Zhu Cilang

Zhu Cilang (26 February 1629 – June 1644) was the designated crown prince of the Ming dynasty. He was the eldest son of the Chongzhen Emperor and Lady Zhou, also known as Empress Xiaojielie. He was appointed crown prince in 1630 during the reign of his father.

In 1644, China was experiencing widespread peasant rebellions, particularly in northern regions, which threatened the Ming dynasty’s capital, Beijing. The rebel leader Li Zicheng established the Shun dynasty in Xi'an and declared himself king in February of that year. By March, Li Zicheng’s forces had captured Taiyuan in Shanxi Province, an event that provided significant momentum to his campaign and led to numerous garrisons surrendering without resistance.

During this period, discussions regarding the possible relocation of the Ming court to the south took place among officials and the emperor. Proposals suggested retreating south to Nanjing and establishing an alternative Southern Ming regime, with some recommendations indicating that the crown prince remain in Beijing as regent to oversee the northern region and protect the imperial altars. The Chongzhen Emperor rejected these proposals, preferring to stay in Beijing and resist the rebels. Secretly, he favored retreating south himself but faced opposition from court officials. Meetings and proposals in April 1644 repeatedly addressed the possibility of transferring the court southward with the crown prince leading the vanguard; however, these plans were ultimately rejected due to fears of political plots aiming to dethrone the emperor and install the crown prince as emperor, akin to historical precedents from the Tang dynasty.

On 23 April 1644, as Li Zicheng’s forces approached Beijing through Juyong Pass, the Chongzhen Emperor held his final audience with ministers. He refused to surrender when offered peace by Li Zicheng and the city was attacked the following day. During the assault, the emperor ordered his family and members of the court to hide or escape. He personally killed some of his family members, including Consort Yuan and Princess Kunyi, and caused injury to Princess Changping. Empress Zhou committed suicide by hanging herself in the Forbidden City. Following the fall of Beijing, the Chongzhen Emperor died by hanging himself on Meishan Hill.

The transfer of power from the Ming to the Qing dynasty was influenced by the Chongzhen Emperor’s reluctance to relocate southward amid the rebellion, which resulted in the Qing being able to capture many of the Ming's civil servants and administrative resources. This decision also destabilized the Southern Ming regimes and increased internal conflicts.

Li Zicheng’s forces captured Beijing on 25 April 1644 and took Zhu Cilang and his brothers as hostages. During an audience, Li Zicheng questioned Zhu about the loss of the Mandate of Heaven; Zhu attributed the failure to corrupt ministers in his family. Li Zicheng granted Zhu the title Prince of Song and kept him alive during his occupation of the city.

Following Li Zicheng’s defeat at the Battle of Shanhai Pass on 27 May 1644 by Qing forces led by Prince-Regent Dorgon and Ming general Wu Sangui, Zhu Cilang fell into Wu Sangui’s possession. Wu intended to restore him to the throne, but Dorgon opposed this, favoring the Qing’s claim to the Mandate of Heaven. News of the defeat reached Beijing, but instead of welcoming Wu Sangui’s forces and the Ming heir, the city was entered by Dorgon’s army. The Qing then installed the Shunzhi Emperor as the ruler of China. Zhu Cilang was taken to Ningjiawan, Shaanxi, where he died in June 1644.

Posthumously, Zhu Cilang was honored as Crown Prince Xianmin by the Hongguang Emperor of the Southern Ming and later as Emperor Dao. His crown princess was Ning Hong’s daughter, Consort Ning, who died at age 19.