Bai was born on September 12, 1371, in the Ming Dynasty. He was the twelfth son of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. He was born in the fourth year of Hongwu (1371). His mother was Consort Hu, daughter of the Marquis of Yuzhang, Hu Mei. In the eleventh year of Hongwu (1378), he was bestowed the title of Prince of Xiang. In the eighteenth year of Hongwu (1385), he was appointed as the vassal king of Jingzhou Prefecture.

Zhu Bai was intelligent and eager to learn from an early age. He established the "Jingyuan Pavilion" to recruit talented scholars and copy classic texts. He was skilled in calligraphy and painting, and was fond of poetry, frequently engaging with Bing Jingzhao. His calligraphy was praised by Xie Jin as "deeply inheriting Jin’s style, with profound thoughts and balanced proportion." He was fond of Daoist teachings and took the pseudonym "Zi Xuzi."

In military affairs, Zhu Bai led troops multiple times to fight and quell rebellions. During the Hongwu years, he defeated enemies in the Changde area and chased rebellion forces to Yan'an, achieving victory. In the 30th year of Hongwu (1397), he served as deputy general and participated in the suppression of minority tribes in Guizhou.

Zhu Bai excelled at poetry and prose, with works such as "Poem Praising True Immortal Zhang," "Poem Praising General Zhao," and "Poem Praising Zhenwu." He was also skilled at painting portraits of infants, although no surviving works remain. His character was depicted as heroic and erudite.

In 1398, upon learning of his father Zhu Yuanzhang's death, he was deeply grief-stricken. In the first year of the Jianwen era (1399), Emperor Hui ascended the throne and implemented policies to reduce the power of vassal lords. Zhu Bai refused to support Zhu Di's rebellion, but he was accused of plotting treason. After being arrested, he set fire and committed suicide by self-immolation in Jingzhou Prefecture, at the age of 28. His fief was abolished, and he was posthumously titled "Li." During the early Yongle period, Ming Chengzu pardoned him, changing his posthumous title to "Xian."

His tomb is located on the west side of Taihui Temple in Jingzhou. In 1998, a large number of cultural relics were unearthed there, including 646 burial artifacts. Zhu Bai had no children.