Emperor Chongzhen

The 17th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, China (reigned 1628-44). His given name was Zhu Youjian. His posthumous name was Emperor Zhuang Liemin. His temple name was Yizong. He was the grandson of the 14th emperor, Emperor Wanli. He was the fifth son of the 15th emperor, Emperor Taichang. He was the younger brother of the 16th emperor, Emperor Tianqi. His mother was Empress Xianfei Liu. He was enfeoffed as King Xin in 1622 and ascended to the throne in 1628. The emperor was wise and kept his tone to himself, and showed enthusiasm for restoring the Ming Dynasty, which was in decline. He killed the previous wicked minister, Wei Zhongxian, and others, released the righteous bureaucrats of the Donglin faction who had been oppressed, and appointed Han, Liu Hongxun, Qian Longxi, and others to his cabinet. He also tried to rebuild the finances by using Xu Guangqi, a Christian who was knowledgeable about agricultural policy such as irrigation and cotton cultivation. His policies were impressive, and for a time he hoped for peace, but within the country, remnants of the faction strife that had existed since the Wanli Dynasty remained, and there was no unity among the bureaucrats, and overseas, both military officers and soldiers were corrupt and the military was weakened. At that time, the army was still able to adequately cope with the growing power of Manchuria (Qing), but the expansion of war expenses led to the so-called "three tributes" (taxes) of the Wanli period, the tributes (taxes), the tributes (taxes), and the tributes (taxes). This was said to be a sign of the lack of arts at the end of the Ming period. In addition, natural disasters such as droughts and floods occurred one after another, leading to serious famines, and riots in cities and rebellions in rural areas. In particular, the peasant army of Li Zicheng, who arose from Shaanxi, had strict military discipline and a policy of stabilizing the people's livelihood, such as "leveling the fields regardless of social status, exempting people from taxation for three years, and not killing peasants," won the hearts of the people, and the army grew rapidly, eventually capturing the capital, Beijing. The emperor allowed his son to escape, executed his daughter, and hanged her on Mount Baizan (Mt. Banzai) behind the capital on March 18, 1644.

[Mamoru Kawakatsu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、明(みん)の第17代皇帝（在位1628～44）。姓名は朱由検。諡(おくりな)は荘烈愍(そうれつみん)皇帝。廟号(びょうごう)は毅宗(きそう)。14代皇帝万暦帝(ばんれきてい)の孫。15代泰昌帝(たいしょうてい)の第5子。16代天啓帝の弟。母は賢妃劉(りゅう)氏。1622年信王に封ぜられ、28年即位。帝は英明で声色を近づけず、衰運の明朝を復興する熱意を示し、前代の奸臣(かんしん)の魏忠賢(ぎちゅうけん)以下を殺し、弾圧されていた東林系の正義派官僚を釈放し、韓(かんこう)、劉鴻訓(りゅうこうくん)、銭龍錫(せんりゅうしゃく)などを入閣させた。また、キリスト教徒で水利や綿作など農政に通じた徐光啓を用いて財政再建を図った。施策にはみるべきものがあり、一時太平を期待させたが、なお内には万暦朝以来の党争の余派が残って官僚間に統一がなく、外には将卒ともに腐敗して軍事力も弱体化していた。当時、成長しつつあった満州（清(しん)）の勢力には、なお十分に対応しえたが、戦費の膨張は万暦の遼餉(りょうしょう)に加えて、勦餉(そうしょう)、練餉(れんしょう)のいわゆる三餉となって納税負担者を苦しめた。明末無藝(むげい)の徴といわれるところである。加えて干魃(かんばつ)、水害など自然災害が相次ぎ、深刻な飢饉(ききん)となり、都市の暴動や農村の反乱が起こった。ことに陝西(せんせい)から起こった李自成(りじせい)の農民軍は軍規も厳格で、「貴賤(きせん)にかかわらず田を均(ひと)しくし、三年間の徴税を免じ、百姓を殺さぬ」という民生安定策が民心を集め、急速に成長して、ついに都北京(ペキン)を攻略した。帝は皇子を落ち延びさせ、皇女を斬(き)り、都の背後の煤山(ばいざん)（万歳山）で首をつった。1644年3月18日であった。

［川勝　守］

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