Ming Dynasty's Yu Tomb

Ming Dynasty's Yu Tomb

Ming Dynasty's Yu Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

Ming Dynasty's Yu Tomb, located at the southern foot of Shimen Mountain on the western peak of Tianshou Mountain in the Ming Thirteen Tombs, is the joint burial mausoleum of the sixth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen, and his empresses, Empress Qian and Empress Zhou.

Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was the eldest son of Emperor Xuanzong. He was born on November 11 of the second year of the Xuande era (1427) and was enthroned as crown prince on February 6 of the third year (1428). He ascended to the throne on January 10 of the tenth year (1435) and changed the era name to Zhengtong the following year.

Emperor Yingzong ascended the throne at the age of just 9. Thanks to the wise governance of the Grand Empress Dowager, who kept the eunuchs in check and entrusted state affairs to the senior ministers known as the Three Yangs, the early years of his reign still largely followed the systems of Emperors Ren and Xuan, and state affairs were still quite commendable.

Later, as the Grand Empress Dowager grew old and frequently ill, she gradually took less interest in court affairs. Among the Three Yangs, Yang Rong passed away in the fifth year of Zhengtong (1440), Yang Shiqi withdrew from public life after his son Yang Ji was impeached by censors, and only Yang Pu remained in the cabinet—aged and isolated. The other cabinet ministers were relatively inexperienced. As a result, the eunuch Wang Zhen of the Directorate of Ceremonial, relying on Emperor Yingzong’s favor, gradually took control of the government.

In the seventh year of Zhengtong (1442), Grand Empress Dowager Zhang passed away, and Yang Shiqi also died the following year. Wang Zhen became even more unbridled and seized control of the court’s power. In July of the fourteenth year of Zhengtong (1449), the Mongolian Oirat tribe, along with other tribal forces, launched a large-scale southern invasion. Esen Tayisi, the Oirat leader, personally led troops to attack Datong, and urgent military reports flooded into the Forbidden City. Wang Zhen, hoping for a lucky victory, persuaded Emperor Yingzong to lead the troops in person. Despite objections from Minister of War Kuang Ye and others who insisted that the emperor should not go, Yingzong ultimately set off.

Under Wang Zhen’s instigation, on July 16, Emperor Yingzong hastily led over 500,000 troops from the Imperial Guard on the campaign. Along the way, ministers repeatedly urged him to return to the capital, but Wang Zhen ignored them. When news of the devastating defeat reached them, Yingzong and Wang Zhen panicked and decided to retreat. However, without a well-thought-out plan, they made several futile detours. Due to the Ming army’s roundabout marches, it wasn’t until August 12 that they reached Tumu Fort, just 20 li from Huailai City. The next day, the Oirat army arrived, surrounded Tumu Fort, and annihilated the entire Ming force of hundreds of thousands. Over 50 civil and military officials, including the Duke of Yingguo Zhang Fu, were killed, and Emperor Yingzong was captured by the Oirats. The guard general Fan Zhong, in a fit of rage, killed Wang Zhen with a hammer. This event is historically known as the “Tumu Crisis.”

On August 17, news of the Tumu defeat reached Beijing. Officials gathered in the court and wept bitterly. Empress Dowager Sun issued an edict, naming Yingzong’s two-year-old son Zhu Jianshen (then called Zhu Jianjun) as crown prince, and appointed Yingzong’s younger brother, Prince of Cheng Zhu Qiyu, as regent to govern the state. In September, court officials jointly petitioned for the Prince of Cheng to ascend the throne, which the Empress Dowager approved. Yue Qian, an imperial envoy to the Oirats, returned with word that Emperor Yingzong had decreed the Prince of Cheng to “succeed the throne and continue ancestral worship.” The Prince of Cheng then ascended the throne on September 6, posthumously honoring Yingzong as the Retired Emperor, and changed the era name to Jingtai the following year. With the support of Minister of War Yu Qian and others, Emperor Jingtai (also known as the Jingtai Emperor) organized Beijing’s defenses. Under Yu Qian’s command, soldiers and civilians fought together against the invading Oirat army, achieving a glorious victory in the Defense of Beijing.

Esen originally intended to use Emperor Yingzong as leverage to extort reparations from the Ming court. But when the Ming established a new emperor, he released Yingzong in August of the first year of the Jingtai era (1450).

After returning to Beijing, although Emperor Yingzong was nominally the Retired Emperor, he was actually confined in the Southern Palace under constant surveillance and was completely barred from participating in politics. Emperor Jingtai also deposed Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, demoting him to Prince of Yi, and installed his own son Zhu Jianshi as the new crown prince. Soon after, Zhu Jianshi died young. Emperor Jingtai himself fell seriously ill on December 28 of the seventh year of Jingtai (1456). Seeing the emperor’s critical condition, the Marquis of Wuning Shi Heng conspired with Commander Zhang Che, Left Censor-in-Chief Yang Shan, eunuch Cao Jixiang, Minister of Rites Xu Bin, and Left Vice Censor-in-Chief Xu Youzhen to welcome Emperor Yingzong back to power. The construction of the tomb was completed in just under four months.

Emperor Yingzong (1427–1464) Zhu Qizhen, of Han ethnicity, was the sixth emperor of the Ming Dynasty. His reign titles were Zhengtong and Tianshun. He was the eldest son of Emperor Xuanzong and ascended the throne at age 9. Initially, state power was largely controlled by Grand Empress Dowager Zhang, with long-serving senior ministers Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu managing government affairs and continuing the policies of the Ren and Xuan eras, leading to some social and economic development.

After Zhang’s death and the departure of the Three Yangs, Emperor Yingzong favored eunuch Wang Zhen, who then built a powerful faction, marking the beginning of eunuch dominance in the Ming Dynasty. In the fourteenth year, when the Oirats invaded, Yingzong followed Wang Zhen’s advice to lead a campaign himself, was defeated at Tumu, and captured. Prince of Cheng Zhu Qiyu was enthroned as emperor... More details about Zhu Qizhen++

Shisanling Town: a township under Changping County. Established as Tailingyuan Township in 1956, renamed Shisanling Commune in 1958, and became Shisanling Township in 1982. Located in the northern part of the county, 1 km from the county seat. Covers an area of 67.9 square kilometers with a population of 14,000. National Highways 108 and 110 pass through. Administers 16 village committees including Jian Tou, Shipailou, Nanxin Village, Xiānrén Dòng, Dàgōngmén, Kānglíngyuán, Wáng Zhuāng, Tàilíngyuán, Hú Zhuāng, Xīshānkǒu, Xiǎogōngmén, Dàolíngjiān, Wànniángfén, Déshèngkǒu, Guǒ Zhuāng, and Chánglíngyuán, and one neighborhood committee, Beixin Village. One of Beijing’s top ten fruit-producing towns, known for its mopan persimmons... More details about Shisanling Town++

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