Zhu Youyuan

Zhu Youyuan (22 July 1476 – 13 July 1519), was a prince of the Ming dynasty of China. He was the fourth son of the Chenghua Emperor.

Created Prince of Xing (興王), his fief was near today's Zhongxiang, in Hubei Province. He and his wife were posthumously honored by his son after he became the Jiajing Emperor in 1521.

Burial place
His tomb originally was an ordinary prince's tomb which located at Songlin Mount (松林山), Zhongxiang, Hubei Province. The tomb was rebuilt in 1519, until 1521. His son the Jiajing Emperor enthroned, Jiajing against the ministers for his posthumously title. Later, he was posthumously honored as "Emperor Xingxian" (興獻帝), then his tomb rebuilt as emperor's style and renamed as "Xianling" (顯陵).

Worship imperial ancestral temple
Originally, ministers were against the Jiajing Emperor for worship imperial temple for Zhu Youyuan. Then, Jiajing had to set up another temple for him and named as "shimiao" (世廟), then renamed as "Temple of Emperor Xian" in 1536. Two years later, the temple restyled as imperial ancestral temple, and Jiajing honored Zhu Youyuan with the temple name "Ruizong". At that time, Jiajing had relocated the temple with the Hongzhi Emperor's temple, because they were brothers.

After the temple was rebuilt, Jiajing had veto for let Zhu Youyuan shared the same temple with Hongzhi, and relocated the temple at the above of the Zhengde Emperor's temple. At this point, Jiajing had finally posthumously honored Zhu Youyuan as emperor and finished the worship.

During the reigns of the Wanli and Tianqi emperors, ministers requested the removal of Zhu Youyuan's temple but were still vetoed.

Zhu Youyuan's imperial made epitaph of Prince Xian of Xing
The original text:

Approximately translate:

Family
Consorts and Issue:
 * Empress Cixiaoxian, of the Jiang clan (慈孝獻皇后 蔣氏; d. 1538)
 * Zhu Houxi, Prince Huai of Yue (岳懷王 朱厚熙; 7 July 1500 – 12 July 1500), first son
 * Princess Changning (長寧公主; 26 November 1501 – 16 April 1504), first daughter
 * Princess Yongfu (永福公主; 20 May 1506 – 20 June 1525), third daughter
 * Married Wu Jinghe (鄔景和; 1508–1568) in 1523
 * Zhu Houcong, the Jiajing Emperor (嘉靖帝 朱厚熜; 16 September 1507 – 23 January 1567), second son
 * Princess Yongchun (永淳公主; 2 October 1511 – 1540), fourth daughter
 * Married Xie Zhao (謝詔; 1512–1567) in 1527, and had issue (one son)
 * Consort Wenjingshu, of the Wang clan (溫靜淑妃 王氏; d. 1532)
 * Princess Shanhua (善化公主; 21 July 1503 – 15 May 1512), second daughter