The emperor with the greenest "hat" in Chinese history, 127 sons, none of whom were born
Zhu Houzhao, the tenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, is the story of his life full of drama and controversy. Zhu Houzhao is unique in that he had 127 sons, none of whom were his own sons, which is an extremely rare phenomenon in the history of the Ming Dynasty and even in the history of the world.
Zhu Houzhao's life experience began when he was born as the only son of Zhu Youzhu and Empress Zhang of the Ming Dynasty. Gifted and intelligent, he had an excellent memory, and was made the crown prince at a young age. However, due to Ming Xiaozong's doting on his son, Zhu Houzhao has been free-range, cultivating his interest in riding and shooting.
Once on the throne, Zhu Houzhao showed a series of absurd and irresponsible behaviors. He was obsessed with hunting and went out hunting frequently, but neglected the duties and responsibilities of the royal family. He has a frivolous attitude towards the government and often gets angry over trivial matters. In addition, he indulged in fun, frequently hosting banquets and entertainments, and neglecting the governance of the country and the responsibilities of the royal family.
Among them, one of Zhu Houzhao's most well-known absurd behaviors is keeping a large number of animals in the leopard house, including tigers, leopards, lions, etc. He often surrounds himself with these animals and even cohabits with them. This kind of behavior is inseparable from the "Eight Tigers" around him. The eight eunuchs, led by Liu Jin, further exacerbated the political chaos of the Ming Dynasty by guiding the emperor to indulge in entertainment and neglect government affairs. The Eight Tigers took advantage of the emperor's trust, stole power, filled their own pockets, and wreaked havoc on the rule of the Ming Dynasty.
There are many explanations for why Zhu Houzhao did not have a biological son. One widely accepted belief is that his lifestyle and health may have contributed to the condition. According to historical records, Zhu Houzhao indulged in wine and became contaminated with the habit of indulgence, which gradually affected his physical health. It is likely that this poor lifestyle adversely affected his fertility and prevented him from having a biological son.
In addition, there is also an opinion that Zhu Houzhao may have a genetic disease or other health problems that prevent him from being his biological father. However, these claims have not been supported by conclusive evidence, so the exact reason why Zhu Houzhao did not have a biological son remains uncertain. Due to the lack of biological sons, Zhu Houzhao named the 127 male pets he raised in the leopard house as "righteous sons" and was given the surname Zhu. They enjoyed luxurious mansions, were allowed to participate in political affairs, and even held some military power.
Among these people who were named "righteous sons", Qian Ning, Jiang Bin, Xu Tai and other three people were particularly favored, and according to legend, they had a close relationship with Zhu Houzhao, and even shared the same bed. Zhu Houzhao's promiscuity had a negative impact on the Ming Dynasty. Such actions not only damage the image and prestige of the royal family, but also weaken the effectiveness of the country's governance. His absurd behavior sparked social dissatisfaction and criticism, posing a certain challenge to the rule of the Ming Dynasty.
Since there was no biological son, after Zhu Houzhao's death, the ministers of the Ming Dynasty faced the problem of inheriting the throne. In the end, they elected Zhu Houxi, who was Zhu Houzhao's cousin and later became the high-profile "Emperor of Cultivating Immortals" Emperor Jiajing. Unlike Zhu Houzhao, although Emperor Jiajing is not as good as the former, it has also caused dissatisfaction. He did not go to court for decades, but he skillfully controlled the fate of his ministers through unfathomable means. However, this style of rule also laid a hidden danger for the decline of the Ming Dynasty.
Overall, Zhu Houzhao was a controversial and dramatic emperor. His story provokes reflection on the qualities and responsibilities that a leader should possess. Leaders need not only intelligence and leadership skills, but also vision and responsibility. Only in this way can we create a better future for the country and its people. At the same time, Zhu's experience also reminds us not to get caught up in the maze of personal desires and entertainment, and neglect our duties and responsibilities.