Taichang Emperor

The Taichang Emperor, born Zhu Changluo on 28 August 1582, was the 15th emperor of the Ming dynasty in China. He was the eldest son of the Wanli Emperor and his maternal lineage included Lady Wang, a servant of the Empress Dowager Li. Lady Wang was promoted to the rank of Consort Gong, but did not receive the Emperor's favor, which was instead directed toward Lady Zheng, a favored concubine of the Wanli Emperor. Lady Zheng bore Zhu Changluo's half-brother, Zhu Changxun.

In 1586, the Wanli Emperor promoted Lady Zheng to Imperial Noble Consort, positioning her son Zhu Changxun as a potential successor, which caused political disputes with officials who supported Zhu Changluo’s rights. The Wanli Emperor delayed officially naming an heir for several years. In 1601, against initial opposition, he formally designated Zhu Changluo as heir. Despite this, intrigue persisted, including the 1615 incident involving Zhang Chai, who armed himself with a wooden staff and targeted the Heir Apparent’s palace, raising suspicions of palace conspiracy involving eunuchs close to Lady Zheng.

Following the death of the Wanli Emperor on 18 August 1620, Zhu Changluo ascended the throne on 28 August 1620 as the Taichang Emperor. His reign lasted only a few weeks; he fell ill three days after his enthronement and died on 26 September 1620. His sudden death prompted suspicions and political instability. His son, Zhu Youjiao, was enthroned subsequently as the Tianqi Emperor.

During his early life, Zhu Changluo was born during the tenth year of Wanli’s reign. His mother, Lady Wang, was a servant of Empress Dowager Li. The Wanli Emperor, initially uninterested in the child, was persuaded by the Empress Dowager to acknowledge Zhu Changluo’s paternity, presenting records of his visits. Lady Wang was promoted but remained in a subordinate position in the imperial harem.

The succession controversy intensified in 1586 when Lady Zheng was promoted, favoring her son Zhu Changxun over Zhu Changluo. The debate over succession involved officials advocating for the primogeniture rights of Zhu Changluo, leading to protests and political disputes. In 1589, the Wanli Emperor formally declared Zhu Changluo as successor, but controversy persisted, including accusations against Lady Zheng for alleged conspiracy attempts.

In 1614, Empress Dowager Li intervened, supporting Zhu Changluo’s succession by sending Zhu Changxun to a provincial post. The "case of the attack with the stick" in 1615 further exemplified court intrigue; Zhang Chai, mentally unstable, attempted to confront palace eunuchs, leading to investigations suspected of implicating eunuchs close to Lady Zheng.

At age 38, Zhu Changluo ascended to the throne. He appointed officials associated with the Donglin movement, indicating an intention to reform or change previous policies. His brief reign was characterized by active government actions, including mobilizing military and financial resources to Liaodong and abolishing certain taxes introduced during his father’s reign.

His illness began shortly after he ascended. By early September 1620, he exhibited severe symptoms and, despite treatment attempts—including the administration of supposed "red pills" containing lead and other minerals—he died on 26 September. The circumstances of his death, especially the use of the red pills, led to suspicions of poisoning, with ongoing debates about the true cause.

Zhu Changluo’s death triggered a power struggle for the succession of his young son, Zhu Youjiao, who was crowned as the Tianqi Emperor on 1 October 1620. The late emperor's consorts and issue included Empress Xiaoyuanzhen of the Guo clan, Princess Huaishu, Princess Ningde, Princess Suiping, and several other daughters and sons, among whom Zhu Youjiao became the subsequent emperor.