Hongxi Emperor

The Hongxi Emperor (16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Renzong of Ming (Chinese: 明仁宗), personal name Zhu Gaochi (朱高熾), was the fourth emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1424 to 1425. He was the eldest son of the Yongle Emperor and Empress Renxiaowen and the maternal grandson of Xu Da, Prince of Zhongshan. He ascended the throne after the death of his father, but his reign lasted less than a year. "Hongxi", the era name of his reign, means "vastly bright".

Zhu Gaochi was born on 16 August 1378, as the eldest son of Zhu Di, who was the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor. After the Hongwu Emperor died, Zhu Di won a civil war against the Jianwen Emperor and became the Yongle Emperor in 1402. He ensured that his eldest son received a top-notch education rooted in Confucian principles. Zhu Gaochi served as a regent in Nanjing or Beijing while his father was away on military campaigns.

As soon as Zhu Gaochi ascended to the throne, he discontinued Zheng He's overseas expeditions, halted the trade of tea for horses with Asian nations, and put an end to the gold and pearl missions to Yunnan and Vietnam. He pardoned officials who had been disgraced by the previous regime and restructured the government, appointing his trusted advisors to key positions. He also strengthened the authority of the Grand Secretariat, the highest governing body. He abandoned his father's unpopular militaristic policies, made changes to the financial and tax system, abolished many mandatory provisions, and encouraged the return of displaced peasants, particularly in the lower regions of the Yangtze River. His Confucian ideals influenced the style of governance for the next century.

He made the decision to relocate the capital back to Nanjing. However, just a month later, in May 1425, he died, most likely due to a heart attack. His 26-year-old son, Zhu Zhanji, assumed the throne and carried on his father's progressive policies, leaving a lasting influence.