List of emperors of the Ming dynasty


The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644, succeeding the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty and falling amidst much peasant turmoil to the Manchu-ruled 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.
According to the rules of the imperial house, the first character of the names of Ming princes is a generation name, while the second character contains a character radical that cycles through the five elements of Chinese philosophy, namely, 木 火 土 金 水, starting from the generation after imperial founder Zhu Yuanzhang.

Emperors of the Ming dynasty

Emperors of the [Southern Ming] dynasty


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from: 1368 till: 1398 color:MG text:"Hongwu "
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from: 1402 till: 1424 color:MG text:"Yongle "
from: 1424 till: 1425 color:MG text:"Hongxi "
from: 1425 till: 1435 color:MG text:"Xuande "
from: 1435 till: 1449 color:MG text:"Yingzong "
from: 1449 till: 1457 color:MG text:"Jingtai "
from: 1457 till: 1464 color:MG text:"Yingzong "
from: 1464 till: 1487 color:MG text:"Chenghua "
from: 1487 till: 1505 color:MG text:"Hongzhi "
from: 1505 till: 1521 color:MG text:"Zhengde "
from: 1521 till: 1567 color:MG text:"Jiajing "
from: 1567 till: 1572 color:MG text:"Longqing "
from: 1572 till: 1620 color:MG text:"Wanli "
from: 1620 till: 1620 color:MG text:"Taichang "
from: 1620 till: 1627 color:MG text:"Tianqi "
from: 1627 till: 1644 color:MG text:"Chongzhen "
from: 1644 till: 1645 color:SM text:"Hongguang "
from: 1645 till: 1646 color:SM text:"Longwu "
from: 1645 till: 1646 color:SM text:"Zhu Changfang "
from: 1645 till: 1655 color:SM text:"Zhu Yihai "
from: 1646 till: 1647 color:SM text:"Shaowu "
from: 1646 till: 1662 color:SM text:"Yongli "
from: 1648 till: 1649 color:SM text:"Dongwu "
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