Why did Ming emperors live short? This is a matter of concern. Of the 17 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, most of them, with the exception of a few who lived long, did not live more than 60 years. In comparison, other dynasties generally lived longer, which raises questions about it.
The early death of the Ming emperor may have been linked to a family genetic disease, but there is a lack of conclusive evidence to support this view. In addition, some blamed the Ming emperor for indulging in pleasures, which led to damage to his health. There is also a theory that after Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the prime minister system, the emperor undertook the work that should have been the responsibility of the prime minister, which led to overwork and early death. However, these are just speculations and lack sufficient evidence.
While inspecting the Forbidden City, experts stumbled upon an important clue – the Ming emperor may have died early because of the paint on the walls. After moving the capital to Beijing, Zhu Di, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, carried out large-scale construction of the Forbidden City and used a large amount of paint containing cinnabar. However, cinnabar contains large amounts of mercury, and long-term exposure to it can lead to chronic heavy metal poisoning, especially in children.
Those Ming emperors who lived longer, such as Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang, basically worked in Nanjing and did not live in the Forbidden City for long periods of time. The emperors who grew up in the Forbidden City lived a shorter life expectancy, perhaps because they were affected by mercury poisoning from an early age.
Although the Wanli Emperor lived to be 57 years old, he remained in poor health, which may also be related to mercury poisoning. In contrast, the average life expectancy of Qing emperors was longer, as they did not often live in the Forbidden City, but instead worked in the Old Summer Palace and spent some time each year in a summer resort. However, with the destruction of the Old Summer Palace, the health of the Guangxu and Tongzhi Emperors who remained in the Forbidden City began to deteriorate dramatically.
Overall, the reasons for the short life of Ming emperors may be manifold, among which mercury poisoning may be one of the important factors. However, further research and exploration are needed to better understand this issue.