Zhu Zhanji, the fifth generation of Ming Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, became one of the main founders of the prosperous era of Renxuan. But who would have known that on the third day of the Lunar New Year in the spring, he died young, and he was only 36 years old when he died, and there is a saying that he was 38 years old.
Why did Zhu Zhanji, the all-round emperor of civil and military affairs, suddenly die unexpectedly in the prime of life? What is the truth?
1. The theory of death from overwork
Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the prime minister system, and the emperor directly managed the six ministries, which led to many things to be reported to the emperor and decided by the emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang is a workaholic, and he is in good health as a farmer, so he is fully qualified for this job. Zhu Yunwen has been the emperor for four years, and he has patronized the cutting of the domain, so he can not discuss it. Ming Chengzu Zhu Di was an immediate emperor, who led his troops to fight several times, and his body was not ordinary.
It's a pity that when Ming Renzong Zhu Gaochi arrived, he couldn't do such a job, and he died after a year as emperor. Therefore, when Zhu Zhanji becomes the emperor, he will also face the problem of busy government affairs, and many people say that Zhu Zhanji may be tired and tired.
In fact, this statement is completely untenable, because the Ming Dynasty set up a cabinet when Zhu Di was in place, but the power of the cabinet was relatively small at the beginning. But by the time of Ming Xuanzong, the cabinet system was already very perfect, and it was completely possible to share the work for the emperor. And the ministers during Zhu Zhanji's period were also very powerful, and Zhu Zhanji didn't have to worry about it at all.
Zhu Zhanji also gave the eunuchs a certain amount of power, and used some henchmen and eunuchs to handle political affairs instead of him, so Zhu Zhanji was not too tired at all. And in addition to being a good "cricket", Zhu Zhanji is also accomplished in painting and poetry. Zhu Zhanji also likes to hunt, and he also painted a "Hunting Map", which proves that Zhu Zhanji has a lot of time to play other things, and the theory of dying of overwork is not valid!
2. Excessive indulgence
There are not many concubines in the life records of Zhu Zhanji of Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, except for Hu Shanxiang and the later queen Sun, as well as the mother of the Ming Dynasty, Wu, the rest of the concubines were sealed when they were martyred, which shows that Zhu Zhanji is not a lustful person.
In addition, during Zhu Zhanji's reign, because of the corrupt style of officials' life, in the fourth year of Xuande (1429), it was decided to eliminate official prostitutes throughout the country and strictly enforce law and discipline. It can be seen that Zhu Zhanji hates those officials who are obsessed with women, so it is unlikely that he will indulge excessively.
3. Died of metal poisoning
The emperors of the Ming Dynasty had the habit of taking pills, could it be that Zhu Zhanji wanted to pursue immortality, so he would take more pills and cause poisoning?
But there is no record in the history books that Zhu Zhanji likes to take pills, if there is a record, future generations will definitely know, just like Emperor Jiajing, taking pills is very famous, since there is no record in the history books, then Zhu Zhanji should not be poisoned by pills.
Some people also say that the emperor lived in the Forbidden City, and because the tiles on the roof mostly used gilding technology, it would also cause metal poisoning, but this is not convincing, because why can other emperors live longer? Therefore, this is not the reason for Zhu Zhanji's early death.
4. Familial genetic diseases
The emperors of the Ming Dynasty were basically Zhu Di's lineage, and most of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were relatively short-lived, except for the founding emperors Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di who lived past sixty years old, the highest life expectancy of other emperors was the sixty years old of Emperor Jiajing, and the others did not pass sixty.
And since Zhu Di, the life expectancy of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty has shown a cliff-like decline, Mingrenzong lived to be forty-seven years old, Ming Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji lived to be thirty-eight, Ming Yingzong lived to be 38 years old, Ming Dynasty Zong lived to be 30 years old, Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen lived to be 41 years old, Xiaozong Zhu Youji lived to be 36 years old, Wuzong Zhu Houzhao lived to be 31 years old, Shizong Zhu Houxi lived to be 60 years old, Muzong Zhu Zaijun lived to be 36 years old, Shenzong Zhu Yijun lived to be 58 years old, Guangzong Zhu Changluo lived to be 39 years old, Xizong Zhu Youxiao lived to be 23 years old, and Sizong Zhu Youzhen lived to be 34 years old.
Many people have always emphasized that the life expectancy of ancient people was originally low, but the low life expectancy of ancient people was caused by the poor living standards of ordinary people. For example, many of the first and auxiliary ministers of the Ming Dynasty were sixty or seventy years old, and the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty lived to eighty, so the low life expectancy of the Ming Dynasty emperors was indeed a problem.
According to the situation of Zhu Di's descendants, it can be seen that Zhu Di's descendants do have problems, and since Zhu Di became the emperor, no child has been born, and there are not many emperor's heirs after Zhu Di, compared with the emperor's heirs in the early Qing Dynasty, there are really not many emperor's children in the Ming Dynasty.
Ming Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji only had two sons, but they both became emperors, Ming Yingzong and Ming Dynasty, but these two emperors did not live long.
It can be seen that the situation presented by Zhu Di's descendants is that there are few heirs and a low life expectancy. And Zhu Yuanzhang's other sons and descendants have no problem, and some of the vassal king's children have more than 100, so the problem lies with Zhu Di.
Zhu Zhanji's series of reforms, on the basis of Zhu Di's martial arts and Zhu Gaochi's cultural rule, controlled the vassal kings, improved the cabinet, appointed meritocracy, carried out military reforms, and also implemented a series of policies of recuperation and recuperation; Externally, he sent Zheng He to the West for the seventh time, strengthened exchanges with foreign countries, stopped large-scale wars, and adopted a strategy of appeasement of Mongolia, which had a very good effect.
In short, during the ten years of Zhu Zhanji's reign, the national strength of the Ming Dynasty has been unprecedentedly developed, and his exploits and his father Zhu Gaochi are called "the rule of Renxuan", and some people even say that the father and son are comparable to Wenjing, and the evaluation is very high.