The Emperors in Forbidden City

List of Emperors of the Ming Dynasty

View a tour plan to Tian'an men Square and Forbidden City

The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644, succeeding the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and falling amidst much peasant turmoil to the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Sixteen emperors ruled over the whole of China spanning 276 years. A series of claimants to the Ming throne continued to claim the throne of what was known as the Southern Ming until the last was executed in 1662.

Emperors of the Ming Dynasty

Personal Name	Posthumous name¹ (short form)	Temple name¹	Reign name	Reign years	Name by which most commonly known
Zhū Yuánzhāng 朱元璋	Gāodì 高帝	Tàizǔ 太祖	Hóngwǔ 洪武	1368-1398	Hongwu Emperor
Zhū Yǔnwén 朱允炆	Huìdì 惠帝	None given²	Jiànwén 建文	1398-1402	Jianwen Emperor
Zhū Dì 朱棣	Wēndì 文帝	Chéngzǔ, 成祖 or Tàizōng, 太宗	Yǒnglè 永樂	1402-1424	Yongle Emperor
Zhū Gāochì 朱高熾	Zhāodì 昭帝	Rénzōng 仁宗	Hóngxī 洪熙	1424-1425	Hongxi Emperor
Zhū Zhānjī 朱瞻基	Zhāngdì 章帝	Xuānzōng 宣宗	Xuāndé 宣德	1425-1435	Xuande Emperor
Zhū Qízhèn 朱祁鎮	Ruìdì 睿帝	Yīngzōng 英宗	Zhèngtǒng, 正統 1436-1449; Tiānshùn, 天順 1457-1464	1435-1449; 1457-1464³	Zhengtong Emperor
Zhū Qíyù 朱祁鈺	Jǐngdì 景帝	Dàizōng 代宗	Jǐngtài 景泰	1449-1457	Jingtai Emperor
Zhū Jiànshēn 朱見深	Chúndì 純帝	Xiànzōng 憲宗	Chénghuà 成化	1464-1487	Chenghua Emperor
Zhū Yòutáng 朱祐樘	Jìngdì 敬帝	Xiàozōng 孝宗	Hóngzhì 弘治	1487-1505	Hongzhi Emperor
Zhū Hòuzhào 朱厚照	Yìdì 毅帝	Wǔzōng 武宗	Zhèngdé 正德	1505-1521	Zhengde Emperor
Zhū Hòucōng 朱厚熜	Sùdì 肅帝	Shìzōng 世宗	Jiājìng 嘉靖	1521-1566	Jiajing Emperor
Zhū Zǎihòu 朱載垕	Zhuāngdì 莊帝	Mùzōng 穆宗	Lóngqìng 隆慶	1566-1572	Longqing Emperor
Zhū Yìjūn 朱翊鈞	Xiǎndì 顯帝	Shénzōng 神宗	Wànlì 萬曆	1572-1620	Wanli Emperor
Zhū Chángluò 朱常洛	Zhēndì 貞帝	Guāngzōng 光宗	Tàichāng 泰昌	1620	Taichang Emperor
Zhū Yóujiào 朱由校	Zhédì 悊帝	Xīzōng 熹宗	Tiānqǐ 天啟	1620-1627	Tianqi Emperor
Zhū Yóujiǎn 朱由檢	Zhuānglièmǐn 莊烈愍	Sīzōng 思宗	Chóngzhēn 崇禎	1627-1644	Chongzhen Emperor
1 As posthumous and temple names were often shared by emperors of different dynasties, they are usually preceded by the dynastic name, in this case, Ming, to avoid confusion. For example, the Hongwu emperor is frequently referred to as Ming Taizu.
2 The Yongle emperor assumed the throne of his nephew the Jianwen emperor, who died in a palace fire. The Yongle emperor wiped out the record of his nephew's reign and no temple name was given him.
3 After listening to the poor advice of his eunuch advisers, the Zhengtong emperor personally led a campaign in 1449 against the Mongols and was captured. His brother, the Jingtai emperor, assumed the throne and, a hostage no longer of any value, the Mongols released the Zhengtong emperor who returned to live in seclusion. However, the Zhengtong emperor was able to reclaim his position upon the death of his brother, choosing the reign name Tianshun.

Emperors of the Southern Ming Dynasty

Personal Name	Temple name	Reign name	Reign years	Name by which most commonly known
Zhū Yóusōng 朱由崧	Ānzōng 安宗	Hóngguāng 弘光	1644-1645	Prince of Fu 福王 Fú Wáng
Zhū Yùjiàn 朱聿鍵	Shàozōng 紹宗	Lóngwǔ 隆武	1645-1646	Prince of Tang 唐王 Táng Wáng
Zhū Chángfāng 朱常淓	None given	None given, but sometimes referred to as the Regency of the Prince of Lu (Luh) 潞王臨國 Lù Wáng Lín Guó	1645	Prince of Lu (Luh*) 潞王 Lù Wáng
Zhū Yǐhǎi 朱以海	None given	None given, but sometimes referred to as the Regency of the Prince of Lu (Lou) 魯王臨國 Lǔ Wáng Lín Guó	1645-1653	Prince of Lu (Lou*) 魯王 Lǔ Wáng
Zhū Yùyuè 朱聿[金粵]	None given	Shàowǔ 紹武	1646	Prince of Tang 唐王 Táng Wáng
Zhū Yóuláng 朱由榔	昭宗	Yǒnglì 永曆	1646-1662	Prince of Gui 桂王 Guì Wáng

The two characters are homonyms, both pronounced Lu; to distinguish them, one is usually kept as Lu and the other spelled differently. Luh is from Cambridge History of China; Lou is from A.C. Moule's Rulers of China (1957). When one irregular spelling is used, the other is kept as regular (Lu). The two systems are distinct and not used simultaneously.

List of Emperors of the Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was founded as the "Later Jin Dynasty" in 1616 by Nurhaci, a Manchu of the Aisin-Gioro Clan, and changed its name to "Qing" in 1636. It lasted until 1912. In China proper, the Qing dynasty succeeded the Ming Dynasty in 1644, during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor. Therefore politically the Shunzhi Emperor is the first Emperor of the Dynasty to be correctly titled the Emperor of China. There were a total of 12 rulers from Nurhaci, of which 10 were rulers of China proper. The Qing Dynasty was toppled in the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, although the last Emperor did not officially abdicate to make way for the new Republic of China until early 1912 and kept his title until 1924.

Emperors

Given name¹	Posthumous name² (short form) Chinese, Manchu	Temple name²	Reign name Chinese, Manchu	Reign years	Name by which most commonly known
Nurhaci 努爾哈赤 pinyin: Nǔ'ěrhāchì	Gāodì 高帝 Dergi hūwangdi	Tàizǔ 太祖	Tiānming 天命) (1616-1626)	1616-1626	Nurhaci
Huang Taiji 皇太極	Wéndì 文帝 Genggiyen su hūwangdi	Tàizōng 太宗	Tiāncōng 天聰 Abkai sure 1627-1636; Chóngdé 崇德 Wesihun erdemungge 1636-1643	1626-1643	Huang Taiji
Fúlín 福臨	Zhāngdì 章帝 Eldembure hūwangdi	Shìzǔ 世祖	Shùnzhì 順治 Ijishūn dasan	1643-1661⁵	Shunzhi Emperor
Xuányè 玄燁	Réndì 仁帝 Gosin hūwangdi	Shèngzǔ 聖祖	Kāngxī 康熙 Elhe taifin	1661-1722	Kangxi Emperor
Yìnzhēn 胤禛	Xiàndì 憲帝 Temgetulehe hūwangdi	Shìzōng 世宗	Yōngzhèng 雍正 Hūwaliyasun tob	1722-1735	Yongzheng Emperor
Hónglì 弘曆	Chúndì 純帝 Yongkiyangga hūwangdi	Gāozōng 高宗	Qiánlóng 乾隆 Abkai wehiyehe	1735-1796 (died 1799)⁶	Qianlong Emperor
Yóngyǎn 顒琰	Ruìdì 睿帝 Sunggiyen hūwangdi	Rénzōng 仁宗	Jiāqìng 嘉慶 Saicungga fengšen	1796-1820	Jiaqing Emperor
Mínníng 旻寧	Chéngdì 成帝 Šanggan hūwangdi	Xuānzōng 宣宗	Dàoguāng 道光 Doro eldengge	1820-1850	Daoguang Emperor
Yìzhǔ 奕詝	Xiǎndì 顯帝 Iletu hūwangdi	Wénzōng 文宗	Xiánfēng 咸豐 Gubci elgiyengge	1850-1861	Xianfeng Emperor
Zǎichún 載淳	Yìdì 毅帝 Filingga hūwangdi	Mùzōng 穆宗	Tóngzhì 同治 Yooningga dasan	1861-1875⁷	Tongzhi Emperor
Zǎitián 載湉	Jǐngdì 景帝 Ambalinggū hūwangdi	Dézōng 德宗	Guāngxù 光緒 Badarangga doro	1875-1908⁷	Guangxu Emperor
Pǔyí 溥儀 also known as Henry	Xùndì ⁸ 遜帝	None given ⁹	Xuāntǒng 宣統 Gehungge yoso	1908-1924¹⁰ (died 1967)	Xuantong Emperor
1 The Qing imperial family name was Aisin Gioro (愛新覺羅 aixin jueluo), but it was not common Manchu practice to include the family or clan name in an individual's personal name.
2 As posthumous and temple names were often shared by emperors of different dynasties, they are usually preceded by the dynastic name, in this case, Qing, to avoid confusion. For example, the Qianlong emperor is frequently referred to as Qing Gaozong.
3 Nurhaci founded the Jin (金) or Later Jin (後金) dynasty in 1616, but it was his son Hong Taiji who changed the name of the dynasty to Qing in 1636. Nurhaci adopted the reign name Tianming but his Qing titles were all conferred posthumously.
4 Hong Taiji is referred to erroneously in some historical literature as Abahai (阿巴海).
5 The Shunzhi emperor was the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper following the occupation of Beijing in 1644.
6 The Qianlong emperor officially retired in 1796, taking the title Emperor Emeritus (太上皇帝). This was an act of filial piety to ensure that he would not reign longer than his illustrious grandfather, the Kangxi emperor. However, he remained the ultimate authority until his death in 1799, at which point his son, the Jiaqing emperor, began to exercise the power that had been his in name only from 1796.
7 The Empress Dowager Cixi, concubine of the Xianfeng emperor, mother of the Tongzhi emperor, and adoptive mother of the Guangxu emperor, used her considerable skills of political manipulation to act as the power behind the throne or on the throne from 1861 until her death in 1908. She acted as a regent during the minorities of the two young emperors and confined the Guangxu emperor in the Summer Palace after he attempted to introduce reforms in 1898. The death of the Guangxu emperor was announced the day before her own.
8 Xundi ("The Abdicated Emperor") is the posthumous name given by mainland China and Taiwan's history books to Pu-yi.
9 In 2004 the descendants of the Qing imperial family have conferred a posthumous name and temple name upon the late Pu-yi. Posthumous name: Mindi (愍帝). Temple name: Gongzong (恭宗). It remains to be seen whether these names will be accepted by the Chinese public.
10 The Qing dynasty was overthrown in 1911, and the last emperor, Xuantong, abdicated officially on February 12, 1912. However, that same day the Republic of China granted the "Articles of Favourable Treatment of the Emperor of the Great Qing after his Abdication" (清帝退位優待條件) which allowed Xuantong to retain his imperial title and stated that he should be treated by the government of the Republic with the protocol attached to a foreign monarch. These articles were revised on November 5, 1924, after the coup by General Feng Yuxiang: the revised articles stated that Xuantong was losing his imperial title and henceforth becoming a regular citizen of the Republic of China. Xuantong was expelled from the Forbidden City that same day. Thus, Xuantong was ruling emperor until February 12, 1912 (and also briefly between July 1 and July 12, 1917), and non-ruling emperor between February 12, 1912 and November 5, 1924. Xuantong also later became the puppet leader of Japanese-controlled Manchukuo under the reign name Datong (大同) (1932-1934), then the puppet emperor of the same under the reign name Kangde (康德) (1934-1945).