Zhu Houxuan

King Yigong Zhu Huoxuan was born on August 24, 1500, and died on October 9, 1577. His courtesy name was Yizhai. He was a descendant of the Ming Taizu and the eldest son of the Ming imperial clan Zhu Youbin. He was the son of Prince Yiduan Zhu Youbin and the brother of Prince Yizhuang Zhu Huoye. In 1506, he was granted the title of Prince of Chongren. In 1521, when Xing Wang Zhu Youyan’s heir Zhu Houzong ascended the throne, Zhu Huoxuan was chosen to succeed as Xing Wang, but he was not formally enfeoffed because Zhu Houzong insisted on honoring his father as emperor. During the second year of Jiajing (1523), amid debates about the eligibility for ancestral temple rites, some proposed that Zhu Huoxuan inherit the title of Xing Wang. A similar suggestion was made again in the ninth year of Jiajing (1530). In 1556, his brother Zhu Houye passed away without an heir, and Zhu Huoxuan succeeded to become the Prince of Yì, holding the title for twenty-one years. His wife was Lady Wu, and they had six children: his eldest legitimate son Zhu Zaizeng was posthumously enfeoffed as the Prince of Yizhao; other descendants were granted different princely titles. Among his children were also princesses from Ningdu, Ruichang, and Yichun. King Yigong died in 1577, and he was posthumously titled King Gong.