Talk:Yongle Emperor/GA1

*"After Su's death in 1385, Fu Youde, Xu's deputy, took over leadership." Do you mean Xu Da rather than ''Su''?

*"After Su's death in 1385, Fu Youde, Xu's deputy, took over leadership." Do you mean Xu Da rather than ''Su''?

** Done.

** Done.

*"Zhu Di attempted to present himself as the Hongwu Emperor's legitimate successor by declaring himself and the Hongwu Emperor's fifth son, Zhu Su, as the only sons of Empress Ma in the 1403 edition of the official Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu." Can you briefly explain this decision in terms of the Ming succession law?

*"Zhu Di attempted to present himself as the Hongwu Emperor's legitimate successor by declaring himself and the Hongwu Emperor's fifth son, Zhu Su, as the only sons of Empress Ma in the 1403 edition of the official Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu." Can you briefly explain this decision in terms of the Ming succession law?

** A note has been added.

*"Zhu Di did not have a good relationship with Lan Yu, and according to historian Wang Shizhen (王世貞; 1526–1590), he was responsible for Lan's execution in March 1393." Does the source Tsai (2002), pp. 50–52, explain Zhu Di's involvement in the Lan Yu execution?

*"Zhu Di did not have a good relationship with Lan Yu, and according to historian Wang Shizhen (王世貞; 1526–1590), he was responsible for Lan's execution in March 1393." Does the source Tsai (2002), pp. 50–52, explain Zhu Di's involvement in the Lan Yu execution?

** Earlier in 1388, after suppressing the Uriyangqad Mongols in Manchuria, Lan Yu presented several rare steeds to the Prince of Yan, but the prince deftly turned him down by saying, “The booty horses have not yet been presented to the emperor. If I receive them first, how can I claim that I respect my lord and my father?” Lan Yu later penetrated into northern Mongolia without disaster, and that won him a dukedom but also led him to become increasingly arrogant and flippant in his conduct. As the Prince of Yan mused about the inevitable power struggle, Lan Yu suddenly became his biggest obstacle. It is very likely that it was upon the recommendation of the Prince of Yan that Emperor Hongwu sicced his spies on such veteran generals as Lan Yu, Feng Sheng, and Fu Youde. According to Wang Shizhen (1526–90), a prominent Ming scholar and a doctoral degree holder of 1547, the Prince of Yan was chiefly responsible for the execution of Lan Yu, on charge of treason, on March 22, 1393. Tsai (2002), pp. 51–52

** Earlier in 1388, after suppressing the Uriyangqad Mongols in Manchuria, Lan Yu presented several rare steeds to the Prince of Yan, but the prince deftly turned him down by saying, “The booty horses have not yet been presented to the emperor. If I receive them first, how can I claim that I respect my lord and my father?” Lan Yu later penetrated into northern Mongolia without disaster, and that won him a dukedom but also led him to become increasingly arrogant and flippant in his conduct. As the Prince of Yan mused about the inevitable power struggle, Lan Yu suddenly became his biggest obstacle. It is very likely that it was upon the recommendation of the Prince of Yan that Emperor Hongwu sicced his spies on such veteran generals as Lan Yu, Feng Sheng, and Fu Youde. According to Wang Shizhen (1526–90), a prominent Ming scholar and a doctoral degree holder of 1547, the Prince of Yan was chiefly responsible for the execution of Lan Yu, on charge of treason, on March 22, 1393. Tsai (2002), pp. 51–52

*"The emperor restored the titles of the princes of Zhou, Qi, and Min, which had been abolished by the Jianwen Emperor, but these titles did not come with the same power and authority as before." Does the source go into the specific powers these three princes had held under the previous reigns?

*"The emperor restored the titles of the princes of Zhou, Qi, and Min, which had been abolished by the Jianwen Emperor, but these titles did not come with the same power and authority as before." Does the source go into the specific powers these three princes had held under the previous reigns?

** It is obvious that in order to begin with a clean slate and to concentrate all power in his own hands, the new emperor wanted to wipe out the old princely guard units one by one. He realized that he needed to first eliminate the most politically volatile elements by transferring many of the northern princedoms to central and south China. As a result, the Prince of Gu (Zhu Hui) was transferred from Xuanfu to Changsha, the Prince of Ning (Zhu Quan) from Daning to Nanchang, and so on. For a while he allowed the Prince of Dai (Zhu Gui) to stay at Datong, the Prince of Liao (Zhu Zhi) at Liaodong, and the Prince of Shu (Zhu Chun, 1371-1423) at Chengdu, but later on Yongle took away their troop commands altogether. And in spite of the fact that he restored the titles and properties to the Prince of Zhou (Zhu Su), the Prince of Qi (Zhu Fu), and the Prince of Min (Zhu Bian), they became essentially ornamental symbols with ceremonial functions as Yongle brought the princely establishments firmly under his personal control. Tsai (2002), p. 76

** It is obvious that in order to begin with a clean slate and to concentrate all power in his own hands, the new emperor wanted to wipe out the old princely guard units one by one. He realized that he needed to first eliminate the most politically volatile elements by transferring many of the northern princedoms to central and south China. As a result, the Prince of Gu (Zhu Hui) was transferred from Xuanfu to Changsha, the Prince of Ning (Zhu Quan) from Daning to Nanchang, and so on. For a while he allowed the Prince of Dai (Zhu Gui) to stay at Datong, the Prince of Liao (Zhu Zhi) at Liaodong, and the Prince of Shu (Zhu Chun, 1371-1423) at Chengdu, but later on Yongle took away their troop commands altogether. And in spite of the fact that he restored the titles and properties to the Prince of Zhou (Zhu Su), the Prince of Qi (Zhu Fu), and the Prince of Min (Zhu Bian), they became essentially ornamental symbols with ceremonial functions as Yongle brought the princely establishments firmly under his personal control. Tsai (2002), p. 76

*"During the latter half of his reign, the Yongle Emperor accused many of these princes of committing crimes and punished them by removing their personal guards." Can you give an example?

*"During the latter half of his reign, the Yongle Emperor accused many of these princes of committing crimes and punished them by removing their personal guards." Can you give an example?

** The emperor's desire to eliminate the princely guards is readily understandable: under the enfeoffment system set up during the Hung-wu reign, the imperial princes had had far-reaching power. The Yung-lo emperor had used this power to build up his own armies, and that experience led him to disband the princely guards and to remove his own sons from military commands. Both his eldest son and his second son had taken part in campaigns during the civil war. However, after he ascended the throne, he made his eldest son regent while he was away on military campaigns; his second son was arrested in 1417 for scheming against his elder brother. At the same time, just as the Chien-wen emperor had done, the Yung-lo emperor also felt compelled to cut back the power of the remaining imperial princes, who were his own brothers; many were purged on criminal charges and their guard units disbanded. Therefore, by the end of his reign, only four of the original thirty princely guard units created by the Hung-wu emperor survived intact. Chan (1988), p. 245

*"Grand Secretary Xie Jin disagreed and argued that Zhu Gaochi would win the hearts of the people with his humanity." Does the source also mention any arguments based on Zhu Gaochi being the eldest son?

*"Grand Secretary Xie Jin disagreed and argued that Zhu Gaochi would win the hearts of the people with his humanity." Does the source also mention any arguments based on Zhu Gaochi being the eldest son?

** But before making his critical decision, Yongle secretly sought Xie Jin’s advice. Xie said, “Your eldest son is noted for both his humanity and filial piety and has won the heart of the whole world.” While Yongle remained silent, Xie added, “Moreover, you have a splendid grandson to succeed your eldest son.” Xie was referring to Gaozhi’s six-year-old son, Zhu Zhanji, the future fifth Ming Emperor Xuande (r. 1426–35), who was Yongle’s favorite grandson. Yongle finally nodded his head and the difficult decision was made. Tsai (2002), p. 98

** But before making his critical decision, Yongle secretly sought Xie Jin’s advice. Xie said, “Your eldest son is noted for both his humanity and filial piety and has won the heart of the whole world.” While Yongle remained silent, Xie added, “Moreover, you have a splendid grandson to succeed your eldest son.” Xie was referring to Gaozhi’s six-year-old son, Zhu Zhanji, the future fifth Ming Emperor Xuande (r. 1426–35), who was Yongle’s favorite grandson. Yongle finally nodded his head and the difficult decision was made. Tsai (2002), p. 98