Zhu Houcong (September 16, 1507 - January 23, 1567), Ming Shizong, was born in Anluzhou, Huguang Chief Secretary (today's Zhongxiang, Hubei). He was the grandson of Xianzong of Ming Dynasty and the descendant of Xiaozong of Ming Dynasty. Nephew, the son of Xingxian King Zhu Youqi and the cousin of Emperor Wuzong of Ming Dynasty. The eleventh emperor of the Ming Dynasty, reigned from 1521 to 1566, with the reign name Jiajing, and was later called Emperor Jiajing. On April 20, the 16th year of Zhengde (1521), Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty passed away. Since Wuzong died without heirs, Empress Dowager Zhang (the mother of Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty) and Yang Tinghe, the chief minister of the cabinet, decided to appoint the royal family of the nearby branch and Wuzong's hall. His younger brother Zhu Houcong succeeded to the throne. In order to prevent assassins from entering, the ancient emperor ordered people to patrol day and night. During the Ming Dynasty, the emperors also maintained this practice. In the Qianqing Palace where Jiajing was located, no one was allowed to live here except him and the queen. Even the most favored concubine had to leave on the day of her bedtime. There are nine rooms in the Qianqing Palace, each with two floors, connected by stairs. Each room has 3 beds, totaling 27 beds, from which the emperor can choose any one to live in. Therefore, no one can know where the emperor sleeps.
Zhu Houcong gradually took control of the imperial power through the Great Ceremony. In the early days of his reign, he was wise and strict, and did many important things. He was strict in controlling officials and lenient in governing the people. The state affairs created the Jiajing ZTE situation. Although he favored Taoism in the later period, he still firmly controlled the court officials and could be called an accomplished emperor. During his reign, Emperor Jiajing consolidated the rule of the Ming Dynasty and laid the foundation for the Longqing New Deal, Zhang Juzheng's reforms, and Jialong's Wanda Reform. In the forty-fifth year of Jiajing (1566), Emperor Jiajing died at the age of 60. The temple name is Shizong, and the posthumous title is Emperor Qintianludaoyingyishenxuanwenguangwuhongrendaxiaosu. Buried in the Yongling Tombs of the Ming Dynasty Tombs in Beijing. His reign was second only to his grandson Ming Shenzong among the emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Jiajing reigned for forty-five years and was the longest reigning emperor in the Ming Dynasty. Created the situation of Jiajing ZTE.
Emperor Jiajing is the most unique emperor in Chinese history. He is also the most willful and stubborn emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He is smart, especially in calligraphy and literary literacy. He has good attainments. At the same time, he is very sensitive, but also very diligent. He often reviews memorials until late at night. Although the "History of the Ming Dynasty" compiled by the Qing Dynasty said that he lived in Xiyuan for more than 20 years and practiced Taoism and mysticism, he still firmly controlled the politics, finance, military and people's livelihood of the entire Ming Dynasty. History books evaluated Emperor Jiajing as the "Lord of the ZTE", saying that he had "six extraordinary qualities, four unparalleled heroes, and five unique qualities that shook the world."
Emperor Jiajing respected Taoism all his life. After listening to the sorcerer's words, he began to do a series of strange things for the purpose of cultivating immortality. For example, the warlock said that the blood of young girls was needed to make elixirs, so Emperor Jiajing ordered his maids to donate blood at regular intervals every month without eating or drinking. Later, because he was addicted to cultivating immortals and had a weird temperament, he often beat and scolded the maids and eunuchs around him. The maids were unwilling to donate blood or avoided donating blood, so they ordered people to drag him out immediately and behead him. Later, the warlock said that the girl's bone marrow was needed to make elixirs. Emperor Jiajing agreed again. But this time the selected palace maid was not only weak after donating blood, but also suffered a horrific death.
In this way, Emperor Jiajing's atrocities aroused the dissatisfaction of some palace maids in the palace. They discussed privately that instead of being tortured to death, it would be better to take the initiative. One night, these dozen palace maids took advantage of the situation. Emperor Jiajing fell asleep, so he swarmed up and surrounded Jiajing. Then he put a noose around Jiajing's neck and tried to strangle him alive. But who would have thought that the palace maids accidentally tied the noose into a tight knot. This time they could not strangle Emperor Jiajing at all, but only frightened him into unconsciousness. After hearing the strange movement, the guards rushed over and subdued the palace maid. In the end, these dozen maids were sentenced to be beheaded.
As Emperor Jiajing grew older and took elixirs containing arsenic, mercury, realgar, and cinnabar for a long time, Emperor Jiajing's health deteriorated. In the first month of the forty-fourth year of Jiajing (1565), the alchemist Wang Jin and others forged "Zhupin Immortal Prescriptions" and "New Book of Elderly Care" to prepare the elixir of longevity and present it to Emperor Jiajing. In February of the forty-fifth year of Jiajing's reign (1567), Hai Rui, the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, wrote in the "Public Security Shu". Emperor Jiajing was so angry that he was thrown into prison and threatened with death, but he was rescued by Xu Jie. On December 14, the forty-fifth year of Jiajing (January 23, 1567), Emperor Jiajing died in Qianqing Palace at the age of 60. The temple name is Shizong, and the posthumous title is Emperor Qintianludaoyingyishenxuanwenguangwuhongrendaxiaosu. Buried in Yongling Mausoleum, Changping, Beijing.
After the death of Emperor Jiajing, King Yu Zhu Zaihe succeeded to the throne and his reign was Longqing. According to the imperial edict of the late Emperor Sejong, "Those who survive will be called upon, those who die will be recorded, and those who see prison will be released first and reinstated." Hai Rui, as the representative, pardoned all the officials who had made suggestions. From this moment on, the eighteen-year Longwan Reform began.