When talking about imperial mausoleums, many people naturally think of the emperor’s mausoleum, and the emperor’s mausoleum was very important in ancient times, especially in terms of site selection, such as the imperial mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty. Basically, they were concentrated near the capital at that time, which is now Beijing. Most of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty are buried here, except for a very few emperors. The reason Zhu Yuanzhang is not here is because his capital at that time was Nanjing, and he was buried in Nanjing. From here it seems that we can also see the relationship between the ancient capital and the imperial tombs. However, what many people may not know is that there is actually an imperial mausoleum from the Ming Dynasty in Zhongxiang, Hubei. But we also know that the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were not in Zhongxiang. Why are there still imperial mausoleums here? Zhongxiang’s imperial mausoleum Who is buried in the mausoleum and why is he buried here? Let’s take a look. 1. Introduction to Zhongxiang
Zhongxiang is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Hubei Province and administered by Jingmen City. It is located in the middle reaches of the Han River in the middle reaches of the Han River, bordering Yicheng and Suizhou to the north, and Tianmen City and Shayang County to the south. It is adjacent to Jingshan City in the east, Dongbao District and Duodao District in the west, between 30°42'-31°36' north latitude and 112°07'-113°00' east longitude. There are 207 National Highway, Jiaozhi Railway, Changjing Railway, Xiangjing Expressway and Wujing Expressway pass through it.
Zhongxiang City has a total area of ??4,488 square kilometers. As of the end of 2018, it has jurisdiction over 1 street, 15 towns, 1 township, and 2 provincial-level economic and technological development zones. In 2018, the city achieved a regional GDP of 50.5 billion yuan, an increase of 8% over 2017. Zhongxiang is located in the low mountainous area of ??central Hubei, with terrain high in the northeast and low in the southwest. It belongs to the north subtropical monsoon climate zone, with four distinct seasons, rain and heat at the same time, abundant rainfall, and a mild climate.
Zhongxiang is a famous national historical and cultural city in China and one of the important birthplaces of Chu culture. It has a recorded history of more than 2,700 years. It was called Jiaoying during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and was the capital of Chu State. The capital of the country. In 1531 AD, Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty gave the county the name "Zhongxiang" because he was born and prospered here, and took the meaning of "a geomantic treasure land and auspicious place". one. After the founding of New China, the county name was still Zhongxiang. In May 1992, the State Council approved Zhongxiang's removal from the county and establishment of a city.
Zhongxiang has a large population of longevity people. It is certified by the United Nations Institute on Aging as the "Hometown of Longevity in the World". It is also an excellent tourist city in China, a national sustainable development experimental zone, a national ecological demonstration zone, and a national advanced county for scientific and technological progress. cities, and national culturally advanced counties and cities. Zhongxiang also created a number of historical celebrities such as the Ming Dynasty emperor Zhu Houcong, the Chu poet Song Yu, and the Chu song and dance artist Mo Chounu, and gave birth to historical allusions such as "White Snow in Spring" and "Xiaoliba Man". In 2019, it was listed as a national intellectual property strong county project demonstration county (district). The second batch of national agricultural product quality and safety counties. 2. Why is there a Ming Dynasty imperial mausoleum in Zhongxiang?
We all know that Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was born in Fengyang, Anhui. As the emperor's hometown, Fengyang had an extraordinary status after the establishment of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang promoted Fengyang to the title of Zhongdu, established Fengyang Mansion, and established the Zhongdu Remaining Department. Even though the Ming Dynasty moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, Fengyang, the central capital, was still the root of the Ming Dynasty royal family. However, the Ming Dynasty actually had an emperor's hometown with the same status as the central capital Fengyang.
Zhongxiang is located in the central part of Hubei Province, on the east bank of the middle reaches of the Han River, with Dahong Mountain in the north and is affiliated to Jingmen City. Zhongxiang was once the Chu region in history. The famous Jingling County in the Southern and Northern Dynasties was located in Zhongxiang. In the late Southern Qi Dynasty, there were the famous Eight Friends of Jingling, who were leaders in the literary world at that time, such as Shen Yue, Wang Rong, Fan Yun, Ren Fang, Xie Tiao and others. There was another person among the Eight Friends, his name was Xiao Yan, who overthrew the Southern Qi Dynasty in 502 AD and established the Daliang Dynasty. Why are these eight people called the Eight Friends of Jingling? Because these eight talented men are all attached to the sect of Xiao Ziliang, King of Jingling in the Southern Qi Dynasty. Xiao Ziliang's father was Xiao Yu, Emperor Wu of Qi, and his grandfather was Xiao Daocheng, the founding emperor of Southern Qi.
Zhongxiang was still the administrative seat of Jingling County in the Sui Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Zhongxiang County was renamed Changshou County and was once the administrative seat of Yingzhou. In the Song Dynasty, the administrative seat of Yingzhou was still located in Zhongxiang. However, Zhong Xiang during the Tang and Song Dynasties was relatively quiet and did not "make any noise." It was in the Ming Dynasty that Zhong Xiang really became famous. To be precise, it was the 16th year of the Zhengde reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, 1521 AD.
In April of this year (lunar calendar), the naughty Zhengde Emperor Zhu Houzhao (also known as "Zhu Houzhao") passed away at the age of 31. Because Ming Wuzong had no heirs or biological brothers, the next Ming Emperor could only be born between Ming Wuzong's cousins. Before the death of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, he had already decided on the candidate for emperor. He was Zhu Houcong, the cousin of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, who was 15 years old at the time.
Zhu Houcong and Ming Wuzong had the same grandfather, Zhu Jianshen, Chenghua Emperor of Xianzong, who was passionately in love with Wan Zhen'er, a palace maid nearly twenty years older than him. The third son of Ming Xianzong was Zhu Youtang, who was the father of Ming Wuzong, Zhu Youtang, the Hongzhi Emperor of Ming Xiaozong. The fourth son of Ming Xianzong was named Zhu Youqi, and he was named King Xing in the year when Ming Xianzong died. According to the Ming system, when a prince grew up, he would join a feudal state. Zhu Youji's feudal state was in Anlu Prefecture, which is now Zhongxiang. Zhu Youyi gave birth to two sons. The eldest son Zhu Houxi only lived for 5 days, and the second son Zhu Houcong grew up safely.
Since Zhu Houcong was the cousin with the closest blood relationship to Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, before his death, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty issued an edict to pass the throne to the Xingwang Zhu Houcong whose fiefdom was in Zhongxiang, who was Emperor Shizong Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. The ministers also agreed with Zhu Houcong's succession, thinking that Zhu Houcong was relatively honest and easy to control. The result was a slap in the face. Ming Shizong established his supreme authority through major ceremonial events, and ruled the country for forty-five years. At the same time, he also brought the Ming Dynasty into chaos.
In the Song Dynasty, when an emperor became emperor from a vassal, he upgraded the state where his residence was located to a mansion. This was also the case in the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. In a sense, it was also a continuation of this thinking. However, in the Song Dynasty, most emperors had no heirs, so more vassal kings succeeded to the throne. However, in the Ming Dynasty, from Emperor Yongle on down, fewer vassal kings succeeded. Zhu Qizhen, the Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, was captured by Wala in Tumubao. King Zhu Qiyu succeeded him as a vassal king, but Zhu Qiyu himself was in the capital. There are very few cases like Ming Shizong of a vassal king who was far away from the capital and succeeded to the throne. Therefore, Ming Shizong certainly wanted to enhance Zhong Xiang's status. This is also human nature.
In the tenth year of Jiajing (1531), Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty issued an edict to upgrade his birthplace to Chengtianfu and establish Zhongxiang County, which means "Auspicious Zhonggathering". In the 18th year of Jiajing (1539), the imperial court established the Xingdu Remaining Division in Zhongxiang, which was under the jurisdiction of Xianling Mausoleum. Before Ming Shizong, the Ming emperor's roots were in Fengyang, but after Ming Shizong, the Ming emperor's roots actually had Zhongxiang. In other words, from Ming Shizong onwards, Ming Muzong (Longqing), Ming Shenzong (Wanli), Ming Guangzong (Taichang), Ming Xi Zong (Tianqi), Ming Chongzhen Emperor's roots are from Fengyang, the central capital, and from the nearest It is said that it comes from Zhongxiang in Hindustan. 3. The historical evolution of Zhongxiang
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Zhongxiang was now the suburb of Ying, a town in the state of Chu.
During the Qin Dynasty, it belonged to Nanjun.
In the Western Han Dynasty, Ying County was established along the Qin system. Since then, Zhongxiang County has been established, and it still belongs to Nanjun.
In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, Ying County was abolished.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Wu set up Yamen garrison on the outskirts of Ying and built a city with stones based on the mountains, which was named Stone City.
In the ninth year of Yuankang (299), Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, Jingling County was established to govern Shicheng (today's Zhongxiang).
In the sixth year of Taishi (470) of Liu Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty, Changshou County was established as Jingling County.
In the 17th year of the reign of the Western Wei Dynasty (551), Changshou County was changed to Changshou County; in the same year, Yingzhou was established to govern Changshou.
In the Yuan Dynasty, Yingzhou was renamed Anlu Prefecture to govern longevity.
In the ninth year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1376), Anlu Prefecture was changed to Anlu Prefecture, and Changshou County was merged into the state; in the tenth year of Jiajing (1531), Anlu Prefecture was promoted to Chengtian Prefecture; in the same year The county was reestablished, taking the meaning of "auspicious Zhonggathering", named Zhongxiang, and Chengtian Prefecture governed Zhongxiang.
In the third year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1646), Chengtian Mansion was changed to Anlu Mansion, and Zhongxiang was still governed.
In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), Anlu Mansion was abolished, and Zhongxiang County fell under the Fourth Administrative Supervision District of Hubei Province; in the 21st year (1932), it was changed to the Sixth Administrative Supervision District; in the 20th year In the fifth year (1936), it was changed to the Third Administrative Supervision District; in the thirty-seventh year (1948), it was part of the Fourth Administrative Supervision District.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the county name was still Zhongxiang and it belonged to the Jingzhou District Administrative Office of Hubei Province.
In May 1992, with the approval of the State Council, Zhongxiang County was abolished and Zhongxiang City (county level) was established, which still belongs to the Jingzhou Regional Administrative Office.
In December 1996, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Jingmen City, Hubei Province.