Jianwen Emperor

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Jianwen Emperor
Birth and death:	5 December 1377–13 July 1402¹
Family name:	Zhū (朱)
Given name:	Yŭnwén (允炆)
Dates of reign:	30 June 1398–13 July 1402
Dynasty:	Ming (明)
Era name:	Jiànwén (建文)
Era dates:	6 February 1399–29 July 1402²
Temple name:	None given³
Posthumous name: (short)	Emperor Hui4 (惠帝)
Posthumous name: (full)	Emperor Gongmin Hui5 恭閔惠皇帝
General note: Dates given here are in the Julian calendar. They are not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. ——— 1. Supposed to have died in the burning of the Imperial Palace. However, it is widely believed that he survived and lived underground for many more years as a Buddhist monk. 2. On July 30, 1402 the Jianwen era was officially abolished by the new emperor, and the former Hongwu era was reestablished until the beginning of 1403 when the Yongle era officially started. 3. Denied a temple name by the new emperor Yongle, but in 1644 the prince of Fu (福王), the new self-proclaimed emperor of the Southern Ming, conferred on Emperor Jianwen the temple name Huizong (惠宗). However, this temple name is not recorded in most history books, unlike the temple name of Emperor Jingtai, also conferred by the prince of Fu, but generally accepted in history books. 4. This posthumous name was given by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in 1736. Previously, in 1644 the prince of Fu had given him the posthumous name Emperor Rang (讓皇帝). 5. Given in 1736. The full posthumous name given by the prince of Fu in 1644 was: Emperor Sitian Zhangdao Chengyi Yuangong Guanwen Yangwu Keren Duxiao Rang (嗣天章道誠懿淵功觀文揚武克仁篤孝讓皇帝)

The Jianwen Emperor (December 5, 1377–July 13, 1402), with the personal name Zhu Yunwen, reigned as the second Emperor of the Ming dynasty.

His father, Crown Prince Zhu Biao (朱標), was the son and designated heir of the Hongwu Emperor. When Zhu Biao died in 1392 before ascending to the throne, the Hongwu emperor made Zhu Biao's son Zhu Yunwen his successor, rather than Zhu Biao's younger brother Zhu Di.

The Jianwen reign was short (1398–1402). After he assumed the throne, Zhu Yunwen began to suppress feudal lords which included Zhu Yunwen's uncle Zhu Di. Feeling threatened, in 1399 Zhu Di raised an army and began to march towards Nanjing from his northern base in Beijing under the banner of the Jingnan campaign. In 1402 Zhu Di's army finally reached Nanjing and after a brief fight Zhu Di was finally able to usurped Zhu Yunwen's throne. To avoid capture, Zhu Yunwen and his concubines is said to have died in a fire of the palace during the coup. The Jianwen emperor was advised by a group of scholars, later known as the Four Martyrs, who were killed by Yongle. The record of Jianwen's rule was systematically erased by Yongle and no temple name was given to Jianwen.

Preceded by Hongwu Emperor

Emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) 1398–1402

Succeeded by Yongle Emperor