Zhu Jianlin

Dezhuang Wang Zhu Jianlin (May 7, 1448 – September 7, 1517), was the eldest son of Ming Emperor Yingzong. His mother was Consort Wan, of the Jingzhuang An Mu Chen lineage. Originally named Zhu Jianqing, he was born shortly before his father was taken captive during the Tumu Fortress Incident, and was raised by his grandmother, Empress Dowager Sun. In the third year of the Jingtai reign (1452), he was granted the title of Prince of Rong.

In the first year of the Tianshun reign (1457), Emperor Yingzong was restored to the throne, and Zhu Jianlin was posthumously titled Duke of De, with his name changed accordingly. In the sixth year of Tianshun (1462), he represented Emperor Yingzong in offering sacrifices at the ancestral temple. The seventh year of Tianshun (1463), he moved to the princely residence in the capital to prepare for a princely fief. Emperor Yingzong ordered civil and military officials to pay homage to Zhu Jianlin following the standards of a crown prince. At the end of Yingzong's life, Grand Secretary Li Xian repeatedly advised him to alter the succession plan, but no change was made.

After Zhu Jianlin ascended the throne as Emperor Xianzong, Zhu Jianrui continued to enjoy special privileges, such as representing sacrifices at tombs and the ancestral temple. In the first year of Chenghua (1465), he was granted a consort, and in the third year of Chenghua (1467), he was enfeoffed as a prince— the first prince to do so since the founding of the Ming Dynasty in the fourth year of the Xuande reign (1429). His fief was relocated from Dezhou to Jinan Prefecture, where he enjoyed full rice allowances; Emperor Xianzong granted him annually over two hundred shi (a measure of grain) of plain mature rice. He once requested to return to the capital to mourn but was not granted permission.

The De Prince's residence was constructed based on the specifications of the Forbidden City, covering a large area including the Chengyun Hall, the Round Hall, and the Cuxin Hall. During Emperor Xianzong’s final days, only Zhu Jianlin proposed fleeing to mourn— later, during Emperor Xiaozong's reign, he was allowed to leave the city annually to perform ancestral tomb sweeping. During Emperor Wuzong’s reign, he requested exemption from land taxes but was refused.

He ruled for sixty years and died in the twelfth year of the Zhengde reign (1517). His posthumous title was Zhuang (庄), and his son Zhu Yourong succeeded him. In 1993, cultural relics authorities in Shandong Province excavated his tomb and confirmed its identity based on an epitaph, establishing it as the tomb of Zhu Jianlin.

Family-wise, he had a consort Liu, his eldest son Zhu Yourong, his legitimate second son Zhu Yourong, as well as other children and daughters.