In the prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty, the princesses born by the queen were like bright gems, carrying the glory and future of the empire. However, their life stories are little known, and each has a gripping chapter of fate.
So, how many princesses did the Ming Dynasty have? What vicissitudes have they experienced in their lives? In the ancient court, power and strategy, gains and losses, elegance and decline are intertwined into a magnificent picture, and how do the princesses born by these queens write their own legends in the long river of history?
Today, we will step into the tunnel of time, through the fog of history, and see these dusty women's stories one by one. They either bloom like flowers because of their love, or they are dull because of strife.
In this ancient Ming Dynasty world, each princess has a unique fate, and each story reflects the changes of the times.
Let's explore the magical experiences of the princesses born by these queens through the years, as well as their different destinations, adding a vivid color to that glorious history.
Among the sixteen daughters of Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, only Princess Ningguo and Princess Anqing were really born in the royal family. Princess Ningguo is very intelligent and favored by Taizu. She married her confidant Mei Yin, and for a while she was in power.
However, when Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne, Mei Yin betrayed the new monarch and joined King Yan's rebellion. After Emperor Yongle ascended the throne, Princess Ningguo was forced to write a letter to recall Mei Yin, but Mei Yin was killed on the way back to Beijing.
Although Princess Ning Guo was not convicted because of this, her glory days are gone. Compared with Princess Ningguo, Princess Anqing's ending is even more tragic. She married her favorite minister Ouyang Lun, but Ouyang Lun later corrupted the law and was executed by Taizu.
Since then, Princess Anqing has disappeared from history and her whereabouts are unknown.
After Chengzu Zhu Di ascended the throne, the fate of his four daughters, Princess Yong'an, Princess Yongping, Princess Ancheng and Princess Xianning, also changed. Among them, Princess Yongping Zhu Yuegui used her political skills and thoughtful ability to make her husband Li Rang and son Li Maofang once in a high position.
However, Li Rang died early, and Li Maofang was on the wrong side in the struggle for the throne, and finally lost his title, and the mother and son went into decline from then on. The fate of Princess Zhu Zhiming of Xianning and Princess Zhu Yuying of Ancheng is also bumpy.
Their husbands were Song Ying and Song Hu respectively, Song Ying won and became the Marquis of Xining, but Song Hu was deposed. In this political struggle, the two princesses have no power to return to heaven and can only go with the flow.
Renzong Zhu Gaochi has a smart and beautiful concubine, Princess Jiaxing, but her fate is extremely tortuous. Princess Jiaxing's marriage was once stagnant, and it was not until the third year of Xuande that the marriage was consummated.
However, the happy days did not last long, and Princess Jiaxing died prematurely due to dystocia at the age of thirty-one. And her husband Jing Yuan was also tragically killed in the civil engineering change.
Jingzong's only daughter, Princess Gu'an, was later demoted to the county lord, and she was very intelligent, and married Wang Xian, a henchman of Xianzong. She is deeply favored by Xianzong and dominates the harem. It's a pity that after Wang Xian passed away, the county lord of Gu'an also died of illness at the age of forty-three.
Princess Taikang, the only daughter of Xiaozong, died at the age of two, although her life was short, she was calm and peaceful, in strong contrast with other princesses in the harem. Ruizong had three daughters, but all of them died before they could grow up.
After Ruizong's death, the minister posthumously named them Princess Changning, Princess Yongfu and Princess Yongchun. If they were lucky enough to live a long life, would they be happier? It's always been a mystery.
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, Sejong Zhu Houxi, as the monarch at the height of national power, unfortunately did not have a princess. His daughters were unable to control the court like the princesses of his ancestors, and Sejong lacked attention to them.
Princess Penglai was the only daughter of Muzong Zhu Zaikun, but unfortunately she died eight months after her birth, heralding the decline of the Muzong dynasty.
And Princess Rongchang, the only concubine of Shenzong Zhu Yijun, chose the learned scholar Yang Chunyuan as her husband, which was also the first time that a princess of the Ming Dynasty married a scholar instead of a meritorious and beautiful general.
However, the good times did not last long, Yang Chunyuan died early, and Princess Rongchang never married, and was already over sixty years old when Li Zicheng captured Beijing, which is regrettable.
Guangzong Zhu Changluo's daughter Princess Huaishu's life is like a summer flower, short and gorgeous. And the two princesses of Sizong Zhu Youzhen, Princess Changping and Princess Zhaoren, their lives are full of misfortune.
Princess Changping was captured by Li Zicheng's army, and Sizong did not hesitate to cut off her arm himself for her safety. Princess Changping went through life and death and was finally married in the Qing Dynasty, but the rest of her life was full of pain and melancholy.
The fate of Princess Zhaoren was even more tragic, and she was killed by Sizong himself at the age of twelve. The early death of Princess Akihito is undoubtedly one of the most tragic fates.
In general, although the princesses of the Ming Dynasty were born into the royal family, their fate is not something they can control, but is closely linked to the changes in the court and the power of their husbands.
Some of them were in prominent positions for a while, some died regrettably, and some died in a coup d'état. The fate of these Ming princesses is full of ups and downs, full of hardships, and people can't help but think deeply: they have supreme honor, but few are truly happy.
Are these beloved daughters of the Ming Dynasty emperors really as perfect as their fathers and history books portray? Let's revisit and reflect.